Monthly Archives: May 2012

Jubilee Picnic – Timetable Announced

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Bring a Family Recipe and Bunting; Have Some Fun

The Jubilee Picnic will be held on 5th June 2012, 2.30pm to 5pm.   The event has been funded by Leeds Community Foundation, part of a national group who link local philanthropists with organizations who engage local people on projects,  and Bellway Homes.  We would also like to highlight the following local businesses who have generously donated items,  Bargain Booze, Nuffield Fitness & Leisure, SJK Taxis, Subway, and  Tony Woods.  Finally, we thank Paul, Mark, Ken, Jamie, and a young man whose name I don’t know,  from Pudsey Landscapes for preparing the Park for us.   Let’s hope for some good weather !!

9am If anyone would like to Continue reading →

Solving the Puzzle of the Wall

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Renewed

On the first warm day for months,  Colin Alexander, Crawford Smith and Martyn Smith, of the Otley & Yorkshire Dales branch of the Dry Stone Walling Association set out to complete a complex puzzle. How to rebuild the tumbled wall at the ‘sheepfold’ entrance?

Tumbled Down

“There are many ways it can be done,  it’s finding one that works”, said Martyn.   The gentlemen were particularly hard pressed with this wall,  as not all of the stone was still lying around.   As this is a traditionally built wall, the batter, or slope of the wall, is a key feature.  The A shape of the wall means the stones get smaller as they go up, and this shape is a crucial part of the structural strength – a vertical wall would topple over much more quickly, as the stones settle.

The puzzle was solved by building the wall on a small platform,  and then shaping the top in a U,  “so that you’ve got a dress gallery to watch the sunsets”, quipped Crawford,  “you’ll be able to set up the stalls the other side”.   Continue reading →

A Salute to the 15th Airedale Scouts from the House of Commons

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Poster Boy for Scouting !

A big, big, BIG thank you to the boys and girls, Scout leader Keith Park, and, especially, Group Scout Leader Maureen Cooper of the 15th Airedale Scouts, for coming to spend their Scout Community Week time on the Park.   As we make our case with Leeds City Council, to have the Park officially listed as a community ‘green’ asset, rather than potential housing land,  you have played a vital part in helping us do that.

Thank you as well,  to all the Friends who turned out to help improve the entrances; the work of digging out nettles, hedge garlic, and brambles, along with old concrete and clinker was not easy – it was, perhaps,  fortunate it was neither a hot, nor a wet day. Continue reading →

Park Entrances – Scouts, Volunteers and Plants Called! by Andy Cheetham and Josie Brooks

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Sheepfold Entrance To Be Enhanced

As part of the overall vision for the Park the Friends want to create welcoming and well managed Park entrances for a more pleasant experience for all uses. Over the past few weeks some of the Friends, along with Maureen Cooper from the 15th Airedale Scouts, have been working on the project to make this happen.

To date, we have sketched out ideas tailored to the position of each of three entrances, Hillside Steps, ‘Sheepfold’ and Oxford Avenue, and on Saturday 19th May work will commence. If you can make it, please do come and join us, as there will be lots of jobs to be carried out. We are teaming up with the 15th Airedale scouts who will be helping us out as part of their “Scout Community Week” and they will be officially renaming the sheepfold entrance: which at the moment goes by a variety of names including churn stand, old man’s corner, and that ‘funny triangular bit’. Continue reading →

Queen’s Diamond Jubilee Community Picnic

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Queen’s Jubilee Community Picnic Invitation

Come and join your neighbours in a community picnic to celebrate the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee.   As Parkinson’s Park starts to look like it’s old self,  we thought we’d revive some of the old events.  To start with, we’d like to bring elements of the Parkinson’s Children’s Gala back to life,  only this time as a Jubilee picnic with games for all the family.

The event will be held on Tuesday, 5th June 2012,  2,30-5pm,  at the top of the Park (Little Kelcliffe).  There will be family fun with a ‘follow the diamonds’ trail, and traditional games such as egg and spoon races, and welly wanging.  If there are games you’d like to see included from the old Gala days,  please let us know before the 28th May in the comments below. Continue reading →

Bird Watch – Dawn Chorus by Darren Shepherd

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European Robin (Source:Northamptonshire Wildlife)

This morning I met up with David Myers to make a film of the bird life in the park singing one of nature’s glories of this time of the year – the dawn chorus. We met at 5am; the weather was calm but very cold for May.  The morning started well,  with various warblers and other passerines singing, but not particulary showing well – camera shy maybe?  One bird that did appear was the robin, which at least gave David some good shots.

Other birds we heard, included the willow warbler, chiffchaff, blackcap, garden warbler, great tit, blue tit, and wren. However, around 5.30 we decided to call it a day as most of the birds had stopped singing or moved away from us. Due to the unseasonally cold weather a lot of summer migrants have been late arriving from the wintering areas in Africa and as such the park was quieter than usual at this time of year.  On a positive note there should be many more years that the people of Guiseley can enjoy the sights and sounds of Parkinsons Park, without houses encroaching on the area !!

Park Maintenance

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Rosebay Willowherb Jungle

The weather is warming (from time to time !!) and the rain if falling;  perfect conditions for weeds to regrow in the Park.   We are very aware of the need to get a maintenance regime in place, and are currently negotiating with Bellway to achieve this as quickly as possible.

In the meantime Pudsey Landscapes will be back week commencing 14th May,  to finish off the last jobs in the regeneration eg steps for the Greenshaw Terrace entrance,  clearing away compost, and generally tidying up.

 

Park Likely To Be Taken Out Of The SHLAA

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As a result of Cllr Latty’s intervention on the Park being in the SHLAA,  and some complaints received from individual Friends, Leeds Planning asked FOPP for a map of the Park – which we have now given them.   Planning have said it is highly likely that the land will be removed from the database at the next SHLAA Partnership meeting in June/July 2012.

It does seem incredible, that the people who have the final say on what land is in or out of the SHLAA, is a Partnership team of people consisting of 3 developers, 1 housing association person, 3 planners, a member of Yorkshire Forward, a member from the Council for the Protection of Rural England, and one ‘community representative!!

This still leaves the Kelcliffe Lane land in the SHLAA, but at least this will be a start – we will keep you posted.