Park Bench

News from around the London Parks

£4m Lottery Boost for Historic Mansions

TWO key mansions in London parks have received funding pledges totalling almost £4 million from the Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF) to save them from further deterioration and open them up for use by the local community.

Valentine's Mansion in Redbridge has gained a Stage One Pass of £1,956,000 and an additional £37,000 to help develop their proposal in more detail. Hall Place and Gardens in Bexley meanwhile has secured Stage One funding of £1,844,000 and £155,000 in development funding. The full grant amounts will be rolled out once the detailed proposals are approved by HLF at Stage Two.

Valentine's Mansion has stood empty since 1993 and requires extensive repair and conservation to stop its ongoing decay. The HLIF grant will go towards its complete internal and external restoration, as well as greatly improving the Grade II historical landscape in the immediate Mansion area.

The restored house will provide facilities for local people to use for recreational and leisure activities, heritage and historical education, weddings, corporate events and arts studios. HLF has already provided a grant of over £3m for the restoration of Valentine's Park and this cash for the Mansion in the park completes the picture.

Councillor Mark Aaron, Cabinet Member for Culture and Community Learning from LB of Redbridge, said, "This is fantastic news for all the people in the Borough who love this building and who have supported it over the years. The Council is contributing around £1.2m to the project, and the Friends group, who have done so much to keep the Mansion going by fundraising and organising events, also deserve my special thanks".

Mayor Opens Jubilee Gardens

A new green space called Jubilee Gardens, Twickenham was opened by the Mayor of LB Richmond Cllr Robin Jowit, on 1 June 2005. The gardens have been constructed on the western end of the old open-air swimming baths site on Twickenham embankment, following demolition work in late 2004 and early 2005.

The Jubilee Gardens, which are temporary, consist of a Japanese-style garden with seats on the lower terrace and a children's playground and café on the upper terrace. Longer-term plans for the development of the site - which has been a controversial issue in Twickenham for many years - have still to be decided.

Hoping for a Favourable Wind

BRIXTON Windmill, featured on cover of the Summer 2005 London Landscapes, is a gem of industrial archaeology, just three miles from central London. Built in 1816, when Brixton was little more than open fields, the windmill fell into disuse by 1934. The mill and surrounding outbuildings were purchased in 1957 by London County Council and the area was cleared and laid out as a small parkland known as Windmill Gardens. Structural restoration of the mill began in 1963, including the provision of a new set of sails, and by 1968 it was open to the public. The mill was handed over to LB Lambeth in 1971. Further restoration and maintenance was carried out in 1978, and again in 1983 after serious vandalism; but, despite campaigns by concerned local residents, the windmill has been boarded up and closed to the public for a number of years.

Now, with the prevailing wind of restoration blowing strongly, the windmill's time may have come again. The Friends of Windmill Gardens group was formed in 2003, and is working with Lambeth Council to re-landscape Windmill Gardens as a high standard community park. Their aim is to bring the windmill back to working order and re-open it to the public and provide an education / community building to replace current inadequate facilities. Improved access to the Gardens is also part of the plan.

Initial funding has been raised and substantial HLF and other  funding is being sought.   Ash Sakula Architects, urban regeneration specialists, are currently working on designs for Windmill Gardens. More information can be found at www.brixtonwindmill.org.

Squares. to get £1m Facelift

THE HLF has awarded the University of London a grant of £998,500 to transform Gordon and Woburn Squares. The University will restore the two squares to their original Georgian glory and rejuvenate them for all visitors. Additional funding comes from the University, English Heritage and the Wolfson Foundation.

Spa Park Regeneration

SPA Park Bermondsey will be one of the first sites to undergo renovation in LB Southwark's Bermondsey Spa regeneration programme, The park will be transformed with re-landscaped gardens and new leisure and recreation facilities.

