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Big day today for the Friends of Surrey Square Park.
The park had important visitors from the administration.
An high-power delegation (with Julian in the middle!) came here to listen to our requests and gripes.
It is good that the officers in charge get a first hand feeling for the park. All too often when dealing with public administration, one has the feeling that their understanding of the situation on the ground is simply not there.
Also when they see for themselves there is more of a chance that they may care a little bit more and this goodwill can come a long way in overcoming difficulties, accidents and setbacks. In addition by making reciprocal acquaintance there is a little more sense of trust and confidence in tailoring solutions.
Maybe Surrey Square Park is not the largest in Southwark but it is sorely needed and there is certainly plenty to do and many ideas on how to it.
It'll started at the Peter Martin Memorial Garden. The place will be subjected to a reshaping from the latter phase of the Open Space Funds grant (National Lottery) later on in the summer, but there are a lots of points that needed sorting out. The Friends of Surrey Square Park also reminded the Park officers that they are willing to curry on small improvements directly so that all the bureaucratic machinery needed to remove a nail doesn't need to sup the Department resources and time.
Some minor problem with antisocial behaviour (wonderful euphemism to describe the all too common disposition of the mass of excluded and deprived humanity that surrounds our little green oasis) were noted. Some drinking and improper dog handling amongst the fore.
It has been suggested that some meeting with the Community Wardens could be a starting point for researching solutions. It would be very useful if the Friends could have an official letter or endorsement from the park authority (something with few names on it) so that when there is some dealing with the police or other public enforcement authority we could be heard as probi viri and not as reprobates, as all too often happens!
Wile looking around we all were delighted that the nest boxes we put around the park sometime back, are finally been put into good use!!
A blue tit couple was busily ferreting nest material through and fro.
Everybody was delighted and we could see a direct results for our endeavours. What we aimed was to increase the park bird population and diversity and the bird-boxes were built in collaboration with the local school pupils as an education project.I hope the children will be pleased as well.
Frank was key in explaining all the planning involved in the future planned Open Space Fund work.
Eventually we had a look at the central section of the park and at the long standing need for new trees and at the improvement of the care for the central patch of rough grasses pointed out.
It was also reminded the last autumn promised planting of a sweet chestnut.
The north side of the park has always been stage to some debate.
Some would like it to be remodelled and the present sycamore trees replaced others would like to preserve any mature tree present because at the end it is them that make a park out of an open space.
Lots of interest was reserved to the corridor dividing the children playground and the Church of Aladura.
A general consensus was reached that some planting of selected species could improve the alley (and likewise the bordered areas around the mature London planes at the northern end of the path) and special attention was given to the wooden berm containing the higher level of the playground from the path.
This breastwork could be used both for planting at the top some prostate or hanger type of plants or herbs. They would then trail down and hopefully, in the case of herbs, provide some olfactory ambience.Also in the moistly and partly deeply indented wood beams, ferns and delicate bryophytes could be planted and they could make a real addition to the biodiversity of the park.
The Surrey Square Park Nature Garden (AKA the Wild life Area) was then tackled.
It is the area of the park that need most attention and investments and any little help is not only welcome but it can go a long way.
The usual reiterations for the need of fencing and signage were uttered but more practically it was confirmed that some cleaning (it supposed to be done daily...) on the front-end of the Wild Life Area is already taking place, that the oak sapling has been watered and that should continue (the matters are here a little more complicated because the agency that do the watering was not represented and it seems that they did not do this this year) and that a regular mowing of the semicircular path and bench area in the front end should be established.
All of these, hopefully with the addition of some winning bids for funding, could lift the standard and future development of this most precious section of our park.
The Wild Hedge (the green strip connecting the Wild Life Area with the rest of the park and running along the fence of the kick-about area in Albridge Street) was also seen as a priority for future improvements and Julian provided an ample illustration of its potentials and benefits for the foreseen expansion of the park and the "Green Links" (in principle agreed corridors that should unite the larger Burgess park with some of the pockets parks, like our own Surrey Square Park, that surround it).
Lastly the snoberry bushes at the other end of the kick-about area were examined. They have become the residence of a colony of house sparrows (passer domesticus).
The Friends of Surrey Square Park had done recently some cleaning of the bushes but there was some concern that the contractor could go in heavy handed and disperse the bird flock. It was agreed that some light trimming was in order but that for the time being no major disturbances should befall the clump.
All in all it was a very productive day and everyone left satisfied that at least some progress have been made.
We only hope that meeting like this could become more common.
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