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Chair’s Report – June 2023

Chair’s Report – Alison Pritchard – June 2023 – Onchan Park AGM

Welcome Paul Goodson to FoOP Committee

I am pleased to announce that Paul Goodson has joined our committee, bringing valuable insights and enthusiasm to our initiatives.

Facility Usage

Our Multi-Use Games Area (MUGA), Table Tennis facility, and Tennis court continue to see heavy usage, demonstrating their importance to the community.

Community Engagement in Litter Control

Thanks to Paul G’s initiative, we now have litter pickers available, and the community has been actively participating in keeping our grounds clean. This collaborative effort is commendable and reflects our community’s commitment to maintaining a clean environment.

Community Monitoring and Reporting

The community has been vigilant in monitoring and reporting issues through platforms such as Facebook and the Council website. This proactive approach helps us raise concerns promptly.

Addressing Vandalism at the Pavilion

We have made strides in overcoming vandalism issues at the Pavilion. However, we are still addressing the challenge of storing items securely within the Pavilion.

Improving Communication with GBC

Efforts to improve communication with Gedling Borough Council (GBC) have been ongoing. We are determined to ensure better dialogue and coordination moving forward.

Severn Trent Bid Progress

Our bid with Severn Trent has been prepared since December 2020. We have a meeting scheduled in July 2023 with Mel and Terry B to discuss further details and hopefully move towards implementation.

Hedge Sound Barrier Concerns

There have been issues with the hedge intended as a sound barrier, as it has not taken root well. We are exploring the possibility of planting whips and arranging for their watering to ensure successful growth.

These updates highlight both the progress we have made and the challenges we continue to address. Thank you to everyone for your dedication and support in enhancing our community facilities and environment.

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Update- Funding bids 12/22

Many of you have probably been wondering what’s happening with Onchan Park.

Since COVID things have been very difficult, however we have been working behind the scenes. Unfortunately, we have experienced a number of difficulties working with GBC.

We have tried to gain support and funding from GBC to resurface the green for the community since 2019.  This would enable the green to be used as a multi- purpose space: a space to hold events and for children to play, for sports and leisure activities.

  • In December 2020 we wrote a bid to apply for funding to resurface the green. Initially we were told we had the council support for the bid, however due to staff restructuring at GBC, we were then left without access to support.
  • A year later we were given a new point for communication, but told our bid couldn’t go ahead as someone else had put in a bid with GBC support – we would need to wait until August of this year before we could apply again.
  • Since June of this year our liaison has been waiting for a response from GBC regarding the green.  We have requested meetings several times but to no avail. In November we tried again, and are still awaiting a response.
  • We recently emailed Michael Payne, deputy leader of the council, and are awaiting a response.

GBC have recently received 2.6 million to be spent on community.  We are hoping that they will be able to support our community. If anyone has any ideas on how we can move forward, or would like to help Friends of Onchan Park to gain support from GBC, or simply wants to join, please respond.

To end on a positive note:

  • The multi-use games area has been used continually when the weather allows this year. We have had basketball, hockey, football, gym training all making the most of the space.
  • The Gym sessions have also been well attended and are helping keep our local community fit and healthy. Run by Jude Freeman at Tonic Fitness click here for details.
  • The tennis court is also used daily, when the weather allows.
  • The table tennis tables are still used frequently as players have been bringing their own bats and balls when there have been none available for free community use.

We would like to take this opportunity to thank all the volunteers, our local councillors; Nicki Brooks, Paul Wilkinson, Jim Creamer, and Errol Henry, and especially those who regularly collect litter from the park to make it a better space for our community.

We hope to return in the New Year with renewed vigour and community support to create the ultimate park that this community deserves.

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Sports Day Saturday 16th October

Celebration Sports Afternoon

Onchan Park (AKA Oakdale Road Recreation Ground)

Saturday 16th October 11am till 3pm

Friends of Onchan Park are holding an open sports day to celebrate the new facilities at Onchan Park and to thank you, our community, for your support.

Come along and join in the activities and sporting sessions with free taster sessions from:

  • Nottingham Sycamore Table Tennis Academy
  • Fitness Boot Camp (age 16+) & Kettle Bells Demo with Jude Freeman
  • Nottingham Wildcats Basketball Club
  • Nottingham Wolves Urban Hockey

There will also be the opportunity to have your say on the regeneration of the play park.

We look forward seeing you there!

