Grosvenor and Heras Fence Park part 2

The next 12 months are going to be busy in the park as we embark on the main phase of the lottery project's capital works.

The Pavilion refurbishment work is coming along nicely with Bolt & Heeks still on track to complete by July 2015. They are trying to keep the public toilets open as much as possible but they will have to be closed for periods of time between now and July. Once completed the Pavilion will host a new baby changing facility and an indoor seating area for the cafe.

Pavilion under refurbishment

Renovation work to Marnock Lake and the Grottoes (or dripping wells) is also progressing nicely. The lake has been de-silted and the dripping wells nearly fully restored. Many of the shrubs and trees around the lake are being cleared to make way for new planting to enhance the area back to its former glory.  So it will look a little stark for a while before the new plants establish.

Advance works to the Rochdale Road entrance are nearly complete.  This original entrance is being re-opened and will make the area by the Pavilion a much more attractive site with lovely vistas of the park as you enter from Rochdale Road.  The electricity sub-station that was in the old entrance has now been relocated just round the corner in an area that will be the park-keepers store/lock-up and volunteer base.  The containers for the park keepers and the volunteers will be timber clad and have green roofs.

Contractors for the playground and landscape works have now been agreed and these works will begin shortly once start-up meetings and programmes have been arranged.

Ghost Tree now on its side, making a nice habitat feature

So we are now in that period of having lots of contractors on site, fences and occasionally unsightly messes but it will all be worth it as the park will look fantastic once the project is complete.

There will of course still be fun and interesting events going on in the park over the year as well as our regular volunteer tasks.  Please follow the GHParkHLF facebook page for all the latest events and activities. Here are some pictures from recent events:

Planting up the old rose beds

Community Planting Day - rose bed makeover

Coppicing training day for volunteers

Coppicing training day for volunteers

Create a Nature Diary

Create a Nature Diary

Grosvenor and Heras Fence Park Part 1

Works have now started on the Pavilion which is exciting.  The contractor, Bolt and Heeks, have set up camp with their double decker container and will be on site until July. Access to the bowls green will always be available and access to the toilets shall be maintained as much as possible.

The Rochdale Road entrance works are moving along steadily with the ground works nearly complete.  The small substation will next be relocated so the original Rochdale Road entrance can be restored.

(photo courtesy of FOGH)

Artist impression of the new Hub area

Marnock Lake is looking a bit more open since some of the preparatory clearance treeworks have been carried out. The lake was lowered again to allow for 3 jobs to be completed: installation of a pumping house for the dripping wells; completion of de-silting the lake; and tree works on the island.  The pumping house installation was the first job and this is nearly complete, allowing for the contractor to return and complete the de-silt.

Making the pump house for the dripping wells

The wetland area has been allowed to lower naturally for the season on advice from a professional ecologist.  The reason being that we need to reduce the habitat suitability for wildlife so that when the landscape works start there in autumn there is as minimal damage to wildlife as possible. Once the landscape works are complete the habitat quality of the wetland will be greatly improved and have a positive effect on the biodiversity of the area.

Artist's impression of the wetland area

Our Community Orchard is coming along splendidly. We had a wonderful community planting day on 21st February when 25 fruit trees were planted by their sponsor families.  Despite a random snow shower in the morning the sun soon came out and everyone had a wonderful day. Each tree was blessed by its sponsors using the traditional method of wassailing. A little cider was poured on the tree (or drank in some cases) whilst a wassail poem was read out.  This should encourage good health for the tree and a bountiful crop.

Wassailing in action

On Saturday 21st March we shall be having a community planting day from 10am until 1pm that everyone is welcome to come along to. We shall be planting up the old rose beds at the back of the Bowls Green with some lovely fragrant flowers and herbs.  We will also make a few habitat features like bug boxes and burrow posts.  The result should be a lovely colourful and fragrant area that will be easier to maintain than the rose beds and should even allow Lee to use some fresh herbs in his paninis! Do come along for as long as you can - tools, gloves and refreshments will be provided.

Oakley work experience lads helping prepare the beds.

Mud, Men at Work, and More...

It may seem like there is rather a lot of destruction going on in the park at the moment. Whichever way you turn, trees and shrubs are coming down, paths are being dug up, diggers are making mud, lots of mud.  But it is all positive work and a sure sign that long awaited improvements are finally insight.

The original Rochdale Road entrance will be re-opened as part of the lottery funded project and advance works are currently underway. The hedges and shrubs have now been removed making way for the contractor, Blakedown, to dig trenches and connect the dripping wells, the Pavilion and the relocated sub-station with utilities.  Over the next couple of weeks, the footpaths near the Pavilion and Marnock Lake will occasionally be closed to facilitate this work.

Rochdale Road Entrance

Whilst this work is going on the de-silting of Marnock Lake, which turned out to be a larger job than Mid Kent Fisheries originally anticipated, is on hold.  The lake has been allowed to refill in the meantime and the clearance will be completed in late February/early March.

On the other side of the park, the evergreen hedge between the Oast House and Hilbert Road has been cut down and cleared.  This hedge was nearing the end of its life and will be replanted with a native mixed hedge and native broadleaf trees such as Field Maple.  This is part of the improvements to the Hilbert Road entrance.  The clearance works had to be done now before bird nesting season starts.

Hilbert Road

There have also been workers with diggers over the last couple of weeks based near the Hilbert Road entrance. They are carrying out repair work to the culvert by the Redleaf Close entrance to the woods.  This is not part of the lottery project but essential park repair work.  They have made rather a mess of the grass going round to the culvert owing to the weather.  This grass will be made good following their completion of the job.

There have unfortunately been some delays to the skate park work as a result of varying issues that Gravity Skate Parks have been experiencing.  However, we do anticipate work to start on site Monday 9th February.  Fingers crossed!

Our volunteers have been hard at work over the winter months and I am pleased to report on trees being planted rather than cut down.  Despite the chilly weather in January, a few hardy souls of all ages, helped plant a small hedge by the power station.  It will be a little while before it is big enough to mask that fence but lovely for those that helped plant it to watch it grow over the years.  We also sowed a few wildflower seeds in the bare areas.

Getting stuck in with planting!

Looking forward to seeing the hedge rather than the fence!

The park also welcomed the arrival of five little Black poplar trees this week courtesy of the Sussex Wildlife Trust. Black poplar is a native broadleaf which enjoys boggy ground and wet woodland...perfect for us! It is also a declining species in the UK and has great wildlife value. So we are very pleased to be hosting and supporting new planting.  The council's very own, David Scully, planted them himself with a (very) little help from me and the chair of the Friends group, Liz.

Warning - Council officer at work

The Grosvenor and Hilbert Park Community Orchard is coming along wonderfully.  We have our first group of community tree sponsors signed up and looking forward to planting their trees this February.  A fascinating talk by fruit expert Roger Worraker and his wife, Celia, provided a lovely occasion for everyone involved in the orchard to meet up and learn more.  Roger and Celia successfully developed the Five Oak Green Community Orchard and generously shared their knowledge and tips with us over some home made cake and cider.

Roger Worraker

If you would like to be involved in the Community Orchard do please get in touch with me or the Friends group.

Also, if you have any questions about work going on in the park do not hesitate to contact me.