Money for Mayow & Home Parks

[admin]

Lewisham have just released this:

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Lewisham nominating its parks to win a slice of investment funding

Lewisham is putting forward four of its parks to a London-wide public vote, to win funding from the Greater London Authority (GLA).

£6 million has been set aside by the GLA to develop 10 sites across the capital, and all 33 London boroughs are being called on to nominate parks and green spaces, to win a slice of the money.

There are two categories of funding to bid for: a smaller pot of money, of up to £400,000. The second, much larger pot, could see one park, where major restoration is needed, receiving between £1 million and £2 million.

Sir Steve Bullock, Mayor of Lewisham, said: “Parks and open spaces offer a fantastic opportunity for people to relax and escape the hurley-burley of city life. Lewisham has some fantastic green spaces, and we have the Green Flags to prove it!

“I hope that when it comes to the public vote later in the autumn, the people of Lewisham continue to support our green spaces and vote for their favourite short-listed site in the borough.”

The three sites that Lewisham is nominating for the £400,000 funding are:

o Mayow Park in Forest Hill
o Home Park in Sydenham
o Deptford Park.

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I always thought of Mayow as being a Sydenham Park ...

Admin

[bensonby]

The Sydenham/Forest Hill border cuts the park. but I think most of it is in Sydenham.

Perhaps its a tactic to gain funding.....maybe the GLA will not (or is very unlikely to) throw money at two parks in the same locality?

[AliT]

Thats great news! I hope Mayow gets it! Has anyone been to Peckham Rye Park recently? They have a great cafe now and a lovely variety of spaces to enjoy. I know Mayow is a lot smaller but it could do with some improvenments - not least the children's play area. And a nice cafe would be great. Fingers crossed.

[simon]

While I use Mayow a lot and agree it could do with some investment, I think Home Park's need is greater as it just isn't as very inviting space at present and nobody seems to use it much.

[scott.l.hamilton]

it raises the difficult question of money to make a used park better

or


To make a un-used park more attractive and "usable"

I don't know the answer, but hopefully we get both

[sydenhamboy]

Mayow Park is pretty much a Sydenham park but if we can get money for it under the name of Forest Hill then: brilliant. Guess it's opposite where Silverdale 'turns into' Dacres Road. It's actually a really nice space. It could do with a little coffee shop for mums, park strollers and people throwing a sickie. There's only so much Murder She Wrote one can watch all afternoon.

[leenewham]

Home Park is hardly used at all. Even on sunny days there are a couple of people on swings in a rather sad and pathetic looking childrens playground next to a cracked piece of tarmac.

Years of neglect have taken their toll to the point where the park is unloved and unused. Fencing is broken, leaf much has been allowed to build up around century old trees, almost killing them.

The adventure playground is in the process of bring done up, but would be better moved to another location in the park.

In this are, where kids aimlessly roam the streets on bikes, bored out of their minds, it's incredibly important for them to have something and SOMEWHERE to go. There are so many companies that can provide sports and play facilities for children, young and more mature adults alike. A sports running track would be a good idea, or perhaps the old changing rooms could become a cafe to attract people into the park. The more people in a park, the safer it feels.

The grass is overlong and on the few occasions I have seen kids training for football, they seemed to be struggling.

The changing rooms once used for a local football team (who I understand were rather good) are no boarded up.

Home park also has Sydenham library in it. Why not utilize this in part of the park with seating for kids to bring reading out of the building and into the fresh(ish) air. Perhaps some childrens authors could be encouraged to come and give readings in the park.

A combined 5 aside/basketball court would encourage excercise (these are about 7-10 grand fitted), perhaps a permanent adult gym could be installed (10-15 grand), better play facilities for kids all all ages and erect the goal posts that used to be in the park. A concrete table tennis table might be fun (they are about 1500). Darius Knight is a young British European champion table tennis player, and yet only a few years ago he was in a gang. Given the opportunities people can turn their lives around.

Investments in parks, in the right way is an investment in people and particually in the case of Home Park, an investment in the future young people.

[biscuit]

I think Lee's vision for Home park is refreshing and just what Home park needs. It certainly gets my vote. The money would afford this neglected corner of Sydenham some creative landscaping with the likely result of increasing its use by locals of all ages. The location (with the lovely Sydenham Library at the corner) is perfect for extending its uses. There's currently a wistful, lonely quality about Home park which can be appealing to some but doesn't exactly encourage families to take up use of the Park in numbers; it's nothing that some creative planning, design and planning won't be able to address.

Scott - can't you put in a good word for the money to go to Home Park?

[Eagle]

As much as I have nothing against Home Park , Mayow gets my vote everytime.

Please clarify is it just one of the parks that gets any money.??

[lbere]

I agree, I live in spitting distance of Home Park, but never ever take my children to it, we always go up to Mayow Park. Home Park is awful and I never feel safe in.

Mayow Park would benefit with just toilets and a cafe.