Category Archives: Regeneration

Drug Users In The Park

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The Park has been used for a number of years by drug users and even dealers. This became a major issue when the Park was not looked after back in the 2000’s and was one of the reasons why the Friends were formed.

Unfortunately, incidents of this and related anti-social behaviours are growing again. Evidence of drug taking has been found this week in both the Orchard, and in a shelter that has been dismantled on the wooded slopes. The activity takes place in some of the more isolated places in the Park, especially in the bottom copse and on the wooded slope.

We’ve had discussions with both Meadfleet (the people responsible for the land) and the Police and have been asked to report incidents when found.

We’d therefore like to ask park users if they spot any evidence of drug taking to report it to us on parkinsonspark@gmail.com – if you have photographic evidence of where and what please send that too. We’ll be compiling a regular report.

Picture – a shelter that has been dismantled where drug packets were found

Residents Wishing Everyone More Love and Joy

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Lots of activity over the last weeks to improve the look of the Park and bring more joy to those who use it. The Park is not Council owned, it belongs to Bellway Homes. Meadfleet do basic maintenance in conjunction with Friends of Parkinson’s Park, whilst FOPP and local residents come together to try and make the Park special with the aim of looking after our heritage, and bringing joy to all.

In November the Nethercliffe working party of local residents worked on improving their entrance; which hopefully will soon have spring bulbs and early spring flowers from Celandines to Willow catkins and Backthorn blossom.

Putting Down Woodchip Paths
Improving the Bog Garden Edging
Continue reading →

Happy New Year For 2022 & FOPP’s 10th Anniversary

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Ten years ago the Friends of Parkinson’s Park was formed. November 2011 saw the start of the Park’s regeneration; a collaboration between Bellway Homes and an embryonic Friends Of Parkinson’s Park (FOPP); whilst February 2012 saw our first public meeting . 2012 was the year of the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee and the London Olympic Games; a time of celebration and joy that gave us a lot of impetus to create a community asset for the people of Aireborough – not to mention the opportunity for Jubilee related grants for improvement.

Work on Park Re-Generation Starts November 2011
Friends at the planting of the Queen’s Jubilee Walk in 2012

Ten years later, we are still here; now registered as a Community Interest Company who work to raise money for Park improvements and organize community events. The Park itself has been officially recognized as part of the Leeds Green Infrastructure in the Local Plan, and is listed as both a Community Park for wellbeing, and a Natural Space where ecology is important. This meant than when the pandemic struck in 2020 the Park was there as a crucial sanctuary for many residents.

Poster by Paul’s Paint Pots

Our 10th anniversary year of 2022, will see the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee, and the Commonwealth Games in Birmingham plus the Winter Olympics in Beijing and the Football World Cup. We will be having events and ‘crafts’ that celebrate these occasions as well as the Festival of British creativity and innovation announced by Prime Minister Teresa May in 2018 and now called Unboxed.

On top of this will be our usual Aireborough events including the Children’s Gala and Lantern Parade – in addition we will be collaborating with and supporting the Leeds 2023, Yarns Well Spun creative project run by Abi James, and Good Grief Guiseley.

Children’s Gala

Improvement work on features and facilities will continue with the help of grants from various organizations and a growing band of Friends (watch out for announcements and calls for help) whilst we are delighted that the Co-op has chosen our Willow Walk project as one of their local causes for 2022. Incredible Edible Aireborough will be looking after the herb planter; we hope to plant more trees in Crooklands Orchard; and Greenshaw Wood and the wildflower areas will continue to grow.

Crookland Orchard with trees donated by Leeds City Council, new sign courtesy of Heritage Lottery and bench sponsored by Cllrs Graham and Pat Latty

Over the last decade we have had help and support from innumerable people; resident, councillors and organizations. We have had sponsorship from a number of businesses and collaborated with many local and regional organizations from Guiseley Brass Band to the Orchard Project and Open Country. Through all this time, the core FOPP team has stayed more or less the same.

Litter Free Guiseley
Girl Guides
Open Country
Fire Brigade
Otley Dry Stone Wallers

Will we be here in another 10 years time? We hope that FOPP will last that long – but the most important legacy is the Park itself which was founded by the Parkinson brothers in the mid 20th century and given to the people of Guiseley. This is what we so nearly lost at the start of the millennium and which has been core reason for being.

We hope you continue to enjoy the Park in 2022.

We’ve Been Chosen for the Guiseley Co-op Community Fund for our Willow Walk Project.

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The bottom of the Park is wet with several spring emanating from the hillside. In this area is a good bank of willow trees some of the quite characterful, as well as traditional woodland edge shrubs such as rowans, blackthorns and hazel. In an amongst the trees are the foundations of the old Crompton Parkinson Tennis Pavilion, built in the 1940’s . At the north end is the bog garden, at the south end, the entrance to Edison Fields, and in the middle a wide ditch, made when earth was piled onto the old car park.

We’ve long had plans to regenerate this area of the Park by creating a Willow Adventure Walk here for children and young people, with an entertainment space for for story telling where the old pavilion was, and natural play willow and wood features along the walk.

