Peckham Rye Park - new dogs on leads signs

[tiddles]

I noticed some new dogs on leads signs today in the park. There was a new one near the pond (just to make sure people are aware of the on lead area) also a new one for the sexby garden, but also one on the gate near the loos/park keepers office. Its a shame about the sexby garden as we always walk thro there, but it's no great hardship to be honest as you can unclip when thru, but the one by the loos almost suggests that once thro that gate, the whole park is on lead.

Did I miss something - the last I heard was the assurances from the chap at the council was that nothing was going to be changed?

I hope this does't descend into the whole love/hate dogs discussion, but I am intrigued as to what else is planned?

[Mustard]

Do bye-laws have to be passed for these to be enforced? Dogs should be on the lead round the pond, and a lot of people do not seem to do this, even though the signs have been there for a long time. Too many dogs jump the fence and harass the ducks etc.

[tiddles]

yes, not against the existing dogs on lead areas at all - the ducks should be free to feel safe in their environments, ditto the kids play area and the japanese garden.

[ianr]

The bye-laws, which you can download in full from http://www.southwark.gov.uk/downloads/download/2859/dog_ban_byelaws, were made in 1996. I've quoted the dogs-on-leads one in http://www.eastdulwichforum.co.uk/forum/read.php?5,1272804,1272848#msg-1272848. Here's a bit more:

1[6] Notice of the effect of these byelaws shall be given by signs placed in

conspicuous positions at the entrances to each of the dog prohibited

areas, and at the entrances or on the approaches to each of the

canine faeces removal areas and each of the dogs on leads areas.

Schedule 1 DOGS PROHIBITED

Peckham Rye Park

- 2 Children's Playgrounds

- Adventure Playground

- Bowling Green

- Ornamental Gardens

- Tennis Courts

- Putting Green

- One 'O' Clock Club

Schedule 3 DOGS ON LEADS

Peckham Rye Park

- Central Landscaped Area

 

[Renata Hamvas]

As far as I know, there have been no changes to the dogs on leads areas, just new signage in the current areas.

Renata

[bonniebird]

The signs at the main gates are coming down, they have to "put a job request in" to get them removed, but they are coming down, very misleading.

[katesonic]

Sorry not wanting to sound like a troll but my elderly (i.e. he was probably enjoying this park before you and helping keep it safe and 'in stock') dog has been abused a couple of times in the past 3 months by toddlers not on reins. He's had his eyes poked and tail pulled by a pair of toddlers who may or may not be freaks of nature but were certainly in the 'care' of a childminder who couldn't give a toss. Fortunately he is a most gentle, placid, elderly, beast and ignores children and puppies alike when they are more than a little exuberant in there desire to explore human nature. I regularly see little bizzums kicking out at the birds around the duck pond. My boy is only interested in potentially getting his aging leg over with some horny bitch. Can we please have some signs stating unless your child can show a humanistic respect for other creatures then keep them chained at all times? Ha! I know. Highly unlikely.

Oh and my eldest (human) is 22 and yes we used the park and the one o' clock club, campaigned for the skateboard park, asked for hydrologists to sort out the drainage to prevent footballers breaking ankles in the cracks that appear on the common in hot weather and volunteered to raise funding to 'restore' the park. If you've just flown in from Clapham, Hoxton or Nottinghill - don't get a dog until you can cope with your kids in the park please!

[kiera]

According to the byelaws (as outlined above by ianr), the central landscaped area is a 'dogs on lead' area, therefore the signage at the gate is correct, so why is it being removed? Dogs are only allowed to be off-lead in the fields outside the central landscaped area of the park. What IS confusing is the new sign to the Sexby Garden, which should not read 'Dogs on lead'. The Sexby Garden is an ornamental garden, so should read 'dogs prohibited'. Are the council too afraid of the dog lobby to apply the byelaws bonniebird?

[katesonic]

Being an ardent horticulturist it should perhaps also read 'children prohibited' or have you never been to the Chelsea Flower show with a buggy expecting a breath of fresh air?

