VAUXHALL PARK

developed, and the Friends and the Parks Department are waiting to hear from Henri on this. It has taken several years of work to get this far but we hope that next summer will see the café completed and open.<br><br> Artist 9s impression of planned Café Have You Renewed Your Membership? Please see the back page to find out if we have received your renewal form or contact Michael Cook. Thank you for supporting your park.<br><br> Member 9s address label here (if hand - delivered) Membership and Donation Form FRIENDS OF VAUXHALL PARK Name &&&&&&&&&&&&&&&& Date&&&&&& &. Address&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&& &. &&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&& && Postcode&&&&&&&& T elephone&&&&&&&&&&&& Email&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&& &&..<br><br> Please tick this box if this is a renewal subscription Please make cheques payable to Friends of Vauxhall Park Annual subscription and send to Individual £3.00 &&&&&&& Michael Cook Unwaged £2.00 &&&&&&& Membership Secretary Family £5.0 0 &&&&&&& 106 Fentiman Road Group £5.00 &&&&&&& London SW8 1QA Donation £ &&&&&&& 020 7735 8637 Total £ &&&&&&& RAILINGS, GATES AND WALLS Do you like the new railings? The new gates at the South Lambeth Road entrances and their supporting pillars have been completed. There is money left over in the railings budget and we have been told that this can be spent on replacing the gates onto Fentiman Road (the ones near the almshouses).<br><br> The intention is for these to match the railings as closely as possible. Fortunately we still have the drawings for the original gate from the 1890s. The repair of the low wall along Fentiman Road has been completed.<br><br> Special thanks go to our Area Parks Officer, Jonathan Meares, who progress chased and supervised this work, as well as to the Oval ward councillors for their support in obtaining the necessary funding. TREES AND PLANTING Lambeth Council has two tree officers who this year have logged and inspected all trees in the borough. So far only urgent maintenance has been carried out, including felling of dead trees, but on walkabouts with parks officers we have highlighted others in our park that we feel would benefit from pruning or re-shaping.<br><br> Your committee feels that proper maintenance of the existing trees, some of which are extremely fine specimens, is a higher priority than the planting of new trees. The bed adjoining the new café, on the right as you enter the park, will be re- planted as part of the landscaping for the new café. ALEXANDER MACINTOSH FONDLY REMEMBERED A bench in memory of our former Chairman who re-founded the Friends and achieved so much for Vauxhall Park, Alexander Macintosh, will be installed within the next few weeks, paid for partly by Friends and partly by the generosity of those who attended his memorial service.<br><br> The Friends also gratefully acknowledge his family 9s kind gift of a sundial from Alexander 9s garden. This has been placed in the pergola area of the Rose Garden and a commemorative plaque is being designed. We are grateful as ever to Nobby Clark for installing the sundial (no easy task) and for providing a perfectly proportioned plinth to create a more secure base and a more eye-catching 8presence 9.<br><br> ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING Our AGM will be held at 10am on 28 th January 2006 at Ashmole Tenants Hall, Meadow Road. Come along and hear what has been happening, raise things you are concerned about and see who is doing what in the Friends. WHAT CAN YOU DO TO HELP?<br><br> - Pay your subscription to continue receiving these newsletters - If you have not received this newsletter by e-mail, let us know your e- mail address so that we can send you future newsletters by e-mail - Come to public meetings and let us know what you think is good or not so good about the park - Join one of the teams who organise the Easter Egg Hunt, the Summer Fair, the painting of the fountain 3 we can use your talents whatever they are. - Join committee members on park walkabouts with council officers to identify future plans - Write telephone or e-mail your ideas, suggestions or offers of help to any of the contact names below: Chairman: Ivan McCracken, 183 Fentiman Road, SW8 1JY, Tel 020 7735 9454 e-mail: mccracken@beeb.net Membership: Michael Cook, 106 Fentiman Road, SW8 1QA, Tel 020 7735 8637 e-mail: michael@mandccook.fsnet.co.uk Events: Louise Norwood, c/o The Montessori School, Vauxhall Park, Tel 020 7735 8146 e-mail: jnorwood.firman@virgin.net TIME TO RENEW PLEASE! Our membership year runs from November, so if you have not yet renewed, please do so now, using the attached membership form.<br><br> Details of how to join or renew overleaf and also on our website www.vauxhallpark.org . If you would like to make a separate donation to help the Friends continue our work to preserve and improve Vauxhall Park - your park - please include this on your membership renewal slip or contact Ivan McCracken or Michael Cook. ANTI-SOCIAL BEHAVIOUR Parks staff are working closely with our local community police and St.<br><br> Mungo 9s charity to move the rough sleepers from the park. The bushes in front of the high brick wall at the back of the children 9s playground are to be cut back to deter anyone from lurking there or using the area as a toilet. The tall hedge on one side of the lavender garden has already been reduced in height to create better visibility and as a deterrent to unacceptable behaviour.