Award winning architects Broadway Malyan have said they want to keep the features residents like and include new features that will make the park a better place. In places where the soil is mildly contaminated, this will be cleaned and new grass, bushes and shrubs planted. Existing mature trees will be incorporated into the design. Other plans include a small kiosk which will act as a public cafe and an increased range of sports facilities.

You can follow how work is progressing at www.southwark.qov.uk/regeneration

Sundial Garden

A Sundial Trail has been developed at Horniman Gardens, Forest Hill.

The last of ten very different dials was placed in time to mark noon on the summer solstice - the longest day of the year. Read more at www.foresthill.org.uk/sundials.html

Victory Parade in Battersea Park

BATTERSEA PARK is the location for one of the country's biggest VE and VJ remembrance events on Sunday, August 14, when between 500 and 800 ex-servicemen and women will march for the final time in a parade to remember the fallen and celebrate the end of the Second World War.

The park will be the focus for the Royal British Legion's Metropolitan Region, which includes every branch inside the M25, making it one of London's most important war tributes. The band of the Middlesex Yeomanry Old Comrades' Association and a marching cadet force band will accompany the old soldiers as they march from the park's West Carriage Drive to the bandstand, where a commemorative service will be held. The parade will then march past the war memorial where the Mayor of Wandsworth will take the salute possibly alongside a member of the Royal Family.

Overgrown Park Angers Users

LOCAL residents are up in arms about the state of Inwood Park, Hounslow, which is maintained for the LB Hounslow by contractors CIP under an outsourcing contract.

Residents fighting to restore the park say it is currently being overrun by drug users and alcoholics. Park lovers claim CIP's lack of attention to its trees and shrubbery has made matters worse.

Andy Atkinson of Hounslow Residents Group, said: "The park is becoming a no-go area for local residents. The trees in the area make that part of Inwood Park look like the Borneo jungle, so it is easy for people to hide and carry on there. People don't feel safe there anymore, and something needs to be done."

Mr Atkinson said: "We have to reclaim the park and give it back to the community because it is a beautiful park. The police are doing everything they can but a few choice steps from CIP could make the world of difference."

CIP said that plans to thin out the woodland strip running alongside the properties would be carried out shortly.

Redbridge Creates Parks Police

RESIDENTS of LB Redbridge were invited to a series of public discussion forums, in May and June to introduce the new Redbridge Parks Police Service. This follows the appointment of a Parks Police Inspector, two sergeants and twelve constables.

Plans are in hand to introduce a zero-tolerance régime. A budget of £300,000 has been allocated.

Off Your Bike

THE LB Hillingdon is starting to get tough on trouble-makers in parks.

Antisocial people riding motorbikes illegally on open recreational land have been warned they could face having their bikes confiscated. Since January 2005 around 25 riders have been given warnings by the parks patrol and handed notices explaining that riding a motorised bike is against public bylaws.

Lee McLellan, Hillingdon's senior parks patrol officer, said: "We are particularly concerned about the increase in the unlawful use of small motorised bikes known as 'mini motos', 'peewees', 'micro bikes', 'monkey bikes' and 'go-peds'. They cause damage such as ripping up the grass, as well as the annoyance to park users and noise for residents living nearby."

Under the Police Reform Act 2002, the patrol will use its powers where it can to confiscate offenders' bikes. The parks patrol has already confiscated four larger motorcycles and scooters being used illegally on recreational land.

Members of the public are urged to report incidents at the time by calling the parks patrol on 01895 239241, including evenings and weekends.

Richmond Hill Terrace Repaired

THE Terrace on the top of Richmond Hill, famous for its view of the Thames, is undergoing repair as part of the Arcadia in the City project.

When replacement of the existing railings turned out to involve major excavation and engineering work and a bill of £2m, the decision was taking to restore and repair them instead. Seating and paving are also being renewed.

Lambeth Degree for Canon Hutt

CONGRATULATIONS to Canon David Hutt of Westminster Abbey, an LPGT Patron, on being awarded the degree of Master of Arts by the Archbishop of Canterbury.

