Clissold Park User Group News Notes of our March 9th 2019 meeting Attendees • Biodiversity – Richard Crawford Mark Forsyth, Yvonne Hill, Lee Stacy, Kath • History – Amir Dotan Willgress, Caroline Millar, Delilah Jeary, Theresa • Skatepark & Sports – no representation. Boden, Richard Crawford, Sophie Cameron, Hilde CPUG to contact football groups. Oord, Daphne Steele, Rose White, Isabelle Gore, Betty Manning, Daphne Kemp, Sylvia Anderson, Accounts Liz Simpson, Liz Hemmings, Julia Wood A summary of the accounts was presented to the meeting and they were agreed. Detailed accounts Apologies: John Hudson, Ken Worpole, Larraine are available if anybody wants to see them. Worpole, David Pitcher, Quinten Guers Please email [email protected] for a copy of the detailed accounts. AGM The group has a current balance of £3552.83, of Re-election of officers which £716 is profit from the sales of the poster The following officers were re-elected by the and postcards. meeting: The meeting agreed to put aside £1500 for the 130th Anniversary celebration to pay for ac-tivities Mark Forsyth – chair for adults and children if necessary. It is planned Theresa Boden & John Hudson – Vice Chair to approach local businesses and look into having Caroline Millar – Treasurer music of some sort. It is possible that we could Kath Willgress – Secretary apply to Hackney for a grant. Delilah Jeary – Minutes secretary Chair’s Report Specialist Reps It has been a fairly quiet year for the User Group, • Fundraising and BAME – We haven’t but it is hoped that there will be more activity in heard from last year’s rep and the CPUG the coming year. In order for this to happen we would like to have this rep but there was really need to get more people involved, both with nobody coming forward the User Group and more generally around the • Children & young people – Rose White is park. It would be great if we could encourage a a governor of Stoke Newington School more ethnically diverse and younger involvement. and will follow up with the school to find young people who might be interested in There is less and less money available for open being involved. Matthew Jeary is happy to spaces and we will become more reliant on continue if nobody else comes forward volunteers to go beyond the basic maintenance of • Website - Isabelle Gore will continue but the park. Activities such as the Open House would like some help with this – Please Weekend in September, and the spreading of contact [email protected] to help. wood chips along the paths around the edge of • Older people – Sylvia Anderson the park are examples of where we need to get • Events – Theresa Boden more involved as indi-viduals. The council no longer has the necessary money. We have tried • Dog Walkers - Daphne Steele to spread the word through social media and we • Accessibility – Does Anthony Larvin want will seek out local organisations that we can team to continue? TBC up with if possible. Cycling – David Pitcher • • Running – Lee Stacy Clissold Park User Group, Stoke Newington, London. www.clissoldpark.com Thanks go to all the officers and the reps who possibility of the User Group taking responsibility make the running of the User Group possi-ble. for planting and maintaining the dome as a Special thanks to Isabelle who does a lot of work habitat for native butterflies. The plan would be to on the website. add plants for caterpillars to feed on, and the outside area around the dome with plants to The AGM was called to a close and the regular encourage and feed adult butterflies. It is too late bi-monthly meeting was started. to introduce caterpillars for this year but planting could be done in preparation for next year. Minutes of the Previous Meeting Butterfly Conservation can advise about planting and sourcing caterpillars. Hilde and Yvonne Minutes from previous meeting were approved offered to raise some funds to pay for plants since with the following comments: other-wise the User Group will be paying all costs if this goes ahead. It will also only proceed if we The standpipe by the pond has been fixed, but can provide volunteers to do the necessary work. Daphne Steele, the dog rep, asked if it would be Mark Forsyth, Richard Crawford, Liz Simpson, Liz possible to replace the standpipe with a tap with a Hemmings, Julia Wood, Daphne Steele and dog drinking bowl if the User Group raised the Sylvia Anderson have volun-teered to do the money for it? We need to establish what this planting and ongoing maintenance. would cost to install and maintain. It was noted that the keys have been lost to the Mark Forsyth will speak to Quentin