Montpelier Park: Development priorities as discussed from park meeting 11/10/03

 

A consultation exercise, based on leafleting and a public meeting 11/10/03 has been taking place to improve amenities in Montpelier Park, based on the £25,000 currently available towards improving the park. Over twenty people attended the public meeting. From this the following conclusions emerged:

 

1. There is considerable potential to improve the opportunities for use and enjoyment of the park, building on the success of the children’s play area and the football area.

2. The main attention needs to be on promoting security, smartening up the general appearance of the park (graffiti removal, smart benches, repaired fencing etc) and bringing back the rear half of the park into more active use.

3. The following main groups of park users was recognised: general public (sitting, sunbathing, picnicing etc), parents & young children, teenagers, and dog walkers. The one group not represented at the public meeting was teenagers, and further efforts will be made with Fairfield School to get their input.

4. The park also provides an important area of nature and potential wildlife habitat locally.

5. The next step is to draw these ideas in to a costed plan and, following further local consultation, decide on priorities. However there is also an intention if necessary to secure additional funding from other sources e.g. council capital budgets, lottery bids etc

 

 

 

Park-wide: gardens & maintenance commitments     

Clarity about the responsibilities of the Council’s contractors towards grounds maintenance and graffiti removal

Copy of specification; graffiti removal tel number etc         

 

Rear boundary

Restrict access for drug use       Close off at  of the recesses in the industrial estate unit walls and the corner plot

Or build new & more secure fence

Remove remnants of old fence     Consult owners of units plus Colston Girls School, Old England and Montpelier Health Centre

 

Front gates     

Prevent accidents from cars on pavement

Barrier or bollard on pavement edge at each exit

           

Top back corner         

Extend usability Remove old tarmac patch on sloping section and grass over, more seats some planting and possibly paving

Replace all existing benches with new, and add 2/3 more at various sites

 

Bottom back corner, behind 5-a-side pitch

Bring into use, especially for older children          

Install hard surface, improve fencing and basketball hoop(s)

Repaint lines on football pitch

           

Central back area       

Bring into use    “Connect” sunk area to rest of park

Suitable development of sunk area

Sympathetic clearing of bank and grassing over

Target user for developed sunk area to be identified

Landscape advice needed

 

Lower entrance          

Extend tarmac path to lower entrance     

 

Overall

Improve light within park (especially to the back area) and views across to Kingsdown

 

Maintain and enhance natural habitats

Basic tree maintenance - consider some tree removal, but compensated for by additional planting.

 

Planting of native species and keeping ‘wild’ areas.

Compensate for any lost trees with replacements in other areas if possible.