Fly tipping, a mention in "Manor Park Matters" and Fun Day 2014
Fly tipping again! .....
This month has seen another large amount of black bagged rubbish fly-tipped in the car park, mostly general household items this time. There are some really lazy people out there who don't care about their local environment. It takes effort to move your rubbish somewhere else to dump, why not just let the bin men take it from your own place - much easier!
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Brickfields Park mentioned in "Manor Park Matters" .....
A political flyer dropped through our door the other day from the local Labour party, entitled "Labour - Manor Park Matters - Putting Manor Park First", for February / March 2014, and published by Cllr. Frank Rust and Cllr. Dominique Swaddling, it has the usual "News" items one finds in local politics. Buried in the "Your Feedback to Your Local Labour Party" section was the following oblique reference to Brickfields Park in relation to a recent survey they had carried out –
"Most of you were very positive about the parks and public areas in Aldershot, except for some comments about Brickfields Park. Anti-social behaviour was mentioned, but in specific areas such as the shops opposite Manor Park, and near Queens Road."
Needless to say that statement could be read several ways but the general "feel" of it is that adverse comments have been made about Brickfields Park in relation to anti-social behaviour. Although lumped in with Manor Park and Queens Road, it is worth noting Brickfields Park is nowhere near either of those locations.
"As the volunteer group managing the park on behalf of Rushmoor Borough Council we would be grateful if you would forward those comments to us, whether adverse or not, so that we may have a chance to address first hand any problems the public may perceive with the park, rather than find out through a political flyer."
Apparently the relevant data is not to hand but needs to be compiled from the survey by the person who put it together - we await their data with some interest.
We eventually had a reply to our enquiry - their survey had one reply that mentioned Brickfields Country Park -
Brickfields Country Park us an utter disgrace. The pond is totally dead and the pond at times smells dreadful. No management.
To break down that single negative comment -
Brickfields Country Park us an utter disgrace.
An "utter disgrace" it is not, conversely it is highly regarded by many. Brickfields Park is meant to be a wild open space in an urban environment, which we think it manages to be very well, but we would do as the park's "Friends" group, but fortunately so do a lot of our residents. As a wild area, which it does very well, the park can be seen by some as derelict, unmanaged, unloved, fit only for housing development.
The pond is totally dead and the pond at times smells dreadful.
That we would partially agree with. The condition of the pond is known, and one that we have been monitoring and trying to address. It is going to be very difficult to fully remedy over any time scale due to its possibly unique historical circumstances and the way a water supply was set up when the park was commissioned. That main water supply is from road surface water drainage off the Crown Estate, with a minor contribution from surface springs, consequently it contains a high degree of vehicle contaminants and debris. Being almost totally rainfall based it is very cyclical in nature and can range from non existent in extended dry periods to near totally flooded as has been the case this winter. This combined with sometimes over 100 ducks, Geese and Moorhens, constantly being fed vast amounts bread, along with over hanging trees and their detritus, its condition is deteriorating.
We are currently working with Rushmoor to identify the problems with the pond and its environs to enable remedial actions to be put in place.
No management.
Not the case. We as a volunteer group are licensed by and work with Rushmoor BC to maintain the park, both of us with very little funding and shrinking resources, have strived over the last 28+ years to maintain and further the park and its environment. We have close supportive links with Rushmoor and constantly work for the benefit of the park and our local residents. Our group alone contributes 50+ days of unpaid volunteer work in the park each year.
We are somewhat disappointed that you have taken one negative reply and politicised it. We look forward to you actively promoting Rushmoor's parks and open spaces in the future, spaces the Borough is very fortunate to have.
2014 Fun Day .....
The Fun Day for this year confirmed for Sunday the 6th of July, 11:00am to 4:00pm, held again in the park, Boxalls Lane, Aldershot. (location map) - Local environment groups, stalls, soft toy tombola, games, cakes, refreshments & more. Free admission. E-mail for information.
If you see any vandalism, damage or disturbance in the park, please do not get involved, but phone the Police on the usual numbers -
If you have any news for Brickfields Country Park please e-mail at The Friends of Brickfields Country Park.
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