about this and dome, but they can be replaced. Sophie Cameron can raise it if neces-sary. Tree work is all up-to-date. Eight more trees are Can we put minutes on the notice board? Mark being planted next week. Forsyth was told that only notices with the Hackney logo on them are allowed on the notice Drones, electric scooters and skateboards are board. He will raise this with Quinten Geurs, the not allowed in the park. Speak to rangers if they Park Manager, and Sophie Cameron will also ask are bothering you. about this. It was noted that Finsbury Park has a Friends Wood chip for the less formal paths has been noticeboard, so if we can’t use the central notice delivered but we need volunteers to help spread board could we look into having our own? it. Park Manager’s Report Proposed development of the Kennaway estate Sophie Cameron informed the group about a Cafe: A menu refresh was carried out in the café proposed development of the Kennaway Estate, in February. which is located on Church Street to the east of The downstairs café was opened earlier than Carysfort Road near New River Café. usual this year because of the warm weather. It Southern Housing Group, who own and run the will be opened when the weather is good enough estate, are about to submit a planning application to merit it. to intensify the estate and build quite big blocks Dining room at the back of the house is once overlooking the park on what is currently green again set aside as a quiet room. This does not space. Some of the existing tenants are not that require users to be silent, but to provide a quieter happy about the pro-posed development as there environment for café users who might find this have been some issues with Southern Housing’s more comfortable. manage-ment of the estate with alleged poor Begging around the café has decreased after upkeep by the landlords. There is a link about the staff have made an effort to move them on. development at People are reminded that dogs need to kept on https://www.shgroup.org.uk/about-us/latest- leads near the café, and that bicycles are not news/latest-developments/kennaway-estate/our- allowed in the house at any time. ideas-for-kennaway/ Social Housing is being demolished and the Playground: tenants will be decanted for the duration of the Repairs to the slide has been completed and the build. The new additional housing will include wood chip and sand have been topped up. units for sale and to rent, some at af-fordable rates, some at market rates. Butterfly dome: Quentin and Mark had a meeting with Butterfly Conservation to discuss the Clissold Park User Group, Stoke Newington, London. www.clissoldpark.com It was agreed that the User Group should looking at a possible logo that children could respond with respect to the impact on the park, recognise. If you see anything untoward please with particular emphasis on safety and possible call the police. increased traffic. Sophie will keep us posted and Mark Forsyth will Replacement and repair of the locks on the liaise with her on this. gates of the dog free areas are on the job list for the park. Gates by the aviary are always left open Biodiversity – can you look at the signage or put magnets on the gates? Richard Crawford discussed biodiversity in the park. He is pleased about the butterfly dome There has been no update on the Pump House developments. Richard will provide Isabelle with a tender. If people lobby their local councillor it species update to put on the website – for might hurry this along. instance there is a peregrine falcon living by the church - and he is plan-ning a BioBlitz to establish The User Group is organising a celebration of what is living in the park. Richard is already aware 130 years of Clissold Park to be held on 22nd of 48 dif-ferent species. We will investigate June. A volunteers' meeting was held immediately whether Stoke Newington School pupils might following the User Group meeting. If you can help want to get involved in this. with this event please get in touch. AOB Thanks to Mark Forsyth, our Chair. There is a food market proposal to have fresh Next CPUG meeting: Saturday 11th May 2019 produce and hot food sold from stalls every Satur- 11am to 12.30. day in the bandstand area the park, run by the Venue: Clissold House, Clissold Park people who run something similar in Victoria Park. Contacts It wouldn’t take up the entire bandstand area and Park Keepers: 0208 3566834. This connects to a questions have been raised about pedestrian and mobile. cycle access through the area and how dogs Park Manager: [email protected] could be accommodated in the plan.