PUBLIC OPEN SPACES AND PARKS UNDER THREAT THROUGHOUT BARNET

Parks and Green spaces in the London Borough of Barnet are under threat of privatisation.

1) There is a ‘consultation’ going on at the moment therefore it suggests that it has already been decided and is going ahead.
2) Barnet Council refer to these EIGHT spaces as a ‘pilot’ scheme which suggests if successful they could be extended to other parks and green spaces.
3) Although they’re producing maps they also indicate that the area for hire could be moved to a more suitable place in the park or extended in area. They also say that areas could be cordoned off for ‘car parking’.

Public open spaces are there for the general public to use not for private functions. The use of our green spaces for private function is not acceptable and should be strongly resisted. THERE IS A PUBLIC CONSULTATION ENDING ON 16TH JANUARY 2012 BY WHICH TIME ANY OBJECTIONS MUST BE RAISED – ONLY 5 DAYS LEFT!!!!!!

‘An event such as a wedding or private party. In general Private events are anticipated to have an attendance of up to 499 persons, though depending on location and event requirements this could be lower. Events that require higher attendance will be considered though would be subject to a Temporary Events Notice (TEN). The following parks have been identified as pilot sites for private events:
1) Highland Gardens (EN5)
2) Victoria Park (N3)
3) Hendon Park (NW4)
4) Scratchwood (NW7)
5) Edgwarebury Park (HA8)
6) Oak Hill Park (EN4)
7) Lyttleton Playing Fields (N2)
8) Princes Park (NW11)
Should there be demand for additional sites then further consultation will be completed.’

FOR MORE INFORMATION SEE:
http://engage.barnet.gov.uk/environment-and-operations/consultation_parkevents/

EMAIL:
Richard Cornelius, Leader of Barnet Council: cllr.r.cornelius@barnet.gov.uk
and cc: Councillor Brian Coleman: cllr.b.coleman@barnet.gov.uk
Local MP, Mike Freer: mike.freer.mp@parliament.uk
Consultation feedback: e&o.consultation@barnet.gov.uk

Also, pick two or three (or more) of the following Ward Councillors, and email them too:
Councillor Anne Hutton at cllr.a.hutton@barnet.gov.uk
Councillor Geof Cooke at cllr.g.cooke@barnet.gov.uk
Councillor Alan Schneiderman at cllr.a.schneiderman@barnet.gov.uk
Councillor Ross Houston at cllr.r.houston@barnet.gov.uk
Councillor Kathy McGuirk at cllr.k.mcguirk@barnet.gov.uk
Councillor Jim Tierney at cllr.j.tierney@barnet.gov.uk
Councillor Alison Moore at cllr.a.moore@barnet.gov.uk
Councillor Andrew McNeil at cllr.a.mcneil@barnet.gov.uk
Councillor Colin Rogers at cllr.c.rogers@barnet.gov.uk
Councillor Dan Thomas at cllr.d.thomas@barnet.gov.uk
Councillor Eva Greenspan at cllr.e.greenspan@barnet.gov.uk
Councillor Graham Old at cllr.g.old@barnet.gov.uk

Key Concerns:

PUBLIC PARKS: Should not be used for PRIVATE functions
NOISE: Early evening events are likely to disturb children or keep them awake. Heavy vehicles/machinery setting up and dismantling events, and removing rubbish etc. will create a lot of disturbance.
ROAD SAFETY: A maximum of 499 people are proposed at each event with the potential of approx. 250 cars. The resulting road congestion has serious implications for road safety.
CHILD SAFETY: These events will be near the children’s playground. This has a knock-on effect on the safety of those children using the playground, as well as those with pushchairs,
scooters, bikes etc. coming to and from the park on foot.
ACCESS: Park facilities could be closed or severely limited and public access would be curtailed in
favour of paying groups or individuals.
ENVIRONMENT: The turf, plantings, trees and shrubs will suffer significant cumulative damage from each event.
RUBBISH: Every event will generate rubbish including disturbance and disruption of trucks coming to and fro.
CRIME: Police statistics demonstrate heightened crime when certain public events are held.
PROCESS: Although a number of signs have been posted on the park gates, most homes have not
been mailed or notified. The council has not followed the correct administrative process.
CONCLUSION: The wellbeing of local residents will be affected.