2021 sports day poster A4 v2

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Table Tennis and new paths

Development of the facilities at Onchan Park in March 2021 included installation of two new table tennis tables and a new accessible path from a new gate to allow wheeled users to access the MUGA, tennis court, table tennis and children’s play equipment.

New gate and path small

The new gate is a little bit further up the hill from the old pedestrian gate on Onchan Avenue and allows easy access for pushchairs, wheelchairs, mobility scooters onto the middle level of the park.

Previously upper levels of the park were inaccessible unless you could use steps without handrails. Now the new gate and path provide access for all.

path before after small

The path next to the tennis court has been repaired so that the edges are firm and stable.

path repairs before after small

  • Anyone can turn up to play table tennis with the bats and balls provided by Friends of Onchan Park. Please leave the bats and balls at the park for the next people to use. ***Bats and balls coming soon!***
  • Sycamore Table Tennis Club based at Carlton Le Willows Academy school site will be running some outreach sessions at the park this year.

table tennis 2 before after small

Please park responsibly if you visit Onchan Park by car, to respect the neighbours of the park and other road users.

Friends of Onchan Park are working on a funding bid to level and resurface the green space at Onchan Park and connect the paths between the top and bottom areas of the park. We also plan to apply to FCC Communities in the autumn to refresh and replace the children’s play equipment.

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Transformation of the MUGA

Works to transform the Multi-Use Games Area (MUGA) on 1st March 2021 and by April the newly resurfaced court was being well used by groups and individuals for basketball, hockey, training and more.

The funding bid made jointly by Friends of Onchan Park and Gedling Borough Council last year successfully received a grant in 2020 from FCC Communities Foundation so that the sporting facilities could be re-developed and improved for the community. The works were delayed over the winter due to the lockdown situation, but by spring the new facilities were opened.

muga 2 before after small

The project included planting a laurel hedge along the east boundary to screen noise from the playing surface. Multiple lines were painted on the court so that a variety of different sports could be easily played. The MUGA can be accessed through 4 entry/exit points, one at each side of the space.

court lines small

  • The MUGA has been used by Nottingham Wolves Ball Hockey Club for outdoor urban hockey training as lockdown was lifted.
  • Tonic Fitness will be running a bootcamp style workout sessions on the MUGA – more details coming soon.
  • Notts Wildcats basketball club hope to be running some sessions at Onchan Park this year. The basketball court will be registered with Basketball England court finder so that people can find the new facilities.
  • The MUGA also has markings for a cricket wicket and a stumps board fixed to the fence within the court. Just turn up and play cricket!
  • 5-a side football can also be played in the newly resurfaced court, which is much more playable than the old bowling green space.

Friends of Onchan Park are working on a funding bid to level and resurface the green space at Onchan Park and we hope to apply to FCC Communities in the autumn to refresh and replace the children’s play equipment.

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Onchan Park receive funding for sports facilities in the heart of the community

After 4 long years of community support, consultations, events and funding applications the Friends of Onchan Park have finally succeeded in securing funds to begin the first phase of transformation on Onchan Park also known as Oakdale Road Recreation Ground. From the early days of saving the park from being sold for building development, the friends group and the local community have worked to raise funds to create a space to meet the communities’ needs.

“This is wonderful news,” Chair of the friends group Alison Pritchard commented, “It has truly been a full community effort with support from primary and secondary schools, playgroups, local and county councillors, local businesses and the community all supporting the project with funding and involvement in events.”

The recent funding will provide a multi-use games area on the disused court space, two table tennis tables and disabled access for all. FCC Environment have approved funding of £74,450 towards the project with Gedling Borough Council providing a further £8,003 towards the funds raised by the community to make it happen. Once finished, there are plans to run cricket, table tennis, basketball and keep fit sessions.

Work on the park is planned to begin in December 2020 with the official opening expected in early spring of next year.

Thank you to all the supporters of Onchan Park, without whom none of this would have been possible.

Committee Sept 2019

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New Year 2020 Update

Dear Supporters and Friends of Onchan Park

As the year draws to a close we wanted to keep you up to date with what’s been happening in 2019.

We haven’t held an event this year for two reasons;

1 – The green has been in such a poor state that it hasn’t been usable due to the holes in the ground.

2 – We haven’t had the time to organise events as we have been working very hard on finalising bids and applications for the MUGA; Table Tennis and disabled access and with trying to get match funding for bids approved by Gedling Borough Council.

The good news is that GBC seem to have had a change of heart towards Onchan Park in the last month.

