War of words over Alexandra Park consultation (From Bournemouth Echo)

Please be fair, Echo, Mr Sturrock is no more of an expert than I am, or indeed, my children are actually. They dont need a lecture from someone about how to play. He is a person with a point of view like all of us.
There was a strong representation from a FEW vocal local residents, by far the majority are happy with the scheme. My 6 year old was aware of the plans last November, because we paid attention to the information we were sent. Some residents took no notice of the consultation, until they saw diggers in the park, and then got upset. There WAS a consultation. It could have been better, we all agree, but the process was carried out properly.
I am aware papers need a controversy, but this really is a non-story.

“The overwhelming response from the majority of people has been very positive.”
.
Installation of the equipment in Alexandra Park is now almost complete"

That's what I wanted to hear. Good work :)

Well done council for providing a play facility in an odd profiled park, you've doe the local community a good service. Looking good with the brickwork and gates etc.

@ctreyou

You keep talking about this information you received about the plans for the new equipment - but nobody else I have spoken to has had this information - parents/children/res
idents/dog walkers/local schools/playgroups/c
hildminders/bowls club were NOT aware of the FINAL DESIGN. Please send what you have to the Echo so we can see what actually went out - not even the council have come up with any evidence of any mail-outs, or posters directed at the local community showing the FINAL DESIGN. Everyone has seen the notices on the park gates that are up now - it would have been easy to put the proposals on the gates last year - before the equipment was bought - not consult with a handful of people who were obviously in favour of putting the new play equipment OUTSIDE of the play area - taking up valuable open space that is used by everyone. With so many dogs in the park - not all children will feel safe using this equipment - mine included.
The proof is in the pudding - do I sound like someone who ignore information about my local park - a park that my whole family have used and loved for over 15 years?

Stakeholder, you are right that the final design of the improvements was not part of the consultation, but basically I am not that bothered about that. I approve of the principle of putting in play equipment for children to use. But I dont want to micro-manage the project myself, there are council officers who I trust to do this for me. We would all have different opinions about the exact placement of the equipment. Could you imaging the chaos of having a hundred residents trying to decide and agree on the exact location of a swing? We pay other people to make these decisions.
You say that some children would not feel safe using the equipment outside the existing play area, and you are right, there are some irresponsible dog owners, but most dogs in the park are well behaved and generaly under control. It makes no difference if a child is using a swing, or playing football, as happens already. There is no increased risk in any way.

The swings are within the current gated area where dogs do not enter. The kids have been asking for two goals for ages - the rebound wall is a sad waste of public money - remember money from the government is still our money. We have missed an opportunity to design something quite special in Alexandra Park for the young people off all ages. A designer should have been employed to work with the community.

stakeholder1 wrote:
The swings are within the current gated area where dogs do not enter. The kids have been asking for two goals for ages - the rebound wall is a sad waste of public money - remember money from the government is still our money. We have missed an opportunity to design something quite special in Alexandra Park for the young people off all ages. A designer should have been employed to work with the community.

I am pleased to say that the goal rebound area has been a resounding success and has been used constantly all week. I am sure that as someone who cares about the park and it's users you will happy to hear this!

paul parkstone wrote:

stakeholder1 wrote: The swings are within the current gated area where dogs do not enter. The kids have been asking for two goals for ages - the rebound wall is a sad waste of public money - remember money from the government is still our money. We have missed an opportunity to design something quite special in Alexandra Park for the young people off all ages. A designer should have been employed to work with the community.

I am pleased to say that the goal rebound area has been a resounding success and has been used constantly all week. I am sure that as someone who cares about the park and it's users you will happy to hear this!

You are missing the point. No doubt the rebound wall will be used and enjoyed by those who enjoy kicking a ball at a goal - many agree with me that it was a costly exercise to provide a place to kick a ball around - a space that was used to do that anyway and a lot more besides.
Had we all had a chance to have a say in how this public money was spent, we would have had a better thought out play area and I will be of that opinion, whether 1, or 100 children use the rebound wall.

stakeholder1 wrote:

paul parkstone wrote:

stakeholder1 wrote: The swings are within the current gated area where dogs do not enter. The kids have been asking for two goals for ages - the rebound wall is a sad waste of public money - remember money from the government is still our money. We have missed an opportunity to design something quite special in Alexandra Park for the young people off all ages. A designer should have been employed to work with the community.

I am pleased to say that the goal rebound area has been a resounding success and has been used constantly all week. I am sure that as someone who cares about the park and it's users you will happy to hear this!

You are missing the point. No doubt the rebound wall will be used and enjoyed by those who enjoy kicking a ball at a goal - many agree with me that it was a costly exercise to provide a place to kick a ball around - a space that was used to do that anyway and a lot more besides.
Had we all had a chance to have a say in how this public money was spent, we would have had a better thought out play area and I will be of that opinion, whether 1, or 100 children use the rebound wall.

We will never agree on this so let's just leave it to the children to decide as to whether it was worthwhile installing it!

And the rebound wall is, like, really noisy, just like people said it would be (not). And, hey, you could even have a game of badminton there as well. But where is the zip wire? I want a go. Come on council, get on with it.
Had we all had a say in exactly how the money would be spent, the end result would still not have pleased half the residents. We would still be talking now.

paul parkstone wrote:

stakeholder1 wrote:

paul parkstone wrote:

stakeholder1 wrote: The swings are within the current gated area where dogs do not enter. The kids have been asking for two goals for ages - the rebound wall is a sad waste of public money - remember money from the government is still our money. We have missed an opportunity to design something quite special in Alexandra Park for the young people off all ages. A designer should have been employed to work with the community.

I am pleased to say that the goal rebound area has been a resounding success and has been used constantly all week. I am sure that as someone who cares about the park and it's users you will happy to hear this!

You are missing the point. No doubt the rebound wall will be used and enjoyed by those who enjoy kicking a ball at a goal - many agree with me that it was a costly exercise to provide a place to kick a ball around - a space that was used to do that anyway and a lot more besides. Had we all had a chance to have a say in how this public money was spent, we would have had a better thought out play area and I will be of that opinion, whether 1, or 100 children use the rebound wall.

We will never agree on this so let's just leave it to the children to decide as to whether it was worthwhile installing it!

The park is not there solely for the use of children - the play area is a secure place for the children and could have been developed to make it better - made bigger even, to include the new facilities. It's callled open space design and should be left to the design professionals, in partnership with the community and local authority. Partnerships have been set up all over the country to spend Playbuilder money and have been very successful - a few have left communities feeling side lined and ignored - Alexandra Park is one of them. Posting comments on a website is no sign of support - for, or against an issue - only full consultation, a referendum, or perhaps an local/general election can really gage people's feelings.
The majority of residents and children I have spoken to in and around the park, were never against new equipment going in, it was the lack of consultation that was the main issue. If lessons have been learnt from this situation, I hope the council and councillors will respect their constituents enough to admit that and tell us what will be different for any future consultations.