Bowling Green - Mayow Park

[syenhamboy]

I don't often go to Mayow Park but was disgusted at the state of the once beautiful Bowling Green. How long has it been in this state and is it owned by Lewisham Council? Anyone know more about it!

[JRobinson]

Yes as far as I'm aware Lewisham own the park, and it is managed by Glendale on their behalf. When there was a bowls group, the lawn was maintained properly, however it was a dwindling group of people who were rather less than welcoming of new members, and so was used less and less frequently, by fewer people for shorter periods of time. I think at its worst Glendale spent more time on the area maintaining it than the bowls club spent playing on it. By a considerable margin. At some point the decision was taken to stop maintaining it, at great cost, for such a small usage. It is now available to hire for events, parties, shows etc.

[Tim Lund]

Yes as far as I'm aware Lewisham own the park, and it is managed by Glendale on their behalf. When there was a bowls group, the lawn was maintained properly, however it was a dwindling group of people who were rather less than welcoming of new members, and so was used less and less frequently, by fewer people for shorter periods of time. I think at its worst Glendale spent more time on the area maintaining it than the bowls club spent playing on it. By a considerable margin. At some point the decision was taken to stop maintaining it, at great cost, for such a small usage. It is now available to hire for events, parties, shows etc.

Just like to back this up.

It would be nice if the green could be used more

[monkeyarms]

was looking online to find the details of how to hire it yesterday, but couln't dind anything on lewisham's site. I know there is info on noticeboards within the park

[Tim Lund]

From Lewisham's website, here's a contact number for Glendale Grounds Management - 020 8318 3986 - which should work

From 2014 I have this number for their Events & Marketing Manager, 020 8852 9167

[JRW]

The bowling green area is used successfully for events such as the outdoor cinema. This would have to stop if it was to be maintained for bowling, and it would have to be no entry to other park users to stop the green from being worn . How many people would be regularly using the green, compared to the numbers who enjoy the cinema? There are other greens available, including council run ones at Lower Sydenham; I think this is an example of use it or lose it, as had the bowlers continued to turn up, they would still have it available

[JayB]

In my memory the bowling green has hardly ever been used as a cinema-and i have checked with the FOMP- the last time it was sued in this way being Sydenham Arts two years ago, hardly a good use of space!
It would be great if people who like /are interested in bowls were to set up a new society as that is what both the green was set up for and the type of physical activity Mayow Park was designed to promote. It is a great shame the last members were seemingly so discouraging to new members and new ideas.

[JRobinson]

FYI - Forest Hill Bowls club is a short walk away from Mayow park at 28 Wynell Road

http://www.foresthill-bowling-club.com/home.html

and the area in Mayow Park has been used for several different activities, including children's parties, a social event for the Cricket team that played there, and Fox Tots Bops.

[JRW]

The bowling green would also be a brilliant venue for tea dances. What about having it as a multi purpose space? I don't think rank beginners can be welcome on high quality greens, for fear of damaging the hallowed turf.

Mayow Park could be a place to have informal teaching and taster sessions, to attract new blood to the sport. With a less sacred attitude to the turf, the green could multitask for occasional summer events.

[Pugwash]

Ah, how I would love to see that dead space being used on a daily basis in the form of two basketball courts. Even better, two of those combined five-a-side football pitches/basketball courts – see Sydenham Wells Park/the path to Millennium Albion Green for examples. Space for free play, no booking required, would be a massive hit with kids (and big kids like me).

[danmarwil]

There is also a well maintained bowling green at Alexandra Recreation Ground so there’s not exactly a deficit of them in the area!

[SydenhamBorn]

Or maybe for parents/carers to access and take their children for running around/ball games etc as they should be able to use the centre field as it’s a designated dog free area on the maps and small notice on the posts inside gates but you do get dogs running around on there sometimes which is not ideal.

[Tim Lund]

Just linked to this thread on the Friends of Mayow Park Facebook group

https://www.facebook.com/groups/59345532045/

where it might also be worth raising these questions