About The Friends Of Onchan Park
Evidence for the ‘Future of Public Parks’ Inquiry
About The Friends Of Onchan Park
The Friends Of Onchan Park aim to save the park so that those who have enjoyed using it for the past 50 years can continue to use it and it will be there for many future generations. Setting up the Friends Of Onchan park allows the local community to have a say in how it’s run, raise funding for new equipment and make it a great community influenced facility.
Meeting minutes:
The Friends of Onchan Park Committee met on 10th September 2024 to review progress on key actions and updates. Permissions were granted by GBC to install a noticeboard and plant laurel whips, with FoOP agreeing to fund but not perform the planting. Discussions included preparations for the Green/Playground refurbishment project, with further inquiries made into CIL funds, stakeholder surveys, and support from local officials. Recent site visit improvements included hedge trimming, steps repair, and minor playset fixes. Additional needs for hedge height reduction and path repairs were highlighted. Plans for the upcoming AGM were discussed, with intentions to publicise the event across multiple channels. The committee noted website updates and welcomed two volunteers to create conceptual artworks for park development, when needed.
2024 09 10 Onchan Park Committee meeting minutes
During the Friends of Onchan Park Committee meeting on May 21, 2024, attendees discussed updates on the park’s projects and issues. There was no progress on contacting Keep Moat for topsoil or arranging a site meeting for the playground refurbishment. PCSO Alan Cooke and Keenan attended to address recent anti-social behaviour, stressing the importance of reporting incidents. Efforts to secure permission for planting Woodland Trust whips and funding for a park noticeboard are ongoing, with Paul Wilkinson and Errol Henry following up. Catherine Pope updated the group on potential levelling-up funding for Carlton, while issues like park bin management and better signage for table tennis bats were also discussed.
2024 05 21 Onchan Park Committee meeting minutes 2024 03 05 Onchan Park Committee meeting minutes
The Friends of Onchan Park Committee met on March 5, 2024, with updates on previous action items including the need for permission to plant hedges from Terry Ball, and confirmation of the church noticeboard for displaying minutes. The damaged fence has been repaired, and the donation has been acknowledged. The playground refurbishment project is delayed due to pending site meeting dates, and discussions on soil quality and funding sources are ongoing. Michael Payne and Alec Hamlin will pursue contacts regarding topsoil and site meetings, while Jim Creamer will explore obtaining a noticeboard and additional funding. Table tennis equipment is now available at Jazz’s shop, with promotional actions planned. Further funding opportunities and support for the park were discussed.
2024 03 05 Onchan Park Committee meeting minutes
The Friends of Onchan Park Committee met on January 16, 2024, at the Elwes Arms Pub with various members and councillors present. Previous minutes were accepted, and updates were given on several ongoing projects. Actions included updating the website, addressing the legality of a past letter, and coordinating with Terry Ball for hedge planting. The playground refurbishment project faced delays, but efforts to secure funding and contractor quotes continue. A plan for table tennis equipment at Jazz’s shop is in progress, and the group discussed installing a noticeboard and defibrillator at the park. The Public Space Protection Order for dog fouling has been extended, and the park aims to launch as a dog-free zone post-refurbishment. Other business included addressing a damaged fence, adding new recipients to the meeting circulation list, acknowledging a donation, continuing fitness bootcamps, and planning community engagement activities.
2024 01 16 Onchan Park Committee meeting minutes
Planned meetings in Autumn/Winter 2023 were cancelled. Meetings resumed in Jan 2024
The Friends of Onchan Park Committee met on June 27, 2023, at the Elwes Arms Pub with a productive agenda focusing on park improvements and community initiatives. Chaired by Alison Pritchard, the meeting began with the acceptance of previous minutes and updates on ongoing actions. Key discussions revolved around the Green/Playground refurbishment project, led by Alison. The committee met recently with GBC representatives to discuss funding for park improvements, including resurfacing the green space and replacing playground equipment. Issues such as disabled access, dog control measures, and antisocial behaviour were also addressed. Plans included liaising with local companies for topsoil donation and exploring new gate options for park accessibility. A site visit was promised in July 2023 with GBC officers.
Maria Robinson presented updates on a community initiative involving table tennis equipment available at Jazz’s shop, with plans for promotion through posters and social media. Additionally, the committee planned to address various community concerns, including park noticeboards and neighbourhood safety patrols. Action items were assigned, emphasizing collaboration among committee members and local stakeholders to achieve project milestones.