Continue reading →

HELP DESIGN AN HISTORIC BENCH FOR GUISELEY WELLS

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Our colleagues, The Friends of Springfield Park & Guiseley Wells have been awarded one of a unique set of 15 community benches provided by the Leeds Civic Trust ‘Take A Seat’ Project. The benches will commemorate how the citizens of Leeds came together during the Covid 19 Pandemic of Spring 2020. A little like the Trust’s Blue Plaques scheme that celebrates notable historic events. 

Continue reading →

Winter Work

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The New Year has seen a number of maintenance jobs completed around the Park.   Firstly,  woodchip has been laid on the bottom path to help making walking easier.   Thanks to Shaun Smith and helper from Elite Garden Maintenance for this.

Next, we have had work done to fix the broken gates, and to replace the vandalised gate on the Kelcliffe Lane entrance.  Thanks to Ian Walker for this.

Finally,  we have started renovating some of the old apple trees; this one is the one that is thought to be a cider apple tree, and was rather a thicket.   We had the hawthorn tree growing too close removed, and have then pruned the apple tree back by around the recommended 25%  to start forming an ‘open goblet’ shape.  We’ll continue the work on the shape in future years.   Hopefully, this will help improve the quality of the fruit – if we have done it right.

Apple Tree Before Pruning

Apple Tree After Pruning

Woodchipping Help

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Unfortunately,  the promised help with woodchipping the branches from the felled tree, and the security work, has not materialised.   We do need to get this done as soon as possible, or there may be another fire. If anyone knows of someone with a woodchipper who could help please email us on parkinsonspark@gmail.com

Once the branches are woodchipped we’ll use them on the paths to make them less slippery when it rains.

PARK MAINTENANCE – CAN YOU HELP?

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20170206_151524Following discussion with the Police last week, we talked with the maintenance company today about ways to make the Park more ‘secure’, and open out parts that are proving ‘troublesome’. For example, we are looking at lowering the hawthorn bushes in front of the top bench to open it out.

We have got a number of other jobs that need doing this year to make the park look loved and cared for – so watch out for news of working parties. This will cover items such as
a) pruning the community orchard,
b) ring barking old trees threatened with ivy,
c) stone wall repair
20170206_152712_1487081988383d) strimming tussocky grass caused by dog’s doings !!
e) strimming the community orchard
f) weeding the herb garden
g) planting the bog garden
h) replacing the handrails on the Hillside steps
i) planing down and oiling the two wood benches
j) litter picks

If there is anything you would like to do in the Park to improve it email us on parkinsonspark@gmail.com. All help very welcome, and the more hands the better.

Join the Park Watch

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16508744_10154485448424601_1780858265973960000_n More trouble in the Park last night, with the Fire Brigade called out to extinguish a fire by the top bench.  (Which cost the ‘tax’ payer.)

Happened around 10.40pm last night (Sunday 5 Feb 2017).  Two ‘adults’ with torches heard and seen going off towards Hillside.     The incident has been reported to Police on 999 who have a crime log – any further alert should be reported to them.

The incident was initially reported to the Fire Brigade by people on Nethercliffe who saw the torches and could hear talking – thank you to them for acting quickly. Continue reading →

Many Incidents of Arson Suspected in Guiseley This Week

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20170205_105247Well, we’ve had Candlemas this week, the mid-point between the shortest day and the spring equinox, so Spring is on its way; with lighter nights and hopefully all those daffodils planted last year bursting through and bringing joy to the heart.

What does not bring so much joy though, is the increasing vandalism and suspected arson in the Park – and in Guiseley in general.  We, the community as a whole need to tackle this, and quickly.

Today, we had a report by a dog owner of a ‘snare’ left in some branches near a path: snare, saw or garotte, the sharp implement was  hidden, quite possibly deliberately,  in fir-tree branches and put by the top path in the Park for dogs, children, wild animals or adults, to injure themselves

Saturday 4th February 2017

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Piecing together the story: around 11.10pm on Saturday night a group of young people were seen with torches on Kelcliffe lane and in the Park, near the tall fir trees by the Park Gate.  They were sawing off branches of the fir-tree – badly; possibly using the implement later found.

The branches were taken to the area near the top bench, where there was an attempt to start a fire with any wood that could be found.  Three tins of Bull Brand lighter fluid was found (is this sold around Guiseley?) as well as an unrecognized plastic bag and lots of rubbish and mess.20170205_104904 20170205_104747 20170205_105414

Other Suspected Arson Attacks in Guiseley

This comes on top of a week of arson attacks,  on Oxford Road Junior School,  The Football Club and the bins behind Next on the Retail Park.   Apparently the fire brigade have been called out many times this week to attempts to start fires there.

In addition,  a week or so ago,  the new bird table in the Park was burnt to the ground, following the ‘two insect hotels’ before Christmas, and an increasing amount of damage being done to trees through the breaking of branches.

Action

20170205_102608The Parkinson’s Park Committee is meeting with the Police this week – to discuss the action we will take.  If you have any ideas to put forward, please give us a call or email parkinsonspark@gmail.com.  We would be grateful for any evidence that anyone can give – all little bits of information can help build up the picture.  In addition,  please let us know (as well as the Police 101)  if you see anything at all suspicious – call, email, Facebook.

For the moment, we are not going to clear up the mess until we have an action plan for tackling this issue – we will leave it as is.  Please be vigilant in the Park and watch out for broken glass and other debris that could cause an accident.