Playgrounds

[gerispringer]

Ww have lots of really nice local parks, but none of them have decent playgrounds. The one at Crystal Palace is pathetic for the size of the park and the number of kids that visit. Doesn't match up to Greenwich or Dulwich Parks which both have really good playgrounds. Wells and Mayow playgrounds are a bit run down. Any chance of a revamp?

[leenewham]

Alexandra recreation ground is good. In Beckenham, kelsey park playground is really good, as is croydon road playground.

We like Mayow park playground, its the best one locally. Playgrounds aren't really Lewisham's forte, partly because they have a lot of red tape with procurement. But the officers in charge of parks are very good and nice people. Sometimes politics gets in the way.

If you want a playground to get better, then get involved. I wrote and designed some presentations for improving home park which included costed proposals for the outdoor gym, which then led to friends of home park and public consultation. We got the funding for the gym, which was the first to be installed in the borough.

Friends of groups make all the difference with parks. Councils are fighting funding cuts and they choose their priorities. There are lots of pots of funding to bid for, if you make your case and engage people, you might get the playgrounds improved.

I know Mayow park has a brilliant friends of group who have worked wonders and deserve a lot of praise, as does anthony for his amazing work in home park. I think Mayow park playground is quite good, probably the best around here. The council are open to crowd funding playgrounds and possibly local sponsorship. Park benches are often sponsored, id love for playground equipment to be too. The issue with playgrounds is that thee is an ongoing cost for maintenance. Some idiots burnt down the train and shop a while back, but it now been replaced with like for like which is to the credit of the friends group and lewisham council.

[Pally]

Mayow park playground has a good " toddler" section. Home Park is not bad either. I have to agree with Lee re the Friends of Mayow Park. I'm not aware of the Home Park Group but from what Lee says it sounds like they are as good too.

Re funding, I think I heard that some has been procured for an outdoor gym in Mayow? Anyone else hear that?

[Annie.]

I used to use the outdoor gym in Dulwich park, I loved it, it should be compulsory in every park, I have seen Children and Adults using it, can only do you good!

[leenewham]

Yes, Mayow is getting an outdoor gym which I believe is going to be similar to the one in Dulwich Park as people tend to runs round Mayow so putting it around the perimeter of the area people run makes sense. I think there was a plan to put it in the bowling green at one stage, which was a little odd to say the least, but there now seem to be good and sensible well thought out plans for this area.

Friends OF Home Park (for Pally):
http://www.homepark.wordpress.com
It's a little outdated, I haven't had much to post there for a while!

I think the playground in Home Park is quite poor (the adventure playground is good though). I'd love to get it improved. Playgrounds are important to parks, they are hubs of activity and work best when partnered with an adjacent cafe etc. Home park could do with a larger fenced in children's area (including the benches so parents can be inside that area which is often infiltrated with dogs) and some more equipment.

[gerispringer]

Wells Park playground used to be good, but its rather sad and decrepit now. I know budgets are stretched, but I cant understand why Southwark and Greenwich manage to have parks with super playgrounds but Lewisham don't. Im not sure how individuals could get together to improve the ones available? How much fundraising would equal a good playground, and even if you raised the funds , how would you go about getting it installed?

[jonathan_har]

My partner will laugh at me for pretending to be an authority on playgrounds, but here goes! Playground quality across the different boroughs does seem patchy. Crystal Palace is dire, but there are plenty good playgrounds in Bromley - Alexander Rec, Kelsey etc. Mayow is good, and that's Lewisham. Brockley is amazing and has an amazing water playground too, that's Lambeth. If you haven't been it's really worth the trip.

[gerispringer]

Whereabouts in Brockley? I thought Brockley was Lewisham?

[gerispringer]

If we are looking for a good playground we go to Dulwich or Greenwich, and we live a 5 minute walk from Crystal Palace and Wells Parks!

[jonathan_har]

Sorry, I meant Brockwell Park!