The next committee meeting was scheduled for July 25th at the Elwes Pub, pending updates from a planned site visit in July. Further community engagement initiatives, such as social media updates and magazine articles, were also discussed for upcoming deadlines.
2023 06 27 Onchan Park Committee meeting minutes
The meeting planned for 16/05/23 was cancelled. The Friends of Onchan Park Committee meeting on June 6, 2023, at the Elwes Arms Pub discussed various topics, including an upcoming meeting with GBC officials to address funding, park improvements, and accessibility issues. The committee reviewed the success of the Coronation picnic and the usefulness of the litter pick. During the AGM, officers were re-elected, and efforts to resolve the issue of table tennis equipment at Jazz’s shop were discussed. The committee decided to address ongoing issues with dogs in the park and legal standing of the park’s maintenance with GBC. Plans for future actions and community engagement, including updating the website and seeking new tree whips from the Woodland Trust, were outlined
2023 06 06 Onchan Park Committee meeting minutes
The Friends of Onchan Park Committee met on April 18, 2023, at the Elwes Arms Pub. Updates on the Green/Playground refurb project were delayed due to purdah, and follow-ups with local councillors and officials were planned post-election. Preparations for the Coronation picnic on May 8th were discussed, including promotions via banners, posters, fliers, and school newsletters. The AGM was confirmed for June 6th at the Elwes pub, with details to be published online and through posters. A poll on Facebook indicated a preference not to provide table tennis bats and balls in the park, and the committee considered asking a local shop to stock these items. The committee also planned to borrow litter pickers for a clean-up event before and after the Coronation picnic. The next meeting was scheduled for May 16th.
2023 04 18 Onchan Park Committee meeting minutes
The Friends of Onchan Park Committee meeting on March 14, 2023, covered updates on various topics including the playground refurbishment project, the organization of an AGM, and potential funding opportunities through the UK Shared Prosperity Fund. There was no new information from GBC about the playground project, but a survey using Google Forms was discussed to gather support. The AGM was scheduled for June 6 at the Elwes pub, with plans for promotion via the website and social media. Additionally, the committee considered hosting a community picnic on May 8 to celebrate the coronation and discussed the provision of table tennis bats for the park, deciding to gauge community interest first.
2023 03 14 Onchan Park Committee meeting minutes
The Friends of Onchan Park Committee meeting on February 6, 2023, discussed several key points, including updates on the playground refurbishment project, the need for a pavilion storage license, and plans for an AGM in the summer. They reviewed the previous minutes and noted the challenges with funding and project cost volatility. The committee explored potential grant applications through the UK Shared Prosperity Fund, with Cllr Nicki Brooks agreeing to find out more about the application process. Additionally, they addressed the need for a new community survey to support funding bids and considered event possibilities despite lacking essential services. Plans were made to reconnect with past and potential new members, and the next meeting was scheduled for March 14, 2023.
2023 02 06 Onchan Park Committee meeting minutes- corrected
The ‘Save Onchan Park’ Facebook group was setup in January 2016 after a local resident stumbled upon some notes from a Gedling Borough Council meeting stating that all local parks and playgrounds were considered ‘assets’ and were being considered for sale.
This included Onchan Park.
Now with 1,000+ members there is real support for saving the park which led to the creation of the ‘Friends Of Onchan Park’ group.
To save the park real action was required. A meeting at the local St. John’s Church was arranged and along with the local community was attended by David Wakelin (Corporate Director from GBC), Melvyn Cryer (Service Manager – Parks & Street Care) and local councillors Nicki Brooks and Paul Wilkinson.
It was confirmed that one option being considered for the park was to sell the pavilion, bowling green and football and tennis courts for redevelopment which would most likely be housing. The funding deficit meant money has to be found and the easiest way to achieve this is to sell ‘assets’ like Onchan Park.
The only other viable option would be to form a community group that can apply for funding and work with the council to secure the future of the park and come up with an improvement plan.
Plenty of volunteers put their name forward to help not only save the park but plan for it’s future.
With coverage of the meeting in the Nottingham Post support for the initiative was taking shape and plans for the creation of the ‘Friends Of Onchan Park’ already being discussed.
To be continued