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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.

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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.’

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Windy victims

Flowering cherry

This nice old flowering cherry fell victim to the windy weather over the Christmas period. It used to be in the picnic area.

More happily, a beautiful strawberry tree, which was also floored by the wind, has been trimmed and re-planted! It’s hoped that the shallow roots of the tree will re-establish in this wet weather. If it doesn’t thrive it still makes a lovely sculpture.

Strawberry tree

 

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Getting radical in the Rookery

 Rookery

There’s been more radical activity in the Rookery (or Rock Garden) that you may have noticed. It was decided to take out some old, overgrown shrubbery and replant the area as a winter garden.

Andy Jeavons, who’s in charge of the garden, says: ‘Coloured winter bark from willows and dogwood along with lots of taller grasses to give all year round movement and will form the backbone of the garden. The other major factor will be scent: daphnes, sarcococca and vibernums will run along the paths to give some lovely winter perfume. And three new trees – a Eucalyptus, a Prunus and a Betula will provide some extra interest. The area will also be mulched and then planted with spring flowering bulbs in the autumn.’

The rocks from that part of the garden have been removed but will be stored by the council for future use.

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Volunteering in the Rose Garden

Rose Garden

The Rose Garden is looking a lot better, the roses are pruned and most of the beds are less weed-choked than before. We’re told that the new roses are now due in mid-February to be planted later on that month. All the beds in the garden will be mulched with mushroom compost in the next few weeks, and that should help to keep the weeds at bay.

Volunteers in the Rose Garden are doing a great job. If you’d like to come along you’d be very much welcomed. Meet Park Ranger Emma at 10.30am outside the Rotunda on the following Saturdays:

  • 15 February
  • 15 March
  • 12 April
  • 24 May

Wear sturdy shoes and bring gardening gloves if you have them. Emma will provide refreshments, experience isn’t needed.

There’s been interest expressed for a mid-week Rose Garden volunteering group too. Just think: healthy exercise, good company, working in the sunny outdoors, making a real difference to your park . . . If you’re interested come along to the Men’s Bowls Pavilion at 11.15am on Thursday 20 March when we’ll meet up with Emma and decide on the weekday volunteering routine.

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Rotunda pond news

The pond by the Rotunda is currently undergoing refurbishment and cleaning. ‘Pete’s Ponds’ are undertaking the work; they are passionate about preserving the pond’s wildlife and will ensure the natural equilibrium of the pond is maintained. Pete, of Pete’s Ponds, was able to report that he’d come across 2 frogs (one a very pregnant female), some broad-bodied chaser dragonfly larvae, 3 species of snail (ear pond, great pond, great ramshorn), 1 goldfish, some water boatmen and some freshwater shrimps! Blimey.

No newts as they’ve ‘gone terrestrial’ as Pete put it. They’ll be back.

Here’s some pics including expectant mother:

rotunda_pond-100 rotunda_pond-101

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The Purple Grape, Preston Drove

Sad news. Our Friend, Shelley, of The Purple Grape, is having to close her wine shop because of ill health.

We are asked to pass on to all or Friends that all stock is selling at a 30%  discount. The shop will be open between 4.30 and 8.00 pm today, (Thursday 21st), Friday and Saturday.

Cheers to you Shelley.

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We got off lightly from the storm

storm damage2 Storm damage

Yes, the park got off pretty lightly from the storm on Sunday night. Lots of fallen twigs and a downed climbing rose – the worst damage was to this poor tree which lost a major bough. A member of park staff had a narrow escape when the bough fell very near him. The park’s been lucky.

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Put away the matches: Brighton’s doing fireworks digitally!

The organisers of a keenly awaited futuristic digital firework extravaganza have announced that it will take place – for free – at Brighton’s Preston Park on Nov 2 at 7pm & 8pm.

PixelPyros is a virtual pyrotechnics display mounted onto a massive 60-foot wide screen using state-of-the-art projectors and lasers, which invites its audience to get up close and personal with digital art by touching bright orbs of light on the screen to fire off beautiful multi-coloured rockets.

Seb Lee-Delisle is the Brighton-based digital artist and BAFTA award winning digital media creative behind PixelPyros:

‘It’s brilliant to be bringing PixelPyros to my hometown as part of our national tour. People were really disappointed when we had to postpone our date closing Brighton Digital Festival in September but holding it in Preston Park at this time of year feels perfect.

‘At most firework displays, it’s the qualified pyro-technicians that get to have all the fun. PixelPyros turns that on its head and actually relies on the audience to make it happen. Come down to Preston Park and help us make our event go off with a digital bang!’

PixelPyros’ Brighton date is the second in a national tour travelling to Nottingham, Leicester and Huddersfield. The piece is funded by Arts Council England in recognition of its ability to inspire people with the creative potential of technology.

‘As an artist that works with technology, I love to encourage people to rethink what it can offer us,’ Seb continues. ‘We hear so much about the negative influence it can have on young people in particular but I created PixelPyros to show how technology can really unite people in a shared experience.’

To see a short film about PixelPryros visit: http://pixelpyros.org; keep up to date with news – including updates regarding bad weather plans – follow us on twitter here: @pixelpyros; and join our facebook group here:www.facebook.com/pixelpyros.