FRIENDS OF PRIORY PARK

preserving  and  protecting  our park

 

Autumn/Winter edition

 

WELCOME to the first of the twice yearly Friends of Priory Park Newsletters, written and edited by Committee members Alison Johnston, Debra Godding and Fran Shepherd.

 

We plan to keep you informed of events taking place in Priory Park and issues affecting the Park.  We also hope it will encourage more feedback from members and help the Committee to ensure we are focusing our time and efforts on the things which are important to Park users. 

 

 

If there are any other items of information, events or activities or anything else you would like to see included in the Newsletter, please contact us c/o:

Tony Healey for the attention of Friends of Priory Park,

Environmental Services, Recreation Division, Contract House, Park View Road,

London, N17 9AY. 

ANTHONY.HEALEY@haringey.gov.uk

 

 
 
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


The Friends of Priory Park

 

The vast majority of members of The Friends of Priory Park are local residents and regular Park users who dutifully sign up and pay up for membership each year.  But have you ever wondered what the aims of the group are and what issues occupy the Committee’s time?

 

The Friends of Priory Park was set up November 1996 by Alison Johnston, a Crouch End resident and regular Park user, and local policeman Brian Adamson, with the aim of working with the council to improve and maintain the Park’s facilities, campaigning for increased funding for the Park by lobbying councillors and MPs and increasing public awareness of the use and importance of parks.

 

Over the last two years, the group has played a major role in the following:

 

·         Achieving the standards needed to receive the Green Flag Award.  Everyone’s thanks also go to all the park staff for their hard work and valiant efforts especially before the Green Flag Award inspection.

·         After a long campaign, new signage was installed throughout the park and a new notice board added.

·         Conducting a number of workdays to supplement the efforts of the park staff.  To date these have mainly focused on maintenance work in the Philosopher’s Garden.

·         Monitoring incidents of anti social behaviour including assaults, graffiti, trespass at night, arson, thefts and ensuring that these are brought to the attention of Council where appropriate.

·         Reviewing a number of planning applications eg the redevelopment of the cottage on Priory Road and a proposal for a Farmers Market on the basketball pitch.

 

Going forward our main projects currently are:

 

·         To maintain and improve on the standards reached to justify the Green Flag Award.

·         Examining the feasibility of replacing the gates and railings on Barrington Road and Abbeville Road and then around the rest of the Park to reduce the incidence of trespass and anti social behaviour at night.  The major obstacle to this project is the estimated cost, currently standing at around £20,000.

·         Help the Council ensure that a viable use is found for the old bowling green and club house, in keeping with the atmosphere of the Park.  Current proposals include renovation of the club house for use as a day nursery during the week with Council use at the weekends or as a possible location for the Police Community Support workers.

·         Restoration of the drinking fountain near the basketball courts

·         Apply for funds for a trim trail (to help park users exercise)

·         Possible summer music event

 

 

Priory Park Council and Parks Constabulary Contacts

 

·         Haringey Council, Recreation Services can be contacted on 020 8489 5662 (weekdays)

or 020 8348 3148 (evenings and weekends) if you see any broken or dangerous equipment in
the playground or paddling pool area.

 

·         Parks Constabulary telephone number is 020 8211 1923.  Please contact them if you see
anyone committing an offence or acting suspiciously in the Park.  Criminal activity should always
be reported to the Police.  
In an emergency, call 999 or for less urgent matters call Hornsey Police station on 020 8808 1212.

 

 
 
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


Green Flag Award

 

No Park user can have failed to notice the prominent new addition to Priory Park which was installed last November, a flag pole from which we can proudly fly the Green Flag signifying that Priory Park has won the prestigious Green Flag Award.

 

The Green Flag Award scheme represents the national standard for parks and green spaces throughout England and Wales.  It is managed by the Civic Trust (Patron HRH, The Prince of Wales) and provides visible recognition of the value of green spaces in communities, especially urban environments, and rewards excellent standards in park management.

 

Applications are assessed against 8 Green Flag Award criteria:

 

1.      Is the park a welcoming place?

2.      Is it healthy, safe and secure?

3.      Standard of cleanliness and maintenance.

4.      Is it managed in an environmentally sensitive way?

5.      Have efforts been made to conserve the historical heritage?

6.      Is local community involvement and participation encouraged?

7.      Are efforts made to promote and “market” the park?

8.      The quality of park management.

 

It takes 2 years to apply for and prepare for the Award.  Priory Park failed 3 years ago and Haringey Council and The Friends of Priory Park were determined the application in 2003 would be successful.  To support the application, additional funding of £30,000 was put into the Park by Haringey Council.  This was used for new planting, new paths, the setting up of a parks patrol (attached to Finsbury Park) and community wardens.

 

The Green Flag judges visited the Park with representatives from the Parks staff, the Friends of Priory Park and the Police Community Support Officers. They were impressed with improvements which had been made since the previous application.

 

Having won the award, Priory Park is eligible to fly the Green Flag for one year from November 2003 and we have to re-apply annually to retain the award.  Representatives from the Green Flag scheme turn up unannounced through the year to check that the standards which merited the award are being maintained. 

