NEWS:
We have our own website! www.clissoldpark.com

Paddling pool and animal enclosure — we thought they were saved... but of course it´s not as simple as that. Campaigning must go on — see below and on the website for further details.

Hot drinks service available at Café (11am — 2pm)

NEXT MEETING

11 am Saturday,
9th March 2002

Red Room, rear of
Clissold Park Café

Matters from previous meeting: Ranger: still no reply to our letter about Maureen Purcell — time to write again Action: Penny Crick

Cuts and Closures: Before Christmas we were told that Hackney council was planning to save money by closing the paddling pool, animal enclosure and bowling green in the Park. We launched a campaign of letter writing and petition. Then a notice went up in the Park saying that these facilities would not be closed. Today, Ken Worpole received a reply to his letter to Ian Hook (Head of Community and Leisure) saying that sponsorship is being sought for the animal enclosure and paddling pool, with the bowls green being passed to the bowling club to maintain. The feeling of the meeting was that we must keep campaigning to ensure that these facilities, central to the Park, are put back into the core budget. The Garden History Society had written to Jule Pipe in response to our campaigning to point out that the Heritage Lottery Fund would welcome an approach from the Council to seek funding for towards these amenities. As they said: "With so much going for this Park, it would be a tragedy if the Council sabotaged its present and potential contribution to the borough's environment." Action: Ken Worpole letter to Ian Hook; Kate Last to create website and also to update Oh Deer campaign. It became clear from the councillors present that there is immense confusion over what has been cut and what has not. Chit Chong proposed that Councillors should put emergency motions to the Council that officers liase with English Heritage urgently about the Park and urging officers to be aware of the need to retain core facilities in the Park. Action: Chit Chong.

Café: The Café has been closed and a franchise arrangement has been made so that people who are interested in managing it may bid for the contract. Mark White reported that after some refinement of the terms of the lease, packs are finally to go out to applicants next week. Noted that we have not seen an information pack even though user group is to be involved in the selection of applicants. The brief for the café that we drew up on the basis of our survey of users is included in the pack. Discussion about likely time scale involved before café will reopen and some concern expressed about difficulties in getting information. Relevant person to speak to is Geoff Wheeler at Nelson Bakewell. Letter to go to Ian Hook to clarify what is going on, to emphasise that the whole appointment procedure needs to be fair and open, and to affirm that the user group is involved in the appointment procedure, with copy to Nelson Bakewell. Action: Ken

Events: Mark reported that the main applications for events for this year are now in and he has ensured that events are spaced out over the year. Organisers have been asked for programme details and these will go to the events group to discuss. Tighter controls re: conditions for use of Park are now included in the contract with organisers. Sylvia Anderson proposed vote of thanks to Mark White for his endeavours in this area.

Stoke Newington Festival New Director Chris Westood introduced herself and spoke about the various tasks and problems she has to sort out including the deficit from last years festival, fund raising for this year, Assembly rooms not being accessible, grant from Hackney Council... The Festival is provisionally scheduled to take place between 10th - 30th June. Street Festival will not coincide with the QueenÕs Jubilee weekend. Mark has met with Chris and will be involved in meetings and decisions concerning the Park. Chris emphasised that she understands the concerns that have been expressed in the past about the use of the Park during the Festival.

Fundraising In discussion of how we would fund the development of a website for the User Group, Christ Westood made a number of helpful suggestions and we also decided that we would have a collection at each meeting so that people could contribute to the costs of producing and distributing this newsletter. Action: Kate Last to liase with Chris Westood We have a new postcard showing a painting of the paddling pool in summer Ð for sale on website and in Stoke Newington Bookhop. Collection at the meeting and sales of postcards produced a very helpful sum.

Park Manager´s Report Mark White reported that the toilet refurbishment is now just about complete! 24 trees have been planted, 5 are to go in next month, new notice boards are to go up at entrances to the Park, he has put in for money to replenish the Rose garden, to put picket fencing around same, to do some re-tarmacing on paths, to put in some new benches around the Park and that the duck weed has been successfully tackled on the Ponds. Finally, and wonderfully, he announced that hot drinks will now be served from the window at the Café - this service will be between 11 - 1.30/2.00 and is to be provided by the Rangers out of their existing hours. Mark was thanked and commended for his work.

User Group Publicity Can user group have its own notice board in the Park? Action: Penny Crick to liase with Mark White

Kings Crescent Development Concern expressed at possible high rise (5 blocks) development overlooking Park. (Idea of bridge into Park from estate abandoned.) Amidst hopes that these buildings would be of some architectural merit, we thought it would be a good idea for the user group to keep informed of the plans, particularly concerning the height of these buildings. Action: Yvonne Hill

Sports in the Park This meeting had been meant to focus on football and specifically include footballers but the closures matters has driven this out of our minds - but second goal post now in place on red gra so footballers have somewhere to play in muddy wet weather. Next meeting (March 9th) will focus on TENNIS. Tennis courts 1 - 4 will be refurbished in next few weeks (thanks to Lawn Tennis Association).

Present:
Ken Worpole(Chair);
Penny Crick (secretary);
Don Giddings, Hettie Sears; Julia Field; Jo Staples;
Chris Westood (SNFestival); Aideen Flynn; Yvonne Hill;
Mark White (Park Manager); Cllr Sylvia Anderson;
Larraine Worpole; Cllr.John Hudson; Prisca Thielmann; Robbie Richards; Cllr.Chit Chong; Lucy Sommers;
T. Barnbrook; Geoff Wass; Betty Manning; Bob Chivers; Kate Last

Apologies:
Joyce Palmer, Anne McGinley, Junior Tennis Club people as their AGM was at the same time.

NEXT MEETING

11am Saturday,
9th March 2002

EVERYONE WHO USES CLISSOLD PARK IS A MEMBER OF THE USER GROUP.

EVERYONE IS WELCOME.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION www.clissoldpark.com or c/o Rangers Office Clissold House