trees?

[sydenhamboy]

Anyone know when the trees are being planted?

[Rachael]

Late October / November.

[sydenhamboy]

I'm excited.

Christ - how sad does that sound?

[mosy]

I too am feeling the excitement of impending trees (almost like as if triffids were about to take over the high street). It was explained a while back that late autumn was optimum to give newly planted trees the best chance of surviving, and now each day brings them closer... Yay *jazz hands*

Edit PS: What's the betting: Trees in before the globes due to be atop the Skanska poles in the pockets.
I'd back the trees.

[JRobinson]

um, ... highly unlikely as there was a cherry picker from skanska outside Sydenham Station this morning, so I think new lights finished on Station Approach Sqaure (the new name that I'm giving the area directly outside the station) before new trees.

[Nigel]

Can't wait to see the trees - I suspect it will be about a tenth of the amount we would like but great to have them anyway.
A very good morning
Nigel

[ Post made via Mobile Device ]

[Maria]

What's the betting: Trees in before the globes due to be atop the Skanska poles in the pockets.

You will be delighted to hear you've lost the bet Mosy: at least near where I live NOT ONLY have the lights been finished now but........ can you hear the drum roll...... we now have a super stylish metallic black and silver seat facing the main road.

I can "feel" the outdoor concerts happening already next spring, I can hear the weekly buskers, I am personally intending to water the 3 trees nearby.

I'm excited. Christ - how sad does that sound?

Well, you should see me I tell you Sydenhamboy!

[mosy]

Struth! You're right, JRobinson, about the Skanska poles being completed in the station square; those in the Venner square too (haven't been down to the Queensthorpe square today). Do you think Skanska were listening last night? Spooky. They look a bit like "breather" air vent poles now finished don't they? I was hoping they'd be more decorative when unlit in daylight. I wonder if they'll be switched on tonight... Maria, which is your square? Glad I lost the bet

Anyway, back to trees. Yay trees *jazz hands*

[Maria]

Our local one is in Queensthorpe - where we can now sit admiring the passing traffic (well, I DID say it would take another 2 years (roughly) before we got the café society around here, so no lattes for a bit as you watch and wonder and while away the time (?!). But a metallic seat?? That is, as my kids would say, awesome.

Actually, I don't know about you all, but having expected gorgeous lit globes finishing off the existent black columns I am surprisingly happy with the far less ambitious and decorative "air vent poles"; they seem ok, they feel right. No?

[mosy]

Once the focal point of a tree in each pocket is there, the Kodak moment picture will be a composite and most likely the squares will look much more attractive than the sum of their parts. Yay trees. Yay seats as well now

[sydenhamboy]

... trees, seats and lights ... trees, seats and lights ... trees, seats and lights ... yeah!

sing-a-long everyone! (to which tune, I've no idea).

I really should get out more.

SB

[mosy]

Gotta be "E I Allio"

Altogether now

[mosy]

Sort of on seats, I happened upon a walkabout this morning with representatives from TFL, Riney, Skanska. Not sure who from Lewisham or if they might post anything up on here about it. I only caught the end of the walk. On seats though, it was mentioned that they (pocket square designers) tried to avoid bollards to stop cars driving through them but preferred to employ strategically placed street furniture, but if that failed they'd have to resort to bollards.

I wondered why the change of heart about providing seats.

Yay, trees, seats and lights.

[Nigel]

The seats are definitely very welcome . Sadly we do seem to need some barrier between agreeable Sydenham people and the twits that park on our pavements . Seats definitely more agreeable butI would have no objection to some bollards if they were nicelt designed and proved necessary .
Might even deter the odd pavement cyclist.
Overall I think Riney and Lewisham are doing a very decent job in the hight street
A very good evening
Nigel

[ Post made via Mobile Device ]

[mosy]

Yes, a very decent job. So are Skanksa, once they get round to it Having lost my "trees before light globes" bet with good grace, with hindsight I should have worded it differently as I notice the posts aren't actually lit yet... Seemingly they are maple leaf patterned incidentally; I thought they were meant to be sycamore leaves. (Made by Urbis Schréder.)

Another thing mentioned was the unsightly loo on Station Approach. Seemingly there's been a lot of too-ing and fro-ing with Nation Rail and Lewisham can't (or couldn't) give the go ahead until agreed. The intention, as we know, is to replace with a superloo thingy. However, It was also said that the proximate, unkempt, small planting area against the Syd Road retaining wall would be replaced with attractive semicircular steps instead dropping down from Syd Road to Approach level.
I didn't know that

[Steveofsyd]

I heard about the steps from the Cobblers (not a "load of") .
He told me that the railway were concerned that if the existing loos were removed people might jump over the wall! There's a large drop on the other side but I think a small wall top deterrent would prevent that so I don't see the problem.

[ Post made via Mobile Device ]

[mosy]

What's wrong with the railway station itself having a loo? They always used to before the scare about "dodgy" packages being left in there, hence removal of litter bins. That must be around 20 years ago. If eateries are being encouraged to allow their loos to be used by non-customers, why can't the railway company? Although that's a different issue of course. Apparently Lewisham always maintained the now defunct loo (and will the new one) so it seems little skin off the railway's nose to let the development proceed.

An aside: When I was in hospital with broken arm, the young man in the next bed apparently jumped over what he thought was a low retaining wall (I didn't ask why) and ended up with two badly fractured legs from the unexpected drop the other side. Ouch.

[Steveofsyd]

Hopefully it was another wall he jumped over and he was not doing so to enter private property, for illegal reasons.
If one was to jump over "our wall" in order to avoid a fare or steal from the station property or commit vandalism, then a broken leg or two would be thoroughly deserved.

[ Post made via Mobile Device ]

[mosy]

Does anyone know what sort of trees will be planted on Syd Road and in the pockets? (Due late November I read.)

Just watched on "Trust me I'm a doctor", broadcast on BBC2 24-Oct 8pm, that Silver Birch was the tree of choice for collecting/converting traffic pollution. Their experiment was more a hedgerow of small trees rather than an occasional one here and there. I thought plane trees were the favourites of old, but perhaps because they survived for themselves rather than converting muck to benefit us.

I reckon leaves from plane trees (if they're still around) are one heck of a bigger job to clear away in autumn than silver birch which could have a bearing.

So, anyone know what's planned?
Ta.

[leenewham]

This might be of interest regarding high street trees:
http://www.tdag.org.uk/trees-in-the-townscape.html

The Trees and Design Action Group (TDAG) is an open collaborative facilitating cross-sector and cross-disciplinary dialogue and projects promoting the role of the urban forest throughout the United Kingdom.

The group shares the collective vision that the location of trees, and all the benefits they bring, can be secured for future generations by influencing the planning, design, construction and management of our urban infrastructure and spaces.

Many local authorities are part of this, as is the Greater London Authority (GLA), although Lewisham aren't. I'm sure Lewisham took good advice rather than just putting it out to the cheapest tender or following complicated self imposed rules of procurement and red tape. Which partly explains why our new lights and street furniture in the high street is so well thought out, designed and of high quality.

More info here:
http://www.tdag.org.uk/