Over the last year the Friends have been working with The Conservation Volunteers and the Council’s Nature Conservation Officer, supported by the Parks Service, to produce a new 5-year Conservation Action Plan. The idea is to manage and improve biodiversity – and public appreciation of this biodiversity – throughout the Rec. Its based mainly on the work of the Friends and our various working groups over the last 15 years. See link below!
Half Term Kids Birdwatching Event at the Lake
Kids Birdwatching Event at the Lake
Come and identify and count the birds at the lake in Lordship Rec. Find out about all the birds that live on and around the lake, including the best way to feed them.
Free Bird Food for everyone taking part.
11am-1pm, Thursday 27th October
Meet on the Hub Terrace next to the Cafe
Organised by the Friends of Lordship Rec, Lake Group
Workday in Lordship Woodland
There will be a workday with TCV (The Conservation Volunteers) and the Friends in the wood in Lordship Rec on Tuesday 20 September. We will as ever be dealing with dogwood but also beginning to replace boards along the side path and digging/clearing the mini-stream and pool. All welcome
We meet at the Downhills Park Gate entrance at 10am. Tools, tea and biscuits provided. Bring a packed lunch and wear suitable footwear.
A Day Out in the Rec
3 great free events in 1
September 10th in the Rec and the Hub from 11-6pm
Tottenham Flower and Produce Show, Internation Music Event and Health and Lifestyle Market.
Organised by the Friends of Lordship Rec, the Shell Performing Arts Collective and Womens Association of Lordship Rec
Music from around the world by local musicians in the Hub, Stalls with Herbs and natural skin and beauty products, home grown vegetables, clothes and healthy food plus workshops.
Contact: 020 8885 5684 for more information or see www.facebook.com/TheShellAtTheRec/ or www.facebook.com/WomensAssociationLR
Clearing Thistles in the Rec
invitation to help control thistles on Friday, 12th July
You are cordially invited to join us this Friday at 2pm in the Hub cafe. We will go to together to the ‘picnic area’ in the Rec (just south of the Model Traffic Area – Walpole Rd/Rusper Road entrance) where we will cut thistles and docks and put the tops in bags to prevent the area being covered in these next year.
We will provide bags, gloves and seccateurs unless you have your own in which case please bring them. We don’t have to stay long but it would be great if you come.
Lordship Wildlife Group
“New Leaf” Composting Workshop
Haringey New Leaf Composting Session
Free event on Saturday, July 23 2016 11:00 am – 2:00 pm at the Hub, Lordship Recreation Ground, N17 6NU
Always wondered how to make your own compost heap at home? Have one and want to make the most of it? This beginners workshop in Haringey is going to give you the A-Z of home composting from tricks and tips on getting started to building your own composter.
This composting class is being run as part of our New Leaf project, which focuses on fresh foods which we often waste in the summertime. Producing, transporting and packaging this food takes a lot of energy, fuel and water, so we want to help north London residents reduce food waste and save money as well! The summer is also a great time to get outdoors and transform unavoidable food waste into rich nutritious compost.
To book your place, visit https://billetto.co.uk/az-of-home-composting
Brought to you by North London Waste Authority
Friends Work Day in the Rec
Volunteer conservation activity
11am-1pm, Sunday 19th June
Meet on the terrace outside the Cafe at the Hub
We will be tidying up the little garden around the Downhills Shelter Memorial near the woodland and also doing some work in the woodland clearing paths of vegetation and creating sight lines through the bushes along the main path.
Hope you can make it. Bring your own gloves and secateurs if you have them but some will be available if not.
Update 30th May
What a fantastic community ‘River Fest’ festival in the Rec on Sunday 29th May: Over 2,000 attended! Organised by Tottenham Ploughmans and the Lordship Hub.
And next Sunday 5th June is a Jazz Fest at the Shell Theatre (from 2pm) and in the Hub (from 5.30pm). Lots more events planned during the summer eg Health and Lifestyle Market Sat 12th June (12-5pm) / Ladies Night Sat 19th June (7-10pm) / Go Wild Sun 3rd July (12-5pm) / Youth Fest Sat 9th July (1-5pm)… A big thank you to the dozens of local people who are helping organise all these events. More people and help always appreciated of course.
Meanwhile the Outdoor Gym by the Hub is now completed and already hugely popular, and the kids paddling pool is now open.
The Lordship Lake Group are also currently planning improvements to the lake area (a new interpretation board, extra aquatic banks, some picnic tables by the hub etc).
Rockstone are now running their bike hub/shop every day at the front entrance to the park, with many people coming for advice and to get their bikes repaired.
