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Visions of a garden city

Dates for your diary:

Thu 17th July 7.30pm Visions of a Garden City - Hampstead Garden - slide show at Trinity Church hall, Nether Street N.12

Sun 27th July 11.45am East Finchley Station - Visions of a Garden City - the walk

Slide Show and Debate

Next walk is Sunday April 13th

Slide show presentation at Trinity Church Centre on Tuesday 18th February at 7-30pm. The presentation is called CHURCH END TO EAST END. There are some new photos and some archive shots added and it will form the basis of a walk on Sunday 13th April, full details of which will be sent out presently.

We will be looking at no less than 27 distinct and separate green spaces between St Mary's Church and East Finchley tube station, some of which are very picturesque, others that are well off the beaten track and two of which will not be there this time next year.

Two more dates for your diaries -
Avenue House, Thursday March 27th at 7-30pm. 

DO FRONT GARDENS MATTER?

The Future of Transport with an invited panel of experts to field your questions. The title says it all, over 70% of our front gardens have disappeared under concrete and block paving.

Does this impact on our communities, lives or the asthetics of our neighbourhoods? Does it matter? Come and have your say, there will be plenty of time earmarked for general discussion.

Christchurch, North Finchley, Thursday April 24th at 7-30pm. Brand new slide show presentation plus an update on North Finchley regeneration plans.

October slide show and walk

Walks

Finchley Outward Bound

Greenacre Project

Finchley Outward Bound

Dates for your diary:

Slide Show: Thursday 11th July 7.30pm, Trinity Church Centre, 15 Nether Street, N12 7NN.


Walk: Sunday 21st July to Alexandra Palace

Walk: Sunday 18th August to Mill Hill

More details coming soon or email:

greenacreproject@gmail.com

As part of Mental Health Awareness Week 13-19th May, Greenacre Project, Mr Greenacres is planning a slide show Wed 15th at Friern Barnet Library and a walk, Sun 19th May, meeting outside Friern Barnet Community Library, N11 3DS 12.30pm. All welcome.

For those who aren't so keen on walking, try this easier event.

As well as the above slideshow, Mr Greenacres will also be showing the latest in our series of slide show presentations. If you thought you knew Finchley, think again, this armchair tour will take you to places you may not know existed - all on your own doorstep. This presentation will focus on buildings and spaces in or around our town centres without venturing too far off the beaten track but never fear, there are still treasures to discover.

The presentation will take place Saturday 25th May, 2pm at Trinity Church Centre as part of the Trinity in May Festival. Each event will look at different locations, the primary purpose to show good walking routes. 

Film Show: A Walk around Finchley

Come and join the Finchley Society Film Show.

A Walk around Finchley. 25th April, 7.30pm to be held at: Christchurch, North Finchley, N12 0NU. 

We will be showing the latest in our series of slide show presentations. If you thought you knew Finchley, think again, this armchair tour will take you to places you may not know existed - all on your own doorstep. This presentation will focus on buildings and spaces in or around our town centres without venturing too far off the beaten track but never fear, there are still treasures to discover.

If you miss Thursday's show, a similar presentation will take place Saturday 25th May, 2pm at Trinity Church Centre as part of the Trinity in May Festival. Both shows will look at different locations, the primary purpose to show good walking routes. As part of Mental Health Awareness Week 13-19th May, We are also planning a walk, Sun 19th May, meeting outside Friern Barnet Library. All welcome - more details here soon.

 

Earth Hour 2013

Tonight's the night! Turn off your lights at 8.30 pm and you'll be joining millions around the world for Earth Hour. Fiji was the first nation to switch off.  

To find out more click Earth Hour

The Future of Transport in Finchley

 March Meeting - The Future of Transport In Finchley

The Finchley Society, Environment and Transport Committee, March meeting at Avenue House will be a discussion evening entitled The Future Of Transport In Finchley. We Have invited a panel of experts to field your questions and, we hope, stimulate a lively debate on all aspects of local travel. 

Nowadays the motor car is often regarded as an indispensable accoutrement of modern

living. But is it so absolutely necessary? And what is the true cost? There are now over 150,000 cars in the borough, more than 10 times the number that we had 50 years ago and we now have more cars here than homes. Without doubt cars have brought about huge changes to the face of Finchley in the last half century. Our once practically empty roads are now often jam packed and fume filled. Pollution is now at dangerously high levels. Priority has been given to motor traffic at all costs, and as roads have expanded, greenery has disappeared.