STOP PRESS: COUNCIL MEETING 24TH JAN AT HENDON TOWN HALL 7PM - EVENTS IN PARKS WILL BE DISCUSSED

Greenacre Film Club

The Greenacre Project and Greenacre Writers present:

Join us for an evening of film and fun.

Tuesday 29th November 7.30pm.

Shane Rimmer has featured in over 50 films and was the voice for Scott Tracy of Thunderbirds. This event combines film extracts and fascinating autobiographical insights. Shane will talk about the ideas behind his latest autobiography: 'From Thunderbirds to Pterodactyls', and about the writing process.

Trinity Church Hall

15 Nether Street, London N12 7NN

Suggested donation £3.00

Greenacre Film Club

Part 2 of The Greenways of Finchley

Complete the slide show journey of Finchley's green spaces and footways, taking in gardens, woods and meadows along the way.

Monday 12th September 2011

7.30-9.30pm

Trinity Church Hall, 15 Nether Street, N12 7NN

Admission #3.00

For further information e-mail: greenacreproject@gmail.com

The Greenacre Film Club

The Greenways of Finchley.

Wednesday 6th July 2011

7.30-9.30pm

Trinity Church,

15 Nether St,

London N12 7NN

Admission: £3.00

Refreshments available.

An evening exploring Finchley’s secret and forgotten footpaths and green spaces.

Come along for this wonderful, magical, mystery tour of Finchley’s green spaces and footways - a slide show presentation and talk with over 400 photos and embark on a 35 mile journey to discover the geographical centre of Finchley. On the way this voyage of discovery will take you to parks, gardens, green spaces, woods, meadows, nature reserves, allotments, sports fields, golf courses, swimming pools, brooks, ponds and waterways, disused railways, garden villages, town greens, and many miles of footpaths and tracks.

For more details email: greenacreproject@gmail.com

The Greenacre Bicycle Rally

The fourth Greenacre Bicycle Rally will be held on Sunday 12th June.

Starting at artsdepot, N12 0HU, where we will assemble from 10.00am for a 12.00 noon start, we follow a 3 mile route round the Friary Triangle, stopping for a lunch-break at Friary Park, then for the more energetic, follow a 5.5 mile Green Ride - mostly off-road - to Barnet Countryside Centre, where we will join their Environmental Fair.

Police Cylists and a St John Ambulance rider will be escorting the ride as well as trained stewards.

Families welcome, but under 12s must be accompanied by an adult.

Dr Bike will be available for free bike checks between 10.00am and 11.30am

All participants must be registered. You can pre-register by clicking on the link Greenacre Bicycle Rally 2011 Registration Form

For any other information, email: greenacrebicyclerally@gmail.com

Also please see our Greenacre Project Facebook page and 'like' us!

Earth Hour - on 26th March

Earth Hour, on Saturday 26th March at 8.30pm is a world event.

Lights will go off for for an hour. Private houses, business and public icons such as the Syndey Harbour Bridge and Toronto's CN Tower will become dark for just an hour. Switch on by switching off. Just so you know how to do it properly on the night, start practising at home right now. Find an empty room or hall that has a light on, and simply flick the switch off. It's that easy.

It's not a lot, but when millions of people join together, something changes.

http://www.earthhour.org/

Fight the rent increase on Barnet Allotments

The Greenacre Project supports the fight against the rent increase for Barnet Allotments.

The London Borough of Barnet is proposing to increase the rent for allotments in the borough from the present £6 per pole to £17 per pole for Barnet residents and £34 per pole for non-residents. We believe such an in increase is unreasonable and unjustified.

Allotments offer a huge range of economic, social, health and recreational benefits to many different people. They support healthy living by providing physical activity and social contact as well as fresh, low-cost produce, important in these hard economic times. Allotments provide vital green spaces for the natural world, including birds and insects as well as a source for sustainable food.

The rent increases proposed by Barnet Council are outrageous and unjustifiable, especially against this background. They are likely to cause most hardship to those people who most need allotments. Moreover, if allotment holders are priced off their plots, there is a risk that some allotment sites might run down to the point where they could be sold for development.

Support the campaign against the rent rises by signing their petition.

http://www.barnetallotments.org.uk/