Well done Hyndburn Parks dept
 

for a change instead of calling em ... we should be congratulating them .. they've won the 'prestigious' Green Flag for 7 of Hyndburn Borough Parks ... (its in last weeks accy observer)

Wilsons Playing Fields and Woodlands
Lowerfold Park
Cutwood Park
Oakhill Park
Mercer Park
Gatty Park
and Accrington Cemetery and Crematorium


They've done well ... well done!!!! :D

Re: Well done Hyndburn Parks dept
 

The Parks Dept is massively under funded and under staffed. I agree they do well with what the Councillors give them but have you had a walk around some of those parks recently? Some of the paths in Oakhill are terrible and should have been re built years ago, the ponds and waterfall haven't worked for years and a very small group of volunteers have been trying to repair them with a tiny budget. The bowling Pavillion in Lowerfold needs pulling down and it had a fair chance of being rebuilt except another HBC department caused a £40,000 funding bid to fail because they acted too slowly. I could go on but won't.

Green flag sounds good but to me it should be a minimum standard all Hyndburn's parks should be at for starters and not treated as some wonderful achievement.

Re: Well done Hyndburn Parks dept
 

Seem to recall our Market Hall getting a plaque a few years back,:rolleyes: If yeh buy that prestigious award crap, then yeh aint been around them places recently imho. Who actually awards these things? either somebody on a backhander or somebody that needs commiting is my guess.:rolleyes:

Re: Well done Hyndburn Parks dept
 

While you are undoubtedly right Neil......I really think that many of the parks are under used.
People(and I know this is a generalisation) often fail to value the green spaces which are dotted about the borough.
The up keep of these parks is an enormous task.....and I know that you know this.
There have been cutbacks in many vital services.....and I would hazard a guess that the upkeep of parks in the area is of a low priority.

How can this situation be overcome?
Would it be feasible for the parks to have sponsors......businesses that would be willing to invest capital in improving the paths....or other facilities within the park?
Could some of the work that is needed be done by those on community payback?

I really don't know what answers to these questions are.....but what ever the failings of the current system, the volunteers who work tirelessly (with limited funding) powered by goodwill and the desire to improve the local environment should be congratulated for their work in keeping the green spaces as good as they can make them.

I give them my thanks for what they do...and add my admiration for their efforts.
Well done.

Re: Well done Hyndburn Parks dept
 

That is beyond question they do a great job,no doubt, what gets my goat,is the complete bull of these awards. we go in parks quite a bit, both here n elsewhere,

Re: Well done Hyndburn Parks dept
 

How ironic,have just bought the Observor n theres a letter n picture about a park in it.:rolleyes:

Re: Well done Hyndburn Parks dept
 

I visit Burnley road cemetery once a week and it is always kept immaculate.
The little area where the cremation graves and stones are is always very colourful with plenty of flowers.
Yesterday I was placing flowers on June's grave and the head of the gardening department approached me and asked me what I thought of the site. I told him much I appreciated all the good work the lads do and asked him to thank them personally from me.
I can't comment on the parks as I never go there, as far as the article in the Observer is concerned unless my chips are wrapped in a copy I don't read it.

Re: Well done Hyndburn Parks dept
 

The cemmy is always kept nice, i go yon meself regular. Perhaps cos its not a big chav magnet?

Re: Well done Hyndburn Parks dept
 

What's the letter and picture about, I haven't bought it yet?

Re: Well done Hyndburn Parks dept
 

I think the parks could be used more but I think they are busy but very weather dependant. The improvements to play facilities over the last 10 or more years has helped a lot. It's nice seeing young families in the park during the day and then the school kids after school.

The budget cuts in parks started many years ago and it takes years to notice the paths crumbling party due to age and partly due to drainage not being kept clear because there is no one to do the work. Then when the paths become unsafe - try walking around Milnshaw or parts of Oakhill and Memorial parks - the cost is massive and the parks emergency paths repair budget so small you would laugh if I told you how much it is.

A lot of work is carried out using money from external funders but many of those bids require non council applications from community groups. The parks dept are amazing in the support they give to community groups because they fully understand the returns they get is massive compared to the cost of officer time assisting groups. Beside that the work is being done in HBC parks so they have to make sure the work is appropriate, maintainable and to the correct standard.
It's other departments, some officers and councillors who don't understand how the systems work that can often cause problems. I was recently asked by a none parks council officer to insist that a funder told us the terms and conditions of the bid we were applying for. Those that know about these things understand that terms and conditions can often be different for each project and can be set by a grants panel to ensure the work is done a certain way. We had to withdraw that £40,000 bid because other council departments couldn't meet the application deadline - they only had about 4 months to sort it :(

Not sure on the current situation with community payback. I think the LCC appointed officer was withdrawn and they had to be managed locally which was causing some problems. I think they have done some work locally but will have to find out about it.


I second your comments and it would be nice to see more people getting involved, especially younger ones to take over and carry on the good work being done.

Sorry for the long post and any ranting I may have done

Re: Well done Hyndburn Parks dept
 

Its our ossy park. wi overflowing litter bins etc.;)

Re: Well done Hyndburn Parks dept
 

Did I mention about Parks being underfunded and under staffed?