 But what about more sustainable forms of transport? Are we here in Finchley doing enough? Have we joined the Mayor’s ‘Cycling Revolution‘? Could we be walking more? What about new technology like electric cars and hydrogen fuel cells? Are we planning a public transport infrastructure for future generations. Is the Council doing enough for sustainable future transport? If you have any views or questions, please come along for what promises to be a interesting and stimulating discussion evening.

The Future of Transport In Finchley, Avenue House
Thursday March 21^st 2013 7-30pm for an 8-00pm start.

Please submit specific questions or queries in writing by 15^th March

Greenacre Project 2013 Calendar

(East Finchley Cemetery, Formerly Marylebone Cemetery, End Road, East Finchley, London, N2 0RZ)

A few copies will be available at the 
Greenacre Film Club:

 The Secret Spaces of Finchley

 A brand new slide show with Mr Greenacres looking at some fascinating local green spaces

  Thursday 17th January, 7-30pm

Trinity Church Centre, 15 Nether Street 
North Finchley, London N12 7NN

email: greenacreproject@gmail.com

Greenacre Film Club

A brand new slide show with Mr Greenacres, looking at some fascinating local green spaces.


This show features some of the less well known and more hidden green spaces to be found in Finchley. This presentation will take you off the beaten track on a voyage of discovery visiting parks, gardens, woodland, meadows, waterways, green spaces, nature reserves, allotments, sports fields, golf courses, and an archery field. I’m not going to give anything else away here, but prepared to be amazed at what we have right here on our doorstep. 

Thursday 17th January, 7-30pm

Trinity Church Centre, 15 Nether Street 
North Finchley, London N12 7NN

Tel: 020 346 5503
email: greenacreproject@gmail.com

Waterways of Finchley - The Walk, Part III

The third and final part of The Waterways of Finchley Walk is scheduled for 16th September when things will still be beautiful. We will venture across the boundary of Finchley towards Totteridge and then back into Finchley and Friern Barnet for a finish at Friary Park. This is another very pretty walk.

Part Three - Sunday 16th Sept. at 12-00pm
A fascinating and picturesque tour of Finchley’s water features
Meet outside Woodside Park station at 11-45am for a 12 noon start.

Join us for this lovely tour of the north western part of Finchley. We will follow Folly Brook to Totteridge Green to see the picturesque pond and follow Dollis Brook through Whetstone Stray to Swan Lane Open Space for our lunch stop at The Redwood Café. After lunch we will visit the lakes at Baxendale and the North Middlesex Golf Club, St James Church and then follow Blacketts Brook for a finish in the Friary Park tea house.

2.7 miles to Redwood Café. Total distance to Friary Park - 5.0 miles

Bring packed lunch or buy food at the Redwood Café. At Friary Park there are buses to Woodside Park, Whetstone and Friern Barnet.

Waterways of Finchley - The Walk, Part II

The second part of our Waterways of Finchley tour takes us to the western and northern part of Finchley where Dollis Brook forms the western boundary. We will venture as far north as Totteridge Lane and our walk will take in several little known water features on our journey north along Dollis Brook. By the end of this tour you will have seen over 40 bridges.

Part Two - Sunday 22nd July at 12-00pm

A fascinating and picturesque tour of Finchley’s water features
Meet outside Finchley Central station at 11-45am for a 12 noon start.
We will head for Finchley Weir at the bottom of Hendon Lane and continue
north along Dollis Brook, through Windsor Open Space and Finchley Garden
Village, continue past the magnificent viaduct in Dollis Road, to Rocklands
Lake, Lovers Walk and Nether Court House, on to explore Folly Brook, back to
Dollis Brook, through Whetstone Stray with a grand finale at The Redwood
Café in Swan Lane Open Space.

3.6 miles to Woodside Park tube. Total distance to finish - 5.1 miles.
Another pretty walk well worth missing Sunday lunch for. Bring packed lunch, Tasty food available at The Redwood Café.

Waterways of Finchley - The Walk

Waterways of Finchley - The Walk

The recent Waterways of Finchley slide shows where we looked at all of Finchley’s waterways and water features proved to be very popular. Many people were amazed at what we have right here in Finchley and there were many requests to do a walk of The Waterways of Finchley, so bowing to popular request, here it is, spread over two Sunday afternoons.
Part One - Sunday 15^th July at 12-00pm
A fascinating and picturesque tour of Finchley‘s water features

Meet outside East Finchley tube station at 11-45am for a 12 noon start.

