Friends of Mayow Park (FOMP) Blog

FOMP blog is moving

alona5274 — Sun, 16 Jan 2011 07:22:31 +0000

FOMP has a new blogsite at: http://friendsofmayowpark.blogspot.com

We also have a new email address at: friendsofmayowpark@ymail.com

The Friends of Mayow Park would like to thank our former FOMP blogmistress, Emma, for creating this WordPress blog, developing it and maintaining it tirelessly for more than two years. Emma’s professional commitment to her role and her keen interest in everything that was happening in the park, meant that Friends of Mayow Park updates and pictures were regularly posted. Emma has moved to Devon and continues to follow our progress from a distance.

Hers will be a difficult act to follow but I will do my best on the new website. I hope that the original Wordpress blog will continue to be available for a little while so that you can look back at the old posts and appreciate the work of its creator, Emma.

Hope you can all join us soon at the new Blogspot site.

The FOMP team

State of paths deteriorating

Friends of Mayow Park — Mon, 06 Sep 2010 16:50:12 +0000

The recent work on the cricket square has meant bulldozers and other vehicles have needed access to the park. The paths and verges near the Recreation Road entrance have suffered badly as they were not built for such vehicles.

Martin Hyde from Lewisham Greenscene is aware of the rapid deterioration and intends to put funds aside to repair this section of the paths first, in the 2011 parks maintenance budget.

Path deteriorating near Recreation Road

Work to Start on Cricket Square soon

Friends of Mayow Park — Mon, 16 Aug 2010 15:35:59 +0000

A poster has appeared on the park gates to announce that the start of work needed on the central grassed oval will commence on 25th August, (next Wednesday).

A Poster displayed in the park

Work will last only 2 weeks and will be undertaken by contractors Bancroft Amenities. An area of 40 x 30m will be fenced off to allow the grass to grow from seed, after the complete excavation (down to a level of approx. 250mm) and loam and topsoil laid. Heras fencing will be used to prevent any person or animal entering that area. Meanwhile, Envirowork have promised to put notices up informing park-users of what’s happening.

When the contractors have finished, Envirowork will maintain the square and work on the outfield mowing it regularly and levelling out the hollows. As far as drainage is concerned, there is a victorian drainage system but it currently has nowhere to drain to so the contractors are installing a new soakaway.

This is a photograph of the site at Hilly Fields which was started this morning….

Similar Work on Hilly Fields

Summer in Mayow Park

Friends of Mayow Park — Tue, 27 Jul 2010 13:02:41 +0000

Now the schools have broken up and it’s officially Summer, Mayow Park will be busier with users of all ages wanting to enjoy the good weather. While we want everyone to enjoy the park, we would like to remind you of the Lewisham Parks Byelaws which are there to protect us.

On a notice tucked away in one of the smaller noticeboards, this is displayed:

No Vehicles,

No Horses,

No Camping,

No Fireworks,

No Fires,

No Golf,

No Loud music,

No Urinating,

No Dog fouling

No Barbeques.

If you would like to to orgainse an event in the park, you need to contact Glendale to get written permission first. Please contact Gemma Marston on 020 8318 3986. Larger organised events will require a risk assessment and Public Liability Insurance to cover the duration of the event.

Have a great summer and enjoy the park!

Mayow Park Tree Guide

Friends of Mayow Park — Fri, 18 Jun 2010 13:48:13 +0000

Half-dead Oak

Sean McBride, Lewisham’s Arborologist has given us permission to share a Tree Survey he undertook earlier this year. The numbers which are fixed to the trees are old and don’t correspond to this guide, they will be removed over time. FOMP will be organising a Tree Walk in the park soon and have asked Sean to produce a self-guided tree walk document so you can print it off and do this at your leisure.

ParkMap Report

Click on the links above to open a pdf which you can enlarge.

Mayow Bowls Club Official Opening

Friends of Mayow Park — Wed, 09 Jun 2010 13:03:59 +0000

Mayow Bowls Club Flag

Mayow Bowls Club celebrates their 60th year with some shiny new accommodation on the edge of their green. The Club won funding by the London Marathon Charitable Trust in 2008 which was soon followed by match-funding by Lewisham’s Green Scene. After a long period of consultation between community groups, (mainly the Sydenham Society, the Thorpes Residents Association and Friends of Mayow Park), a redesign of the 90ft Portacabin was approved last Autumn.

New Bowls Club Accommodation

On Monday 7th June, the Club were joined by representatives from all the above groups, plus Glendale who maintain the green; Gilles the Park Keeper; Envirowork who have kindly been storing sports equipment in their depot; local Councillors and the Mayor of Lewisham who officially opened the new accommodation. Sir Steve emphasised the importance of recreational sports in parks and the fact that Mayow Bowls Club is one of three within the Borough of Lewisham.

Bowling with the Mayor for the Newspapers

Around 20 of us took part in a “spider” , which involves players spreading out around 2 sides of the green (for photographic purposes I think!). We all bowled at the same time and the player with the bowl closest to the jack at the end won. We were then invited to use the new canteen, where we helped ourselves to light refreshments before watching a friendly game of mixed teams.