Re: Well done Hyndburn Parks dept
 

Didn't think clearing the bins was the parks staffs remit? am under impression its the council?:confused:

Re: Well done Hyndburn Parks dept
 

Don't laugh to much but the picture isn't even Rhyddings Park as stated by the Observer, it's probably Whiteash Playing Fields

Re: Well done Hyndburn Parks dept
 

Parks staff are Hyndburn Borough Council staff and yes they do empty the bins and litter pick. Weekend litter is cleared on a Monday morning.

Re: Well done Hyndburn Parks dept
 

Neil, thank you for your very comprehensive answer.
I did not consider your post to be a rant.....it comes from someone who is in the know and is passionate about these places.

I thought long and hard about many aspects of the issues to do with Parks....and green spaces.

We have a college of further education. Would it not be possible to get some of the students who are doing construction/building courses to help out with the rebuilding of paths. The work would of course be supervised in much the way that other practical courses are supervised - by someone qualified...and their work would be assessed as part of the course they are doing.
Their efforts could be recognised by having their names on a tile/stone somewhere along the path.(I was going to suggest a brass plate, but that would fall prey to metal thieves, no doubt)
Everyone likes to leave a lasting memory of themselves behind. This would be a lovely way to do that.
Getting young people involved is definitely a good thing....it gives them some feeling of having put something into their community. A sense of pride
You are more likely to respect something that you have put work or effort into...much less likely to damage it or want to see it damaged.
Just my thoughts....not sure how practical these suggestions are...but if you don't think of them then they cannot be used at all

Re: Well done Hyndburn Parks dept
 

Have to say i didn't recognise it as Rhyddings, which is why i put ossy park,;) But to digress a bit though yeh could say its the same thing, Read where Mr Moss has given a strong talking too,to "Persistent Vandals" thats another story in the paper, if thats all kids have to worry about, the fight will never be won.:rolleyes:

Re: Well done Hyndburn Parks dept
 

been in town today and coming past oakhill park on the way up on the bus there were a few families in the park enjoying picnics and the sun ... like neil says it depends on the weather on how theyre used ... I think over the last couple of months they've been used more because of the weather ..

Re: Well done Hyndburn Parks dept
 

Oakhill Park always seems to be well used.
Lots of dog walkers each time we pass. Mercer Park likewise. People walking for fitness and health, young folk using the skate park bit....but Gatty park doesn't seem to be used much and I pass frequently and at different times. They have a good childrens play area too, which I would have thought would get more use.

Re: Well done Hyndburn Parks dept
 

It would be good yes but I would guess there are all sorts of reasons that would make it difficult to actually do. Paths would be a no no because it's not something I expect college would have the skills or equipment to do.

Re: Well done Hyndburn Parks dept
 

I reported 4 kids for setting a fire on the tarmac in front of the youth shelter in Rhyddings to the Police, I supplied photos and names of all 4 kids - they were late teens. I have heard nothing and I would be surprised if the Police even visited them.

I didn't know the kids but I posted the pictures on facebook and they were shared by 115 people, many of them I don't even know. I had messages and full conversations with people I don't know giving me the names and saying how wrong it was. Many who contacted me were the same age and went to school with the 4.

Re: Well done Hyndburn Parks dept
 

Surely construction workers learn to do paths.......and have there been any enquiries with this aim in mind?
Equipment could surely be hired and maybe with the right kind of reresentation, at reduced charges.
I know you have to make a penny do the work of sixpence.
Of course, these are only ideas off the top of my head......they may be a bit like dandruff, small, flaky and useless :D.

Re: Well done Hyndburn Parks dept
 

if the police had acted you would have heard by now as they usually pop round to tell you they have had a word or call you if you leave contact details.Its a pitty the paper didnt run teh story as park wins award despite firebug vandals and ran photos of the kids setting fires as well as one of a park

Re: Well done Hyndburn Parks dept
 

I didn't tell the paper, they might have put another picture of the wrong park in :D

Re: Well done Hyndburn Parks dept
 

I remember the YTS/YOP schemes back in the eighties Margaret, these were very similar to what you suggest. The unemployed were given a little bit more than their dole money and were taken out fixing paths, patching walls up etc,(my brothers did it). One of my brothers helped to build the BMX track next to Harvey Street, needless to say this is now a scruffy eyesore which has never been maintained since. I do not think these schemes were very popular at the time though and fizzled out.

Re: Well done Hyndburn Parks dept
 

the problem is as time goes by more and more dreaded health and safety rules are dreamed up that prevent people from contributing or helping to better their area.It wasnt that long ago i was reading about a retired bloke who went out his way to make a bench for walkers to sit on along a canal bank i think it was and he was ordered to break it up or face prosecution from his council.It seems you need a high viz jacket and someone with a clipboard to do anything these days.Rolling your sleeeves up and getting on with the job in question is a thing long lost in the past.

i just remembered while typing this about a bloke who trimmed back some untidy shrubbery infront of his home and was prosecuted for criminal dammage by a council

Re: Well done Hyndburn Parks dept
 

The Police told me recently that something that grows back isn't classed as criminal damage. We were talking about the ignorant idiots who park in the grass verges on my street at the time.

I don't agree and think it was an excuse to do nothing