Another bit of good news is that some long-needed maintenance and repair works are being done by the Council over the coming weeks and months.
Meanwhile the Lordship Hub has launched an online crowdfunding drive so a roof can be built above the terraces to protect cafe users etc from the rain – already over £1,000 has been pledged. All contributions large or small are very welcome. For more info click here: www.spacehive.com/lordshiphub The Hub’s cafe staff and volunteers have this week introduced a new, ‘fast-track’ summer menu for everyone to try out and enjoy. And don’t forget there are rooms to hire there – the first ever wedding reception was a big success last Saturday!
Phew!
All this and more is the result of the efforts of the members of the Friends and the other park user groups – all working together to build up community spirit, community initiative and community empowerment. All the groups would like more people to get involved so that all this good stuff (and more) can continue and the work is shared among more people – we could do with twice as many! Don’t worry if you’re not sure what you might be able to do in terms of time and skills – any contribution is welcome.
So why not come along to the Friends meeting this Sunday 5th June, 2pm at the Hub, to hear all the news, have your say, and consider if you’d like to get involved in some way in one or more of the activities.
Lordship Rec Management Plan 2015-2025
www.haringey.gov.uk/sites/haringeygovuk/files/lordship_rec_2015_-_final.pdf
This very important document is the updated Plan for Lordship Rec, applying for the next 10 years, written collaboratively and agreed by the park’s user groups and by the Council. It explains all the features in the park, how they are to be maintained, and how they are being managed in partnership between the the various park community groups and the Council, coordinated overall through the Lordship Rec Users Forum. The range of user groups and their activities is also detailed, as are the current list of further improvements sought. There are some very useful appendices with further details.
Friends slam threat to Lordship Rec
The demolition and ‘redevelopment’ of Broadwater Farm and building of homes on Lordship Rec: Barmy? Or a real threat?
According to council documents – http://www.haringey.gov.uk/sites/haringeygovuk/files/site_allocation_developement_web_0.pdf (Site 63, page 162), it appears that the council are considering promoting the demolition and ‘redevelopment’ of some or all of Broadwater Farm. The plans, confirmed by senior Council officers [see below], suggest that they intend for new housing to be built on a large chunk of the north end of Lordship Recreation Ground, including half of the main field and the whole sports field, to rehouse those displaced by potential demolitions at Broadwater Farm. The potential redevelopment zone is indicated by a red line on a map, and also includes Somerset Close, Lido Square, homes along the south side of Lordship Lane, and all the community facilities within the zone. Such a zone would mean increased powers for property developers in that zone, backed by Council encouragement and support.
This incredible, barmy and totally unnecessary attack on local communities would cause massive stress to all concerned, displacement and disruption for years, and undermine all the successful efforts over decades to build a strong and stable local community and to improve local facilities. Our communities have worked long and hard to make Broadwater Farm one of the most attractive estates in the UK, and to make Lordship Rec the great park it now is.
The threat to Lordship Rec would bring the Council into direct conflict with the Lordship Rec park users’ organisations, and all the funding bodies (Lottery, GLA and the Environment Agency) who have supported the successful and nationally-celebrated community-led regeneration of Tottenham’s largest public park. Incidentally, in case the Council have forgotten, the park is safeguarded and protected for all time by a ‘Fields In Trust’ covenant preventing any part of it being developed or sold off.
The ‘barmy’ proposals confirmed
We couldn’t believe the proposals when we first heard about them. However, Steve Kelly from the Council’s Planning Department spoke at the Tangmere Steering Committee on Broadwater Farm recently and when challenged admitted that the land on Lordship Recreation Ground would be needed for housing for people displaced by any demolitions on Broadwater Farm. Matthew Patterson, the Council’s Interim Head of Policy, Strategic Transport and Infrastructure, also confirmed to a rep from the Friends of Lordship Rec that the inclusion of the northern part of Lordship Rec in the development zone is for the power to build housing to ‘decant’ the residents of Broadwater Farm (or many of them) into that area of the park ‘otherwise the demolitions on the estate could not go ahead’ due to the impracticalities of re-homing those affected during the demolition and redevelopment works.
Object now
The deadline for registering objections to this outrageous and unacceptable threat to the estate and park is March 27th. It comes under the consultation for ‘Haringey’s Local Plan 2011-2026’, the most important planning document in the borough. This is a formal objection process, and the Local Plan documents have to be submitted to a Planning Inspector at a public enquiry before they can be approved. Those objecting will be able to put their case to the Inspector.
This proposed mass disruption and destruction must be opposed.
To object, email: ldf@haringey.gov.uk
Joan Curtis and Dave Morris
– Secretary and Chair, Friends of Lordship Rec