<br><br> PARK RANGERS Have you seen the men and women who walk round the park in green uniforms? The Park Rangers are not based in the park but visit daily and work together with the Police Community Support Officers who also patrol daily. We are able to alert them to particular problems, such as mini-motor bikes (otherwise known as 8go-peds 9) being driven through the park.<br><br> Apart from their obvious hazards and anti-social aspects, they are unlicensed and uninsured. Rangers and police will log all information and descriptions, and have assured us that they will take the necessary follow-up action, including confiscation of the bikes. There is no doubt that the Rangers are stretched too thinly across the borough 9s parks and we shall continue to press for an increase in their numbers and a more visible presence in our park.<br><br> OUR LONG TERM VISION Eventually we would love to see Vauxhall Park awarded Green Flag status, but this will require quite a bit of work before we are ready. Our first step towards that is the production of a management plan which we hope to have completed by spring 2006. Lambeth Parks Dept have made available funds to employ Barbara Moth, a consultant landscape architect, with considerable experience of working with Friends groups in parks.<br><br> Alexander Macintosh Sundial : Detail of Top 1931 ~ 2004 SUMMER FAIR On Sunday 26 th June 2005, we held our Summer Fair and a glorious day brought the crowds out to enjoy music, food, games and activities for all ages. Our enormous thanks go to everyone who volunteered their time and energy organising the event, and helping on the day. Although this event doesn 9t make a profit, the committee feel this is worth doing annually.<br><br> What do you think? Do let us know. Hook the duck Face Painting SIGNS AND NOTICE BOARDS Park signs at entrances to the park are a visitor 9s first experience of what is on offer, so we were delighted to hear that the Parks Department is going to provide new signs to replace the current rather dated and care-worn ones.<br><br> Friends were able to see some designs and discuss wording at one of our public meetings earlier in the year. We shall be pressing for a design that will enhance the historic character of our park. DO YOU PLAY TENNIS?<br><br> If you do, you may have noticed that the fence surrounding the courts is in poor condition and we have been told that this has been earmarked for replacement in the next few months. New posts and winders are needed so that the nets can be raised and lowered and we are hopeful that money will also be found for this. The moss that is growing on the court (where the sun rarely shines in winter) will be jet washed and moss killer will be applied in spring when it is most effective.<br><br> PLAY EQUIPMENT Children have been delighted with the new train and the renovated play equipment. There are no plans at present for any new equipment, but if you have any suggestions, please let us know. Meanwhile the new picnic tables are proving popular and are being used by all age groups.<br><br> FOUNTAIN We know the fountain needs painting again. Our Chairman, Ivan McCracken, is planning to tackle this with a small working group when the weather is more settled. Would anyone like to lend a hand?<br><br> The fountain is regarded by most visitors as a central feature of the park so we are anxious to keep it looking its best. OTHER SMALL JOBS The Parks Department has a couple of Park Improvement Teams, 2 people in each, who can be called upon to undertake minor maintenance jobs, such as replacing missing kerb stones and asphalting holes in paths. The Friends and the Parks Officer have compiled a list of minor repairs such as these and hopefully these can be fitted into the Teams 9 schedule over the coming months.<br><br> SECURITY AND BYE-LAWS Lambeth has recently updated its park bye-laws. These were shown to the Friends and discussed at one of our open meetings. As the complete bye-laws run to many pages, the Parks Dept are suggesting that only the 5 most relevant ones are highlighted on the new notice boards.<br><br> We think that for Vauxhall Park these are: " Dogs are not permitted in the Children 9s Play area, the Rose Garden or the Lavender Garden. Always pick up after your dog. " Cyclists must keep to asphalted paths and observe a 5 mph speed limit.<br><br> They should give way and show consideration to pedestrians. " Always put your litter in a bin, or take it home with you. " Enjoy the sight and scents of flowers and plants but do not pick them or dig our bulbs.<br><br> " No motorised vehicles may be driven or ridden in the park unless authorised by park staff. Cycling and dogs are the issues which have generated most debate. Cycling in the park is only an offence under the bye laws if it is done in an area designated as prohibited.<br><br> We shall consult with the Parks Dept as to which areas should be so designated but the council 9s general view is that cycling is an inherently healthy activity which should be encouraged, provided of course that it does not create unacceptable hazards for other park users. The ideal solution of course would be for all cyclists to show courtesy towards other park users, to refrain from cycling in the Rose or Lavender Gardens and generally keep to the asphalt paths. As regards dogs, the vast majority of dogs brought into the park are well-behaved and their owners pick up after them and generally act in a responsible manner.<br><br> Unfortunately, quite a few do not, and dog mess is a problem. What do you think? <br><br>

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