Park may get £75K revamp (From The Oxford Times)
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Park may get £75K revamp
7:00pm Saturday 23rd June 2012 in News
By Rhianne Pope
Blackbird Leys Parish Council chairman Gordon Roper
THERE are major improvements planned at a park on Oxford’s biggest estate.
If a bid for £75,000 is successful, Blackbird Leys Park could soon be home to new footpaths, picnic areas and an outdoor gym.
It would coincide with a major refurbishment of the Pegasus Road play area, where work will start later this summer.
Last night, Blackbird Leys Parish Council chairman Gordon Roper said: “This is good for the area and brilliant for all the residents.
“The park wants modernising. With the picnic area, I think it will be first class.”
He added: “The park is acceptable – it is a reasonable to good park, but it needs upgrading. I think it will be one of the finest in the area.”
Environmental charity Groundwork Thames Valley has bid for money to undertake the scheme from WREN, an organisation which awards grants to community projects from the Landfill Communities Fund. It has applied for the money on behalf of Oxford City Council, which has promised to add an extra £15,000 of funding if the project wins approval, Now all that’s need is public support to demonstrate how much the revamp is needed.
Once comments have been made to Groundwork Thames Valley, they will be sent to WREN which is expected to make a decision on the funding later this summer.
Planned improvements at the park include a fitness trail round the park, with outdoor gym stations, extra tree planting and habitat creation.
Robert Tilley from Groundwork said: “It is a very exciting scheme that we think would make a big difference to people enjoying the park.”
A £130,000 improvement scheme at a play area in Pegasus Road Park is set to begin later this summer.
It was delayed by months after residents submitted a town green application to block the building of a new swimming pool near the park.
That was thrown out by Oxfordshire County Council in March.
A skate park is also being built at Frys Hill Park in Greater Leys and is subject to a separate bid for WREN money to improve the area.
Mr Tilley added: “Now we would like to show that this has the community backing and to hear what people have to say about the plans.”
To comment, contact oxfordplay @groundwork.org.uk or call 07545 924794.
Comments(7)
Myron Blatz
says...
11:28pm Sun 24 Jun 12
Andrew:Oxford
says...
7:11am Mon 25 Jun 12
Myron Blatz wrote:No relation.
Andrew of Oxford - no relation to the MP I suppose? What the people and tax payers in the rest of Oxford cannot understand, is why the emphasis always on Blackbird Leys - or is all this merely about improving the 'quality of votes' for Labour-led City Council? Summertown doesn't have a massive new swimming pool in the planning or buses every four minutes - but Blackbird Leys doesn't even have Tesco, let alone M&S .........
Summertown already has a really attractive pool. Barton is modern and recenty had a gym built. Hinksey Pool has had a considerable amount of money spent on it. Did you know that the debacle over TCP and gym has increased awareness of the beautiful modern gym with private showers at Barton? 25% reduction in users at TCP with a significant increase at Barton and BBL Gym in lieu... I drive past TCP to use Barton pool! Who says "no-one" is prepared to drive to something worthwhile?
The BBL bus route serves the 7000 employees at the Oxford Business Park (The back gate is a few steps from the bus stop), it is also popular with the 1000s of Science Park staff and visitors to the Kassam complex - just a few minutes walk away.)
As to Tesco or M&S well you'll find both around 3-4 minutes walk from BBL Road and the Oxford Business Park.
I'm not sure about Summertown not having buses every 4 minutes either...
Looking right now, here are the services from Summertown South Parade to Central Oxford:-
07:00
07:04
07:08
07:11
07:14
07:17
07:21
07:24
07:30
07:34
07:39
07:41
07:44
07:49
07:55
07:57
Oops, you're right. Summertown doesn't have a service every 4 minutes into Oxford. I make 16 buses an hour on average - one every 3m45s!
Dr bob is my hero
says...
3:59pm Mon 25 Jun 12
Myron Blatz wrote:Also you forgot to add that Summertown has, an average house price of over £400k, one of the top five state schools in the UK, a state of the art subscription leisure centre, and an extremely modern public one, four of the top food retailers, and one of the most sought after private schools all within half a mile of eachother. So do you really begrudge just £15,000 of City Council money to provide a fraction of what Summertown already has.