 

Our thanks go Haringey Council for their continued support, giving Priory Park the best chance of retaining the award.  Once again, extra funding has been made available for work in the Park including replacement of tarmac on paths, installing new benches and bins, painting and work on the bowling pavilion.

 

The Green Flag Award has now become the benchmark against which the quality of public parks and green spaces is measured.  Other London recipients of the Award in 2003 included Epping Forest, Hampstead Heath and Highgate Wood.  We can be justly proud that Priory Park has received this award and that it has just been awarded the Green Flag again for 2004.

 

 

Crouch End 10K and 1 Mile Children’s Fun Run

 

Sunday 16th May once again saw the Park host one of its most popular annual events, the Crouch End 10K and Fun Run. 

 

The fine weather encouraged an impressive turn out of both competitors and spectators and a great day out for all.  So popular was the race that the organisers ran out of doughnuts for the competitors, despite having ordered over 2,000.  Still, who can resist a Dunn’s doughnut, especially after you’ve earned one by running 10K or a mile.

 

This year’s celebrity starters included our local MP Barbara Roche and Cliff Parisi, better known as Minty Peterson in Eastenders.

 

The race was first run in 1991 and was originally set up to encourage local people to take exercise in an enjoyable way.  Now in its 14th year, the race has grown in popularity and regularly attracts in excess of 1,500 participants across all the events.  Over the years, the event has raised more than £74,000 for local charities.  This year’s beneficiary is The Hornsey Trust, which runs the Conductive Education Centre in Muswell Hill, London’s only specialist school for children with cerebral palsy.  More information on the charity can be found on its website at www.hornseytrust.org.uk.

 

No date has yet been set for next year’s event but for anyone who didn’t feel up to taking part this year, there’s plenty of time to dust off your running shoes and sort out a training plan.

 

Priory Park Activities and Events

 

·         1st Skills Football Coaching 10.00- 11.30 every Saturday on the grass area next to the tennis courts.  To book a place or get details of costs, contact Giorgio or Rumit at shahmorifootball@yahoo.co.uk
or telephone Giorgio Mori on 020 8348 0215 or 07740 0471 257 (mobile) or
Rumit Shah on 07903 768 172 

·         Monday evenings – the Crouch End Group of the Women’s Running Network meet at the Middle
Lane entrance (near Rokesly Avenue) at 6.45 pm.  Cost £2.00 per session. 

Call Julie on 078877 10992 for more details. 

 
 
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


Subscriptions

 

You can now pay your annual subscription to Friends of Priory Park by standing order. 

Just ask your bank for a standing order form and fill in the following details: 

Beneficiary Reference:           FOPPSUB/Your name,

Beneficiary Sort code:            40 04 37                     

Beneficiary Account number: 41253514

Name of Beneficiary:              Friends of Priory Park,

Amount: £3.50  individual, £5.00 family, £10 corporate. 

Due Date; 1st May annually. 

Please take advantage of this new facility as it saves on administration costs, and every penny we make is put back into the park. The form should be sent to Tony Healey for the attention of Friends of Priory Park, Environmental Division, Recreation Services, Contract House, Park View Road, Tottenham, N17 9AY.

 

 

Priory Park café

 

·         The funYum Café is open 10.00am to 5.30 pm, 7 days a week during the summer

although it may close early in bad weather.
 
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


London in Bloom

 

More good news – Haringey received Silver Award for its London in Bloom entry and Priory Park was especially praised. London in Bloom is a London wide campaign to create a lasting improvement to the city’s environment.  Judging categories are designed to include residents, the business community, schools and London’s public parks and open spaces. The competition is not only about floral displays. In Bloom promotes good green practice through their environmental categories.

Stop press – Threat to White Hart Lane Recreation Ground

 

You may have seen some reports in the local papers about Haringey’s plans to annexe half of

the above park to the school next door, Sir Thomas Moore, to use as an all weather pitch.  Many of you will remember that Stationers’ Park narrowly avoided a similar threat last year.

 

Two Committee members, Alison and Fran, plus the FoPP banner, attended a protest with other parks’ support groups outside Wood Green Library. 

 

There were lots of photographers there with our banner pretty central flanked by Barbara

Roche, (always a staunch supporter of Haringey’s parks) Lynne Featherstone (Lib Dem) and Bob Hare (Lib Dem), who all made speeches as did Dave Morris of the Haringey Residents Association. 

 

We then had a damp and noisy march on the roads (holding up the traffic!) to the White Hart Lane Rec, where it proceeded to pour down.  A good turn out given the weather.

 

Last minute news: We all turned out again for the Planning Committee meeting on Nov 22, where the application was rejected 5 votes to 0, in spite of the Planning Officers recommendation to accept. The decision was principally on the grounds of restriction of access.  However, there was a very strong feeling by the PC Councillors that Haringey should not reduce the amount of open, public space even by an inch.  Three cheers for all concerned!

 

Full report in the next newsletter
 
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


November 2004