NEWS: Cafe - mobile cafe has been set up...
but how long before we can get back a proper cafe in the House?
HERITAGE LOTTERY MONEY - work is proceeding on the application
and it is looking good...

Paddling pool and animal enclosure Children's activities to be organised for later in the summer.

NEXT MEETING

11 am Saturday,
13th July 2002

Red Room, rear of
Clissold Park Café

Heritage Lottery Fund There was a meeting during May between Land Use Consultants, who are putting the bid application together for Hackney, the architect for the House, officers from Hackney and representatives of the User Group. The plans for the House look good, restoring much of the House to its original form, opening up the original front door and entrance hall, the staircase and also making room for the cafe, with its own entrance, and some function rooms on the first floor. Toilets would be located at the basement level with entrance from the Park, changing rooms would also be renovated in the basement. The present ugly toilet block outside the house would be demolished and the whole area around the House sympathetically paved and beautified. Various plans for the Park were outlined, including possible uses for the Bowling Green and it's little house, possible locations for the Paddling pool, the extension to the playground, five a side football pitch on the Red gra, tree planting and garden plans. The future of the animal enclosure was discussed - with Land use consultants very mindful of the Heritage Lottery Board's preference for an 'open vista' from the front of the House... We were not very keen on the idea of pushing all the sports and children's activities into one corner of the Park for the sake of a 'vista' and we also are keen on consideration of the vistas to and from the sides and rear of the House. (e.g. see the views of the old and main St Mary's churches from the back of the House, and the view of the Park from the side of the House - definitely to be preserved!) Since that meeting, it has come to our notice that the rules and views of the Heritage Lottery Board have become more flexible and possibly responsive to developments which are more to do with the use of the park as well as its appearance. Also it is probably going to be prohibitively expensive to move the paddling pool and there is a good argument for rather developing its present site, e.g. with more planting of shrubs on the road side, and hence retaining a further large dog free area where families can relax and play. All this will be discussed at the next meeting of this group on June 19th. If you have any points you would like to make about the plans, please get in touch with Ken Worpole or Penny Crick. Michele Guimarin is also convening a meeting with the curator of Hackney Museum at the House on June 17th to consider the educational potential for the House. Get in touch with her on 020 8356 7264 if you are interested. There was some debate about the fact that the Hackney Parks managers are now based on the top floor of the House. Is this a good idea? Do they/will they pay rent for these offices? A business plan for the House is to be part of the Lottery Application and so issues of how the House and it's various functions are to be managed and funded will have to be carefully worked out.

The Cafe The mobile cafe currently sited outside the House is a short term arrangement and the feeling of the meeting was that it is inadequate ("better than nothing, but actually rubbish") and that the cafe in the House needs to be reopened as soon as possible. If the Lottery bid is successful, there will be major works to the House in about 3 years time - so letting the cafe long term is probably not a viable possibility at the moment. We will write to Iain Hook to suggest to him that the cafe could be let almost immediately on a short term licence let and that this is essential for the sake of the House and the users of the Park. In the meantime, Mark White, Park Manager, would like to have feedback on the mobile cafe arrangement.

Paddling Pool Is due to open this summer as part of children's activities that will be supported by a grant that has been applied for by the User Group in conjunction with the Council.

Councillors Newly elected councillors whose wards touch on the Park are to be invited to meetings. (Action Ken W.)

Rangers Particularly in light of some recent 'mugging' incidents in the Park, concern was expressed about the amount of time that Rangers spend patrolling the Park - Margaret Elliott the Rangers manager will be asked if she could come to our next meeting to discuss this issue. Are there guidelines about their duties, could they be sure to be out and about at key times such as lunchtime, coming out of school time and so on??
The Rangers Office telephone number is: 020 7923 3660. This, and other useful numbers are posted on our website here.

Events The fact that two funfairs were run on consecutive weekends during May was discussed, with the implications for noise, overuse of the Park, land not having time to recover between events, revenue for fairs etc. - Stan White assured us that it would not happen again. The ground around trees is now marked to stop heavy machines and vehicles from parking too near them.
The Non Violence Foundation presented their proposal for a large event to take place in Clissold Park on Saturday 31st August. They are holding four big festivals around London during the summer to link with work they are doing in schools, encouraging children and young people to value and get involved in alternatives to violence in their schools, communities and lives. There will be music, including workshops for young people, performance art, spoken word, stalls and other activities - it is pitched as a family event and will not be (loud) music dominated. The feeling of the meeting was favourable about this event, particularly as it promotes non violent use of the Park, the poor provision for youth in Hackney generally and the involvement of children and young people beforehand in schools in our community.

Present:
Ken Worpole (Chair)
Penny Crick (secretary)
Lucy Sommers,
Kate Last,
Betty Manning,
Larraine Worpole,
Daphne Kemp,
Sylvia Anderson,
Jonathan Shattock,
Ann McGinley,
Stan White (Events, LB Hackney), Louise Davey,
David Robertson
Clem Leech (Non-Violence Foundation)

Apologies:
Bob Chivers,
Barbara McFarlane,
Michele Guimarin (Hackney Council), Mark White (Park Manager)
John Hudson,
Don Giddings,
Hettie Sears,
Joyce Palmer.

NEXT MEETING

11am Saturday,
13th July 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