Getting two new tennis courts in the park last year was an impact thing, and indeed the sum of several small improvements adds up to keeping the park to an acceptable standard but please remember that the Parish Council does not own the park, has no rights over the park and can only try for a share of the Cheshire East Council budget.
Every time I walk my dog in the park, I ask other dog walkers what they think should be done to improve the park and most are concerned with the small things such as litter and whether there should be a cafe in the park and re-painting the children's play area etc.
What do you suggest for the park?
My own view is that the Parish Council should pursue ideas from the users of the park rather than try to 'dictate' what the Parish Council think should be done, so if anyone reading this wants to 'post' some ideas the Parish Council may be able to obtain monies out of Cheshire East.
I am now in contact with George Broughton, the Cheshire East Parks Superintendant and he has promised to visit the park to see for himself; he's not been long in post and has only once visited the 'outpost' of Alderley Edge park!
Get your ideas in, via the comment box below, before his next visit to the park.
Comments
Here's what readers have had to say so far. Why not add your thoughts below.
Many areas within Wilmslow contain a number of them, and are now considered full of benches but he said he will support anyone who would like to pay for a commemorative bench and memorial plaque in our park.
It would have to 'go through' him, as there are regulations about which type of bench and the size of any plaque (hi ho, the red tape is always with us!).
George can be contacted at .
Hopefully the 'Parks guys' will provide extra litter bins and/or re-siting of some of the peripheral existing bins and have started a programme of 'lifting' some of the trees, so that people can walk under rather than around the trees and they are hoping to remove some of the overgrown plants from around the paths, to make them less dark/threatening and they will attend to the flower beds to remove suckers, weeds etc.
They have already removed two of the rusty, algae covered metal poles and have removed from the play area the item that a RoSPA chap condemmed some weeks ago and we hope to remove the rusty old football posts and replace them with new ones, slightly relocated to avoid the depressions in front of the existing posts.
It isn't easy for the Parks people as they've had their capital budget taken away, so any work in the park has to come under 'maintenance'; they are trying to be flexible! They are costing some other works. I'm sorry it takes so long, but that's the 'nature of the beast'.
As to the litter dropped in the park...bottles, cans, etc. John (the parks guy who works in the park) picks up a lot and many of the dog-walkers also pick up as they go around the park...if people drop rubbish then the park will have rubbish littering it! If everyone using the park picked up a piece of litter (public spirit) that would help maintain the pleasant green space.
Sadly most of the littering seems to involve the younger park users; the police are supposed to be visiting the park, in the evenings, to discourage the young from making a mess, so you might pass on your concerns to them and to our PCSO when you see her in the village; you pay 50% of her salary via the Parish precept, so please do make your views known to her.
Birse Civils are considering getting involved in re-painting the childrens' play area; they will 'get back' to us...if you wish to contact them directly and add your urging to them, that might help.
There are two toilets in the bowlers pavillion...alas the last time they were open to the public, they were trashed, on more than one occasion...so the bowlers are (I believe) anti any attempt to 'open up' these toilets. I have no idea how to get around this problem, but we are open to suggestions.
The idea of a 'cafe in the park' seems to have stalled; my own belief is that sadly there is just no money available; if anyone out there feels like donating a lot of money then please, please come forward.
Fingers crossed!