Removing the stones

Removing the stones

The old disused bowling green was discovered  to be infested with huge stones. So, before the area can be seeded with grass, stones have to be removed, which is what is happening here. Don’t forget to use  the Contact Form to let us know what, in your opinion, should be done with this area.

Treatment of the old elms

The Aboricultural (tree) Department of Brighton & Hove council are considering some treatment of the old elms that line the main road. The treatment will make the trees more healthy and will therefore probably prolong their life, but the nature of the treatment will have a big visual impact on the look of the park. So we need your opinion on this important dilemma.

The thought is to aerate the roots of the trees and to then cover the ground underneath the trees with wood chip to help the roots to ‘breathe’. The wood chip area would be large – about the circumference of the canopy of each tree – so the park-like look where these trees are will be lost.

It’s difficult to say how long the trees will last, they are already pretty old. If nothing’s done they might last another 20 – 30 years or so. If they are ‘treated’ they could go on for a lot longer. Here’s a website link about the treatment which is being successfully carried out in Kew Gardens and Wakehurst Place.

We have asked the Aboricultural Department to do a trial on one of the trees so that we can see what it will look like. They’ve agreed and will carry out the trial on an elm near the tennis courts. We’ll let you know when this will happen.

Easter Egg Hunt 2014 – winners of the drawing competition

 

The heavens opened on Easter Sunday, just in time for our Easter Egg Hunt. However, despite the rain, many souls braved the elements to take part. Part of the event was a drawing competition. Winner of the under 8 category is Grace Samuels, age 5. Here she is receiving her prize, with her drawing underneath of the Rotunda Pond featuring the lion’s head:

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Winner of the 8 and over category is Hiba Seaton, age 8, seen here with her prize:

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Focus on Alan Griffiths

Here he is …

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Alan is, deep breath, Operations Manager for CityParks North. It’s a big job. As well as parks in Preston, Patcham, Hollingbury, St Anne’s Wells Garden and the Brighton and Hove cemeteries, he’s responsible for all the green spaces up to Hove Lagoon – that’s all the grass verges, housing estates and so on.

How long have you worked for the parks department?

It will be 38 years this summer. I started as an apprentice straight from school and completed a 3-year apprenticeship. From the mid-1980s to 1992 I was based in Stanmer Nurseries where I was responsible for growing trees and shrubs.

What do you like about your job?

I really enjoy the variety of work and I enjoy dealing with people. There just never seems enough time in the day to concentrate on any one thing. And I’d love to have the chance to work alongside the guys – I miss that. But no two days are the same and all the things that crop up are different and fast-moving. I could be dealing with a complaint about 4
a verge one minute and the next overseeing the sowing of seeds in Preston Park.

What do you like about Preston Park?

I like the fact that there’s something for everyone in the park. And, in every season, there’s something of interest – even in the depths of winter.

What would you want to change about the park?

I’d like to see the park as a car-free area [more about that below]. I’d also like to see more facilities for people – maybe some adult exercise equipment.

What hobbies do you enjoy?

I really like walking and caravanning – I like the West Country and Wales. I have a largish garden and I like working in it. And I enjoy working on my family’s farm.

Thank you for the work you’ve done for our park Alan.

An update on the Rock Garden

The Rock Garden – or Rookery – is looking truly wonderful at the moment. Check out this:

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(In the first image, if you look closely, you can just see Andy Jeavons, the Rock Garden’s manager, with one of the volunteers.)

The shrubs, beds, lawns and trees are singing with colour and look beautifully kept. The cascades are now switched on for the summer and the sound of trickling and rushing water adds to the ‘Garden of Eden’ feeling. Thank you to Andy and the volunteers for a stunning display. Apparently some residents decided to give their terrapin a brief outing in the Rock Garden pond. Duh! The terrapin took off, delighted by its huge new ‘home’ and has defied all attempts at capture. It’s been decided to leave it there, it’s not doing any harm and it’s good fun trying to spot it, it’s quite big!

There will be a flurry of activity on 26 and 27 April when a group of students start work at the top of the garden. It’s part of an Albion in the Community project, a National Citizen’s service – akin to the Duke of Edinburgh scheme. They will design, project-manage and create a new look to that part of the garden. They’re hoping to hold a gathering for local residents, with refreshments, to celebrate the achievement on 4 May. More about this nearer the time.

You may have spotted a new notice at the entrances to the garden explaining some of the things you can see:

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Saving the newts!

You may remember we told you about the cleaning of the pond by the Rotunda. Well, after the cleaning and before the plants were installed a leak was discovered. The council is required to get 3 quotes for the work – this has taken a long time. In the meantime the colony of newts which has populated the pond for years has begun to gravitate to the pond to mate. Unfortunately some newts (maybe a dozen?) have died because the water level in the pond is no longer viable for the newts – and there’s no vegetation for them.

Park staff have been working hard to gather up as many newts as possible and take them to the wildlife pond to the north of the park. This area has been fenced off to protect the newts, and a notice explaining the situation is displayed. So far Emma, our Park Ranger, as well as other park staff helped by members of the public have collected over 200 newts and have successfully relocated them. They’re thriving in the wildlife pond. Once the Rotunda pond is ready the newts will be returned to their home. It’s a shame that the work to repair the pond has taken so long – and has extended over the most important part of the year for the newts.

Here’s some photos taken today. They include a pic of Oliver and Freya who have been helping Emma to gently gather the newts:

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A profile of Mick Ransom

Mick Ransom

What’s your role in Preston Park?
My job title is Preston and Patcham Team Leader. I head up the staff in the park and, in the Preston and Patcham area, I’m responsible for verges, green spaces in housing sites and schools as well as Hollingbury, Carden and Blaker’s parks.

How many staff do you currently have on your team? I have 5 people at the moment and they work in different areas as well as Preston Park.

How long have you had your job? I’ve worked in the Parks Department for 33 years come May. I’ve been a team Leader for 17 years.

What do you like about your job? I love Preston Park. I really like the diversity of people you see in the park and seeing that the park is accessible to everyone.

What would you change about the park? More staff! We try to do the best we can with limited staff and resources – I’d like to see a reverse to the inevitable drop in standards. In an ideal world I’d like to see the colourful flower beds back – anything that brings more people into the park really.

What hobbies do you enjoy? I like to cook, especially French and Italian. A French relative taught me to cook a while back and I’ve enjoyed it ever since.

Parking money spend latest

The project team which is responsible for the implementation of park-users’ decision about the spending of parking-fee money has told us that:

‘Following the consultation in which the Velodrome area was chosen for improvement we have met with the groups active at the Velodrome and agreed the following improvements:

  • Repair and modification of the flint terraced structure; remove one of the central tarmac paths and create a longer grassed terraced in it’s place and repair the crumbling flint supporting the terraces to a good standard: 70%
  • Completion of the existing more modern fencing around the velodrome so that the increased cycle use is safe and less prone to people and animals climbing in during races: 15%
  • Contribution towards the St Peters Cricket Club artificial wicket: 15%

Cityparks, in their efforts to ensure that they are able to maintain facilities, is looking at increasing income from track use as well as entering into a new lease arrangement with St Peters Cricket Club in which they manage the Pavilion and cricket pitches themselves.

The reality is that as we have changed the parking charges structure to make it easier for people to use the park. Parking income in future will not generate the same income as we have seen in the first year. We have always said that the monies should be spent on priorities that are set out in the Green Flag Management Plan.’