Category Archives: Facilities

Success for a Dogged Lady

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Cllr Graham Latty and Christine Parapia by the 'Tardis'

As you round the corner of Kelcliffe Lane, heading from Guiseley to the Park,  an incongruous site will be welcomed by dog walker and angry Guiseley residents alike.  For, sitting like a Tardis on the  verge, is a black, shiny, gold painted,  Leeds City Council, doggie bin: although it doesn’t seem as if the interior has quite the same capacity as the Time Lord’s  box.

This, striking addition to the local scene,  is the culmination of a long campaign by FOPP Chairlady, Continue reading →

Park Gets Its First Bench

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Paul Whittaker and the Bellway telehandler

One of the features of the Park people reminisce about are the benches:  the quiet summer evening spent talking with friends,  the lunchtime sandwiches away from the shop-floor, the first stolen kiss at dusk.   So, we are thrilled that local log merchant Paul Whittaker, has donated the first bench, which now adorns a copse ‘alcove’ – all ready for Easter strollers.

Paul has known the Park all his life,  and remembers the old benches well:  when he saw the Park was being regenerated he offered to replace one.  So,  on Maundy Thursday 2012, Paul brought the log bench to the Park;  it was hoisted into a place pre-prepared by Friends, using a telehandler lent to us by Bellway for the occasion (a great boy’s toy)!! Continue reading →

Were the copses planted for the Festival of Britain?

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Poster for the Festival of Britain

It has been suggested that the two copses in the Park were planted for the Festival of Britain, and that is why they are somwhat triangular in shape.   We would love to find out from photographs or memories if this could possibly be the case.

The Festival of Britain was in 1951; its aim was to raise the nation’s spirits after the second world war by celebrating British culture and ingenuity.  At it’s heart was a large exhibition showcasing British  achievements in art, design science and industry.  The chosen site of the exhibition was the bomb damaged South Bank in London, near Waterloo Station; now the site of the Royal Festival Hall.

We know the copses were probably planted between 1950 and 1953,  and that Crompton Parkinson, being a leading British company, was deeply involved in the Festival Exhibition.  We also know that the first Crompton Continue reading →

All Ready for a Hockney View

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All ready for Hockney treatment

In a jostling, bustling, hogarthian, crowd scene, hands reached for guide books on Yorkshire, amidst the umbrellas, postcards, and souvenirs at the end of David Hockney’s A Bigger Picture.  The lad from Bradford, has done us proud; as people from around the world queue to oooooo and ahhhhhh, at the jewel coloured Saltaire, and woods around Bridlington.  I do hope, if they make their way to our climes, they realize Salts Mill will be robed in a more enigmatic palette of grey.

More than anything, it is the sheer quantity of pictures, many of the same scene, each using colour to capture a different seasonal ambiance, that impresses.  I’m sure some BBC culture bod would enthuse about post modern relevance, or sneer at delusions of lost Empire – as the hegemony takes them.  However,  I left feeling proud of our county, and with ideas running through my head – isn’t that what art if for? Continue reading →

Steps Are Finished – Hurrah

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Alert Dog (on steps)

Well done to Pudsey Landscapes for some much better steps.  These should take the widest feet now, and hopefully alleviate slipping.  Congratulations, as well to Mr Oxley’s team at Leeds Council,  for a much improved path from Hillside.

Thank you also, to the gentleman who took this photograph of the steps for me; saving a walk around into the field.  I know I suggested you take a picture of your ‘dog’, but I was quite surprised to find myself on the photo as well !!!

Steps Closed

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Where there's muck, there's ...................

The Hillside steps have been closed temporarily whilst anti-slip paint is put on them, and the top steps are widened slightly.  Chris Gaunt asked if this could be done,  as,  with the mud and snow it might be a worthwhile precaution against slipping.  The steps will be open again, as soon as this is done.  Bellway are also looking at widening and laying a more sturdy path from the steps into the Park,  as the current small, narrow, track gets very muddy and slippery.