We will follow Mutton Brook through Lyttleton Playing Fields and Northway Gardens to Brookland Rise. Then we will visit the water cascade at Willow Tree Gardens, The Garden of Hope, Briarfield Green Square, Pentland Centre lake and fountain and stop at Avenue House Café. After lunch we will follow Mutton Brook to Brookdales for a quick look at The Decoy lakes before setting off along Dollis Brook, to Finchley Weir for a finish at the bottom of Hendon Lane where we can catch the 143 bus back to Finchley Central and East Finchley tubes.

4.2 miles to Avenue House. Total distance to finish - 6.4 miles.

This is a very pretty walk and well worth missing Sunday lunch for. Bring packed lunch or buy food at Avenue House café. 

Update on Private Events in Parks

A revised policy will go before Cabinet on July 17 with recommendations to remove Victoria Park, Lyttelton Playing Fields and Highlands Gardens from the proposal.

Over one thousand people originally objected to the council’s Events in Parks consultation and opposed the plans.

Council reported that people were worried about increased crime, noise pollution, litter and parking problems as well as damage to the parks in the borough. But the main reason for the objection was succinctly put, 'The proposals go against all principles of public open space being open and accessible to all members of society at all times and are hugely unpopular with local residents.'

The Greenacre Project will continue to campaign to have parks for public use only and get those which could still be affected by the policy, including Edgwarebury Park, Hendon Park, Scratchwood, Oak Hill Park and Princes Park removed from the list.

Greenacre at 'Trinity in May' Arts Festival

The Greenacre Project and Greenacre Writers are holding five events at the 'Trinity in May' Arts Festival at Trinity Church Centre next month.

Saturday 5th May at 2.00pm The Waterways of Finchley: join Mr Greenacres in discovering Finchley's waterways, brooks that run for 6 miles though Finchley, with weirs, lakes, ponds, a 25ft fountain, a cascading water garden, 36 bridges and two working boats.

Saturday 19th May at 2.00pm Parks In Peril: We look at some of the threats to our parks and green spaces. We learn the reasons why many green spaces have disappeared and the latest threats. There will also be a discussion on how we can protect our parks and green areas for the future.

Saturday 26th May at 2.00pm The Greenways of Finchley: If you missed it the first time, join Mr Greenacres in his magical mystery covering 42 miles of paths and green spaces, calling at allotments, playing fields, nature reserves and disused railways along the way.

Saturday 5th May at 2.00pm - 5.00pm Greenacre Writers will be holding a Creative Writing session: Ways Into Writing. Designed for beginners, many more experienced writers have still found these workshops invaluable for stimulating the creative flow. The workshop will consist of writing exercises and a chance for some supportive feedback in an informal friendly environment.

Saturday 26th May at 2.00pm - 5.30pm Greenacre Writers Mini Literary Festival with authors and local writers. See www.greenacrewriters.blogspot.com for details.

All events are free, but we request donations toward the Trinity Stroke Group, and The Greenacre Bicycle Rally

Earth Hour 2012: 31st March at 8.30pm

Last year it was estimated that more than 5,200 cities and towns in 135 participated in Earth Hour by switching off lights for an hour. Homes, businesses and public departments took part. The idea is to send a message to each other and those with the power to make changes to think about the environment and our impact upon it.

It doesn't take a lot - to flick a switch - but you could always practice tonight, and tomorrow just to make sure you get it absolutely right on Saturday at 8.30pm.

http://www.earthhour.org/

Private Events? NO! Privatisation & Closure of Public Parks

Greenacre Project, attended Golders Green and Hendon Residents forum this evening.

A question put to council by a resident went like this:
'The Council has just announced plans to hire out parts of some of our local parks for private functions and other events. I would like to know:
a) Is it the intention of the council to allow any of these parks to be fully closed to the public for any event?'

Answer: 'It is not the Council's intention to close entire parks for an event, however if it was appropriate to close a park (this is the current position practice also) for a large event this would be considered. If a park was to be closed for an event a statutory closure notice advertising the event and closure would be carried out.

The Greenacre Project left the meeting thoroughly demoralised; couldn't understand why Labour councillors were not vocalising their support against Private Events in Parks and said they seemed more interested in street lamps and park benches! We concluded that the whole Labour vs. Conservative - Private Events in Parks is a sham. We predicted that at the Council meeting tomorrow - Conservatives will win the vote and the PRIVATISATION of parks will have begun. We went on to say how one local resident had been told in person by Brian Coleman when asked about private events in parks, that: 'People voted for us. They voted for privatisation; and they're going to get privatisation!'

STOP Private Events in Parks - photo shoot at Victoria Park N3

Photo shoot with Hendon Times at Victoria Park, Tuesday 24th January. The time is roughly between 1-3pm but the press photographer will confirm time tomorrow.