Montpelier Park

[Dan Cook]

At the last open meeting on 12th Nov, there was interest in re-forming the Montpelier Park Group, which made some improvements to the Park a few years ago. If you look in the "Forums" bit of the website, there's a discussion started by Kevin Dennis on this issue, which prompted this as an agenda item.

To cut a long story short, there are problems with drug use in the park and drugs litter being left behind. As if by magic, the new development by Linden Homes on Bath Buildings (amongst others) will release money that can be spent to improve the park. We have an opportunity to both "design out crime" making the park safer, and potentially make other improvements, too, as the available money could be substantial.

If we residents can get our act together now, by coming up with a plan for the park, then there is a good chance we can improve it. The task is to draw-up a plan that would receive broad support, and to use it to influence the Parks Department at the Council.

The hunt is on for volunteers to take this task on. I suggest that residents who face on to the park (bottom of St Andrews Road and the Old Vicarage) should be represented, and then folks with interests of relevance to park design - biodiversity, children, and crime prevention are three that spring to my mind, but maybe there are others.

So - comments, reactions, self-nominations all welcome!

[Des Bowring]

I'd like to be involved even though I'm useless.
Des

[Des Bowring]

....at which point you are supposed to say nonsense Des, your contribution will be very valuable.

[Suzanne]

Would it be useful to inform the council ASAP that the Park Group has been revived and has an interest in making use of the Linden Homes money, so that a claim is staked and the money doesn't end up earmarked for some other project? Am I right in thinking Paul Manton is the Bristol City Council officer responsible for Montpelier Park? PS - surely it goes without saying that any contribution from Des on the park is invaluable!

[Dan Cook]

Quite agree - thanks for setting the ball rolling Des - I'd go further and say that we are unlikely to have broad credibility in the area without your involvement!

I suspect that there are a few others who will want to be involved to some extent - Alan Russell and Nye Harries, perhaps. Also, Robin went to the Montpelier Village meeting the other day, and those folks may also be interested in getting involved.

[Dan Cook]

Hi, Just thought I'd let those interested know that I've contacted Paul Manton, and I'll let you know when I hear back.

[Kevin Dennis]

Hello met Robin at Montpelier Village meeting.

I would be interested in a 'clean-up' of Park
meaning rubbish 'sharps' etc. ideally before
lantern event planned for Dec 21st. is this something that would be done in co-ordination with Parks dept?

thanks Kevin

[Kevin Dennis]

for you interest


A local ethical woodworking business is commissioned to revamp the Albany Green Park. Draft designs are being submitted right now.

The plan is that the park will be rejuvenated using traditional woodworking techniques and public participation. This will provide an opportunity for skill learning as well as giving a sense of connection ownership to the park.

For further information please look at www.touchwoodenterprises.co.uk

[Colin]

I was one of the bunch that went by the name Montpelier Park Group - all still around and two of the number still live opposite the park (Piers and Will) while Nye and I are in Richmond Rd. Paul Manton is still the Park Manager and Nye recently asked him about the plans for 106 money from Dovercourt - to which he replied. What we all lack at the moment is time to organize the consulation needed to formulate plans for improvement. However, we did form and consult on a shopping list in the last development cycle a few years ago and only got a little way down that list. The clear priorities are the unsafe entrances, given that traffic drives up the pavement, which incredibly the Council shuffled between departments and utterly failed to address, and thereafter the back area which is currently given over to drugs and defecation. There is a feeling amongst those I have spoken to that the back area should be used to provide something for older kids e.g. basketball hoop, table tennis table, winding path that can be used for skateboarding / learning to cycle - but in no case so extensive a facility that it attracts travelling support (out of consideration to the neighbours). It's a challenging area to do much about because its so shaded and disconnected from the rest of the park by the dense and fairly unhealthy trees that bound it.

We'd all be happy to be involved in developing the park a bit more and equally happy for someone else to take a lead on that!

Drop me a note on [e-mail] if you want.

[Des Bowring]

Travelling support? Not quite sure what that means!

Some interesting ideas there. The priority should be to make the park safe for all ages to enjoy. I would not like to see anything done to the existing mature trees unless they are so unhealthy that they constitute a danger to the public.

[Suzanne]

I appreciate Colin's point about the need for development of the park to take into consideration neighbours. Maybe it would be worth taking looking at what has been achieved in other areas with tricky spaces. For example: Eastville Park Community Garden (developed in an old open-air swimming pool, which may have similarities to the sunken area in Montpelier Park); Hartcliffe Millennium Green (features include a pond, rockery garden, and fruit & flower garden maintained by volunteers); Horfield Organic Community Orchard (ok, so there wouldn't be space for an orchard in Monty Park, but it also has a wildlife area, pond, and picnic area that could be replicated in some way).The Federation of Community & City Farms at The Green House in Bedminster appear to be the experts (www.farmgarden.org.uk)
Great idea to have a pre-lantern event clean up of the park - some time earlier in the day, maybe?