Andrew of Oxford - no relation to the MP I suppose? What the people and tax payers in the rest of Oxford cannot understand, is why the emphasis always on Blackbird Leys - or is all this merely about improving the 'quality of votes' for Labour-led City Council? Summertown doesn't have a massive new swimming pool in the planning or buses every four minutes - but Blackbird Leys doesn't even have Tesco, let alone M&S .........
Andrew:Oxford
says...
5:59pm Mon 25 Jun 12
Dr bob is my hero wrote:Don't forget, that not only does Summertown have, on average, a bus service every 3m45s to Central Oxford.
Myron Blatz wrote:Also you forgot to add that Summertown has, an average house price of over £400k, one of the top five state schools in the UK, a state of the art subscription leisure centre, and an extremely modern public one, four of the top food retailers, and one of the most sought after private schools all within half a mile of eachother. So do you really begrudge just £15,000 of City Council money to provide a fraction of what Summertown already has.
Andrew of Oxford - no relation to the MP I suppose? What the people and tax payers in the rest of Oxford cannot understand, is why the emphasis always on Blackbird Leys - or is all this merely about improving the 'quality of votes' for Labour-led City Council? Summertown doesn't have a massive new swimming pool in the planning or buses every four minutes - but Blackbird Leys doesn't even have Tesco, let alone M&S .........
The Stagecoach "Gold" buses have full leather upholstery too!
You won't find that on a number 5.
Dr bob is my hero
says...
7:23pm Mon 25 Jun 12
Andrew:Oxford wrote:and only minus 2 on the thumby thing, must be wearing them down.
Dr bob is my hero wrote:Don't forget, that not only does Summertown have, on average, a bus service every 3m45s to Central Oxford.
Myron Blatz wrote:Also you forgot to add that Summertown has, an average house price of over £400k, one of the top five state schools in the UK, a state of the art subscription leisure centre, and an extremely modern public one, four of the top food retailers, and one of the most sought after private schools all within half a mile of eachother. So do you really begrudge just £15,000 of City Council money to provide a fraction of what Summertown already has.
Andrew of Oxford - no relation to the MP I suppose? What the people and tax payers in the rest of Oxford cannot understand, is why the emphasis always on Blackbird Leys - or is all this merely about improving the 'quality of votes' for Labour-led City Council? Summertown doesn't have a massive new swimming pool in the planning or buses every four minutes - but Blackbird Leys doesn't even have Tesco, let alone M&S .........
The Stagecoach "Gold" buses have full leather upholstery too!
You won't find that on a number 5.
Andrew:Oxford
says...
7:47pm Mon 25 Jun 12
Dr bob is my hero wrote:I'm not sure if the thumby thing works properly...
Andrew:Oxford wrote:and only minus 2 on the thumby thing, must be wearing them down.
Dr bob is my hero wrote:Don't forget, that not only does Summertown have, on average, a bus service every 3m45s to Central Oxford.
Myron Blatz wrote:Also you forgot to add that Summertown has, an average house price of over £400k, one of the top five state schools in the UK, a state of the art subscription leisure centre, and an extremely modern public one, four of the top food retailers, and one of the most sought after private schools all within half a mile of eachother. So do you really begrudge just £15,000 of City Council money to provide a fraction of what Summertown already has.
Andrew of Oxford - no relation to the MP I suppose? What the people and tax payers in the rest of Oxford cannot understand, is why the emphasis always on Blackbird Leys - or is all this merely about improving the 'quality of votes' for Labour-led City Council? Summertown doesn't have a massive new swimming pool in the planning or buses every four minutes - but Blackbird Leys doesn't even have Tesco, let alone M&S .........
The Stagecoach "Gold" buses have full leather upholstery too!
You won't find that on a number 5.
It doesn't always show on Firefox.
Andrew:Oxford says...
7:44pm Sat 23 Jun 12