Members of the Mayow Bowls Club

The ladies from Groundwork with Martin Hyde (Lewisham's Green Scene)

David Golton (London Marathon Charitable Trust) with Councillors Susan Wise and Chris Best

Pat Trembath (Sydenham Society) and John Thompson (Lewisham's Green Scene) listening to Peter Ranken (Envirowork & ParkSport)

: Friendly Bowls Game between Mayow Park Stakeholders

A team consisting of:

Martin Hyde, Richard Peckham (the Architect of the cabin), Gilles the Park-Keeper and three members of the Mayow Bowls Club

played:

Chris and Darren from Glendale, John Jarrett of FOMP and 3 other members of the Club.

Mayor with Local Councillors and Mayow Bowls Club (with kind permission of London Borough of Lewisham)

The Mayor and members of Community Groups taking part in a "Spider" (with kind permission of Lewisham Council)

Mayor cutting the ribbon with Mayow Bowls Club & The London Marathon Charitable Trust. Councillors Best and Wise, Groundwork and FOMP with the Masterplan. (Produced with kind permission from Lewisham Council)

Interested in Bowling in Mayow Park?

The club meets every Tuesday and Thursday (May to September) from around 2pm on the green for “Roll-outs” – why not join them?

Contact Peter Headicar on 020 8699 9306 for details.

The New Accommodation

Designed by Richard Peckham, on behalf of Shape Landscape Architects, it is essentially a 3 room Portacabin with Gents, Ladies and Disabled toilets. Concern over the overall appearance within a historic park has been lifted, since a series of Hawthorn and saplings have been planted in the area visible from the park entrance. In time these will grow and screen the building.

The new Canteen and Kitchenette. To the other side is a meeting area which is heated.

New Changing Rooms – one for Men and one for Women.

The Club agreed to pay for the lockers and benches our of their funds.

The Old Pavilion

: The Old Pavilion (rear view)

So what happens to the old Pavilion, now that the Bowls Club have a new premises? Well, the simple answer is that it can now be returned to use by the community. There are many Mayow Park projects currently in the pipeline which can have a base here:

The newly appointed Park-Keeper, Gilles needs a base to work from and store his equipment.
There are plans underway to create a Community-Lead Cafe to be run in conjunction with the Envirowork garden, behind the Pavilion.
The exciting plans for organised sport in the park, (run by ParkSport) mean that players can use the Pavilion for a base and changing.
The upgrading of the park toilets for all Park-Users is now possible.

Over the last few years, the Pavilion has been left to ruin and a target for theft. Vandals have broken in numerous times and stolen lead/copper piping from the only toilet in the park, also tiles from the roof.

FOMP have had equipment such as gazebos for events in the park stolen and the interior was too damp and dangerous to hold meetings in. FOMP would like to see Lewisham renovate this original building and return it to community use for all Park-Users.

Final Mayow Park Masterplan

Friends of Mayow Park — Tue, 08 Jun 2010 11:01:17 +0000

Yesterday, the final Mayow Park Masterplan was unveiled by the Mayor of Lewisham, Sir Steve Bullock. Suzanne Simmons and Virginia Namarkoh from Groundwork were available to explain in more detail throughout the afternoon.

Martin Hyde of Lewisham's Green Scene with Suzanne and Virginia of Groundwork.

This updated version of the Masterplan takes into consideration the current ongoing projects within the park: the Area for Older Children, the ParkSport programme, the Envirowork site, the new Bowls Club accommodation and the new Park Keeper appointment.

Here’s a photo of the Masterplan, please click once to zoom right in:

Final Mayow Park Masterplan

There are suggestions to re-site the All Ages Play Area (9) closer to the Pavilion, in a natural setting and within a practical distance for parents to supervise their children whilst enjoying a cup of tea at the proposed community-run cafe.

I also like the idea of using the old Aviary site (5) as an installation zone for contemporary art projects. Please feel free to comment….

Gate pillar now rebuilt

Friends of Mayow Park — Thu, 18 Mar 2010 14:23:56 +0000

South East Gate Pillars (with chicane gate in correct position)

The pillar removed for the delivery of the Bowls Club portacabins has now been rebuilt, albeit in a newly manufactured brick which clearly doesn’t match the original!

If Envirowork can easily recycle period bricks found in their own depot to make Hot Beds, why can’t the Council’s contractors use similar methods in a park within a Conservation Area?

And yes, the “hat” will be put on soon!

FOMP Winter Newsletter

Friends of Mayow Park — Wed, 06 Jan 2010 13:15:04 +0000

Here’s the latest news from Mayow Park:

Click here to view the pdf: FOMP Newsletter 02

(The deadline for the Masterplan Consultation has just been extended to 29th January 2010.)

FOMP Newsletter – Summer 2009

Friends of Mayow Park — Wed, 22 Jul 2009 10:50:10 +0000

The first edition of the FOMP newsletter is now available to download in pdf version. We aim to publish one between 2-4 times a year, depending on the amount of news!Newsletter 01