Picnic benches in Goose Green Playground

[FoGG]

Denise here again, as I have stated in previous messages, the work that has been undertaken so far has been done by the Parks maintenance team. We hope to have the new climbing equipment for the under 5's in during August and then our focus will be on the older children.

We are however restricted by the bylaws which state that the users of the playground should be under 14. I have already applied for ?25k for phase 2 which will focus on setup of a proper football/basketball area within the playground roughly where it has always been played. I will be presenting plans to the Nunhead and Peckham Rye community council on the 1st July. meeting starts at 7pm, St Mary Magdelene Primary School if any locals would like to attend and support.

We also plan to show the phase one plans on the green in the next few weeks so that parents and kids can have a view. If you are on the FoGG mailing list you will have an invite and I will put notices up.

Thanks Denise

[AllforNun]

We will put picnic benches where ever we like, stop complaining. who cares about the kids. The article in last weeks observer clearly stated that Picnics where the new folk festival which was the new rock festival. keep up !

[p_in_ed]

Delighted to hear some money is going to be spent on the playground, and looking forward to the result.

Seems like the postioning of the picnic tables is easily remedied.

[Moos]

Notices about the FOGG meetings that have occurred were up for months before the meetings, in several areas around the fence. Anyone who uses Goose Green regularly could have seen them, and could have attended the meetings, or sent an email with ideas or thoughts. It's easy (and lazy) to complain after the event, but I don't think it's appropriate to say that people weren't consulted.

[aidokel]

I'm the father of two kids who use that park every day. We also on occasion go to Warwick Gardens, Peckham Rye Park and that little one over by Sainsburys. None have the centrality or openness of Goose Green. It's a vital part of the community, which would be a poorer place without it.

Its continued improvement is down to a dedicated group of people like Denise Fulgoni (who, incidentally, is the only one to give her full name; others have decided to moan and bitch behind hilarious pen names).

Also, I love my football, but what gives youngsters the right to play football in a park designed for swinging and sliding?I can't think of any other park that caters for it, so what makes Goose Green obliged to? There's a perfectly good grassy area across the road. Most of the kids look old enough to be able to cross this road at the lights. I know this, because I'm there every day.

It's thanks to people like Denise and Friends of Goose Green that they're even willing to entertain petty, snide comments from forums like this.

[AllforNun]

Yes it is appropriate to say people were not consulted. They never are thats how politics works. That fence appeared over night and people were like "it's ***&ing hideous, who knew, take it down" - 6+ years later it is removed under some false pretence. Why not say "yes we $%^&ed up and have absolutely no taste or sense of design" As for "It's easy (and lazy) to complain after the event", that is pulled out of someone's arse in every discussion about local meetings, it is far more complex than that. It like when we talk about immigration, every other person is suddenly a racist. Or anyone who says "i am not sure about Europe" is suddenly labeled as some backward looking nationalist and are represented 'conveniently' by a umbrella of organisations ,no doubt set up by the governments own agencies, with name's like UKIP, the English Party or the BNP. Anyway back to the picnic benches and the laminated posters on the fences, did anyone think to just post the idea on a thread here and gauge opinion from that ?

[AllforNun]

Oh we have 2 pub benches, a couple of slightly melted plastic ponies all right next to a dog fouling area and thats next to 3 large commercial rubbish bins. So come to Nunhead Green in summer for your picnic !!! We have a community here as well and the green is central to it, unfortunately people voted labour and so we will get Sweet F A. Thats what happens when you do actually engage, tick your box but make sure it's the right one, ah the joy of the Mugabe vote.

[Mrs E]

I might be able to shed a bit of light on how exactly the tables did end up where they are... on Monday, I spoke with the chap who had actually placed and screwed them there. He was asked to put two tables under the trees by East Dulwich Road but realised that they would get covered in bird mess and therefore used his initiative and decided to place them away from the trees - not knowing of course that this is the preferred football area which he now knows about from his 'guvnor' and can see that the new positions aren't ideal. So it sounds like simply a case of human error...

[Horsebox]

You mean to say that it's not consultation gone crazy?

How disappointing.

[p_in_ed]

Noticed that it was my little boy's favourite playground that features in the C4 'Disarming Britain' trailer:

http://www.channel4.com/news/microsites/D/disarming_britain/index.html

Hm

[AllforNun]

Hang on ! as i wondered into the Nunhead & Peckham Rye playground at Goose Green i realised that that ugly, money down the drain, carbuncle of a fence was still in place !!!

I take it all back, we can't have a re-bate. Benches look nice though.

[victor]

Hurrah, the benches have been moved!

To a much better spot by the other benches, which will hopefully deter the kids from playing football near the little ones on the climbing frame.

Thanks to all those who got it sorted out!