[tiddles]

After the parks/dogs consultation and a meeting with a representatives from the council, all the various proposals etc were discussed. The above bye law is the first I have seen (and that is after lots of too-ing and fro-ing by various interested parties - no one was able to produce anything which seems odd if the above was knocking about all the time). Other than the pond, children's play areas (adventure, small playground and picnic area) plus the japanese and wildlife garden plus strictly no dogs on the oval, no other areas were mentioned at all. That is why I found signs in the new areas bizarre. I had often had my dog off the lead near the wardens' office as we were leaving and the warden had never said a word - and he is not the sort of chap to let that go.

That is the confusion - I had always thought I was doing the right thing (and from the meetings held it seemed I was) but then I find I'm not. What/when did it change?

[bonniebird]

I think Keira that the signage on the gates is misleading, it looks like they are referring to the whole park, if I were a newcomer with my dog, then I would think it mean't dogs onlead in the whole park. Why should dogs be prohibited from the Sexby garden? On lead yes, prohibited no. I like to enjoy the Sexby gardens too but I do walk my dogs in their very occasionally, onlead, it's pretty. As to the council being too afraid of the dog lobby, well you tell me. Us dog owners are a massive part of the park and I abide by the rules where dogs are requested to be kept on lead, so I think we have quite a big say in what happens in the park. It's nice that we do have a voice and are considered :)

[boosboss]

The gates are the entrances to the whole park Keira, not just certain areas. That's why they are confusing. Almost as confusing as the byelaws! Anyone know where the Putting green is? (Tennis courts long since gone too)

[katesonic]

...Lido?

[kiera]

The putting green is the grass area on the park side of Strakers Rd before the main park gates, coming from the Barry Rd direction. Until

relatively recently, it still had railings around it. We think it had a little hut on it, where you could borrow the equipment for little or no cost.

[boosboss]

Ahh the area where dog training classes, sanctioned by the council, used to take place.

[first mate]

Kiera, for goodness sakes. Why should owners with their dog on a lead not also enjoy the ornamental gardens?

To be frank and to echo other posters I have over the years seen far more damage at the hands of humans than any dogs - who can forget the arson attacks on trees or the bowling house, what about the regular graffitti episodes on the Japanese Summerhouse, what about the kids who like to tear branches off trees for games, and yes, I have actually seen that both in the Sexby Gardens and by the pond area in the Japanese Garden. Seriously Kiera objecting to a dog off lead in those areas is fair but on lead and under control...really?

[Mustard]

How can these bye-laws be correct if some of these areas don't exist anymore? What is the Ornamental Gardens - the square planted area behind the picnic area? If so, that did not have those signs until recently? What is the central landscaped area?

[duffy10]

Why doesn't Southwark Council just print a map of the whole park and shade in the areas where dogs are - 1. not allowed. 2. allowed but on lead. 3. free to roam with their owners. These maps could be posted at all entrances and if necessary in each designated area.

[tiddles]

yes that would help - also in dulwich park.

[Renata Hamvas]

That sounds like a great idea, Tiddles, I'll raise it with officers,

Renata

[Penguin68]

just print a map of the whole park

If this was printed on some form of acetate, or with an acetate cover, which could take non-permanent marker then any section which was temporarily out of use for dog-walkers (or other visitors) - for instance areas of grass-land being re-seeded - could additionally be temporarily marked up as unavailable. Southwark could also publish maps of all its parkland marked up appropriately on the internet, so people could check in advance.

[first mate]

Duffy10, the same idea occurred to me but I let it go as I thought it was so obvious that there must be some good reason, like lack of clarity on bye laws, why this had not been done. If it is possible, it does beg the question why so much money was wasted on consultation etc...rather than this simple, cheap option.

Wardens could direct people to the notices as well as keeping some handy to give out. You'll always get someone who wants a row but if written in the right way and explained this kind if park diagram could really help.

[first mate]

p68, great idea. Tell you what why don't we just hand over policy making to the EDF- seem to get better ideas here in a few minutes than highly paid council officers take a year to make.

[Penguin68]

Actually, first mate this is less about policy and more about simple process, or management - which is the paid officers' apparent value-add. The policy is about where dogs can go, on and off the lead, the management is about appropriately informing their owners so that the policy can be most effectively applied. And creating clarity -of which the current notification system appears not to be a great examplar.

[first mate]

p68, yes, you are quite right.