These degrees, often known as Lambeth degrees, are real academic awards, which are made on merit, and have been awarded by Archbishops of Canterbury since the sixteenth century. David Hutt's degree is in recognition of his extensive ministry to clergy and laity over many years, and of his wider contribution to the public face of the Church, offered in parishes, and as a Canon of Westminster.

Please Join the Stag Hunt

THE London Wildlife Trust has launched a survey this summer to find out how many stag beetles there are in the capital. While its numbers are failing all over Europe, London remains a hotspot for the creature.

Now LWT is asking as many Londoners as possible to spot stag beetles. The LWT wants to know where you have seen any this year: flying across your local park, scuttling in your garden, or even crushed on a pavement.

The survey was launched in early June at the Tate Modern community garden space by TV celebrity Linda Barker and schoolchildren from the Charles Dickens School, Southwark.

To take part or just to find out more go to www.wildlondon.org.uk/

Thank You, Gerald!

Sad news. Simpson Drewett, printers of London Landscapes, are closing in September, with the retirement of present owner Gerald Hill. This ends over a century in business for the company and, for Hazelle Jackson, editor of London Landscapes, an 18-year association.

Hazelle said: "It has been a pleasure to work with Simpson Drewett, who have always given me the reassurance of a professional, reliable and helpful team to back me up. I could not have wished for a better group of people to work with and regret that our long relationship must now come to an end. I should like to take this opportunity to thank all the staff at Simpson Drewett for their support over the years and to wish Gerald Hill a happy retirement and the rest of the staff every success in the future."

New Names to Carry On

Trust News from Chair BARBARA SIMMS

Open Garden Squares Weekend (OGSW) now seems a long time ago but I hope that most of you were able to enjoy visiting the many wonderful private squares that took part. The visitors I spoke to were delighted with the warmth and hospitality of those hosting the squares, their generosity in sharing knowledge and the horticultural excellence of the gardens. The gardeners and garden committees can be proud of their achievements for this one very special weekend each year.

This is the London Parks & Gardens Trust main annual fundraising event, essential for the Trust to continue its increasing range of educational activities.

On behalf of the Trust, I would like to thank all those who helped to make the event a success. Knight Frank and Capital Gardens were major sponsors of the weekend. Thanks also to Viacom Outdoor, the Metropolitan Public Gardens Association, the Royal Borough of Kensington & Chelsea, EH (English Heritage) and the London & Britain Visitor Centre for their support.

New Appointments

OGSW will continue to go from strength to strength now that the Trust has made two new appointments.

Firstly, I would like to welcome Val Burton, who took over the role of OGSW Co-ordinator on Ist July. Val not only has management, PR and marketing experience but, in both her professional and volunteer capacity, is passionate about London's private and public green spaces.

Val will work very closely with Sarah Jackson, who is now in post as Development Officer for the Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF)-supported project to assess the feasibility and sustainability of OGSW.

Two-Year Project

As outlined in the last issue of London Landscapes, this two-year project seeks to widen the number and range of sites participating, increase active involvement by local communities and develop new audiences by providing more activities and attractions for visitors and a range of related educational materials.

Sarah also has extensive experience of press and PR work and, together with her previous work in volunteer training and project management, is an ideal choice for the post.

Val and Sarah are both garden historians and will, therefore, be a great asset to the Trust's work in raising the profile of the capital's historic open spaces.

Liz Forgan Guest at Garden Party

THE Trust is currently involved in two projects supported by the HLF (the London Parks Discovery Project is in the final months of completion). So I was especially pleased that Liz Forgan, Chair of the Heritage Lottery Fund, agreed to give the address at the Summer Garden Party.

Held for the second time in the gardens of Westminster Abbey, this annual event is an opportunity for friends and members of the Trust to meet socially and for the Trust to thank its many sponsors and supporters.