We hope these changes will make the Park more pleasurable to use, and open access to more people.

Our thanks to Mr Oxley’s team at the council for improving the path down to Hillside from the steps; a much better job than the first attempt.

Ten Years Younger – Phase 1 and 2

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30th November 2011

19th January 2012

The new Field Gate Entrance is done, which, together with the work on Little Kelcliffe, opens up the landscape view, and creates a more inviting scene  – a dog bin will be going in by this gate as soon as the Council get them in; a number of people have been requesting one.

This almost concludes Phase 1 of the regeneration.    Phase 2 of work will  look at the trees Continue reading →

Good News and Bad

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New gate at Greenshaw Terrace

Two things to report today,  one good, one not.  The good news,  is the first self closing gate has been fitted on the Greenshaw Terrace entrance, together with the door mat.

The other news, is that we have reported to the Council that the work they did on the Hillside end of Kelcliffe Lane before Christmas has left the bridle way in a worse condition than it was before.  Instead, of just a muddy lane,  we now have an even muddier ditch, full of lose rocks.   The land belongs to Kelcliffe Farm, however it is the Council footpath/bridle way department who have done the work.   Gerry Hill, who lives at Kelcliffe Farm has reported this to Ian Oxley, Enforcement Officer, Public Rights of Way, at Leeds Council,  as has Chris Parapia, from Friends of Parkinson’s Park.  For anyone else who wishes to complain Mr Oxley’s number is 0113 2375265 and his email is Ian.Oxley@leeds.gov.uk.

UPDATE – 19th January – The Council have been to have a look at Kelcliffe Lane at the Hillside End.  They have agreed that it needs ‘stoning up’ and that this will be done ‘in the near future’.

Gates and Sunrise

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Hello

Mark and Jamie from Pudsey Landscapes

On walking out of the Park along the the Kelcliffe bridleway I happened upon Mark and Jamie from Pudsey Landscapes digging out the farm gate entrance in readiness for creating a generally more welcoming experience. When I approached they were hard at work but paused monetarily to chat and update me with where they had got to. They are expecting to have the gates in over the next week or so.

Steps at Hillside End of Bridleway

As well as good progress on the Farm Gate we commented on the steps going up at the Hill Side end of the Bridleway. I am sure many of you will recall the experience previously associated with this particular entrance. Requiring a physical dexterity usually associated with an Olympic gymnast coupled with  a generous element of good fortune one was always rather relieved to get through unscathed. We now have the foundations laid for a pleasant and gentle descent down well laid out wooden steps. Nice!

Sunrise looking Eastward from Little Kelcliffe

The weekend has brought the clearest and crispest of winter days with a frosty bone hard terrain and clear blue skies. In turn these have brought the most beautiful of sunsets and sunrises. Here is a sunrise snapped yesterday morning from Little Kelciffe looking East towards Guiseley.

Swinging Gates

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New entrance 'doormat' for the Oxford Avenue entrance

A wild and windy week, (apparently the wind speed last night was 75 mph at Yeadon airport) but the men from Pudsey Landscapes have carried on heroically.   The top part of the park (Little Kelcliffe) has now been opened up, and is starting to look like a useable space again.  (We have plans for events to celebrate the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee later in the year, and this will be an ideal area.)

A key focus of the work is now the entrances.  Jamie and Mark are hard at work on new gates and entrance ‘doormats’  for the Oxford Avenue, Greenshaw Terrace, and the Farm Gate entrance. Meanwhile, on the Hillside Avenue side,  the hole in the hedge, that has been used as an entrance for a number of year, has now been made into proper steps.  In addition,  we have managed to get the council to do some work on improving the bridleway access from that side, and work is underway. Peter is hard at work taking out the old barbed wire that surrounds the park on a number of sides – let’s hope none of it is too springy !! Continue reading →