GBC agreed to fund close to £5,000 to match with £70,000 that we are hoping to raise through funding applications with Sport England and FCC (formerly funding provided by waste recycling scheme).

We also tried for months to get council approval and support to resurface the old bowling green.  In the last month they have agreed to support us and offered £6,492 to support our application for a further £25,000 funding from the ‘Pocket Parks’ government fund.

The refurbishment of the green will include removing the conifers between the grassed area on Onchan Avenue side of the park and the bowling green, raising the level of the old bowling green to join the 2 areas together, creating one large green space for general play, 5-a-side, ball games etc and for event and community space for the future.  Mature trees will be planted to make up for removing the conifers.

We have, this week, finally submitted all our bids and will await news in the New Year.

This leaves us to work on getting funding for refurbishment of the play equipment in 2020, and finally, the following year we will address the issue of what the community wants for the pavilion.

Thank you for your continued support for Onchan Park.  We look forward to having celebratory events on the park in 2020.

If anyone would like to join our committee and have an active role in supporting the development of Onchan Park, please get in touch.  We are always open to welcoming new committee members.

Happy New Year to all our supporters.

Alison, Maria, Terry, Pia, Valeria and Sheelagh (Friends of Onchan Park)

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Paths made safe at Onchan Park

The hot dry weather in the summer caused the clay soil to dry out and contract which caused cracks to open up in some of the paths at Onchan Park. Did you notice them? The Friends of Onchan committee raised this issue with Gedling Borough parks department at one of our regular meetings and we stated our concern about this health and safety issue.

path before

The area was cordoned off and remedial works took place. The paths are now safe and completely level.

path after

Thanks to Gedling Borough for fixing the paths. For more information about Gedling’s parks click here.

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Survey at St John’s Playgroup

Survey from St John’s playgroup Summer 2019

Friends of Onchan Committee visited the last day of the summer term at St John’s Playgroup on 18th July 2019 to survey the parents about their use of Onchan Park and how they would like it to be developed in the future. Surprisingly one person was unaware of the location of the park- she had never visited it and did not know that it was only a few hundred meters down the road from St Johns playgroup.

 

Do you use the park?

  • Yes – 14
  • No – 3

 

Reasons for not using the park

  • No children
  • Not well kept – too much rubbish on the park
  • Would use if it was tidy
  • Only just realised there is a park

 

What you’d like to see on the park

  • Children’s play equipment (8) – Slide; swings; roundabouts; zip line; floor trampoline; see saw;
  • Toilets (7)
  • Ground is uneven, level footpaths
  • Cycle track
  • Coffee shop (6)
  • Improved cleaning
  • Outdoor gym on bowling green
  • Basketball area
  • Family activities community events – craft days; fun days; talent shows
  • Summer clubs for kids
  • Exercise classes
  • Pavilion in use
  • Picnic benches (2)
  • Sensory equipment and trails
  • Football pitches

 

The Friends of Onchan park committee are saddened that once again the condition of the park is putting people off. We bring this up at our regular meetings with the parks department officers. We would also encourage people to use the Gedling Borough “Report It” portal to report any issues with rubbish, dog poo, vandalism etc at Onchan. The link to the portal is here.

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Information Stall– St John’s Summer Fair 2019

Community Consultation at St. John’s Church – Information Stall at Summer Fair on 22nd of June 2019

FoOP had an information stall at St. John’s Church. Initially, Terry and I were at the stall. Later on, Alison and Sheelagh came as well.

The aim was to show the community our work and plans for the future. We have spoken to members of the public about our work and wanted to have some feedback. It was a good way to promote our park. We publicized our AGM on this occasion.

It took a while until people came to us, because we didn’t sell any food and drinks. We “only” had to offer information about the park. Later, we approached the people a bit more purposeful and the result was that kids and a few adults came to us with some feedback. They were writing it on post-it notes. One lady didn’t know that the park existed.

What would you like to see on the park?

  • cricket green for playing cricket
  • birds houses / tables
  • nature plants
  • “Nice” plants
  • white lines sprayed on the grass (to play football)
  • picnic tables
  • “A see-saw please”
  • “Place to lock our bikes”
  • “Fantastic idea MUGA TT” (table-tennis)

 

Comments:
“Very good idea” (the suggestions)
“What a wonderful park”

Complaints:
Two people complained that the park is dirty and covered with broken glass

P Alimonti, 9th of September 2019