Forum Topic

FRANK BANFIELD PARK

Can anyone tell me :- (1)When this project will be finished  (if ever ) (2)How much has it cost and who is paying for it (3)Why it needs so many lampposts if it going to be locked shut at     night (4)Which fool chose the litter  bins that are full as soon as one     empty pizza box or an empty beer can is inserted(5) Are the usual gangs of street drinkers going to be allowed         to congregate there or will this be supervised by the parks     constabulary  ?

H JOHNSON ● 6270d31 Comments

I wish I had a pair of rose tinted spectacles too

H JOHNSON ● 6152d

I am surprised at the continuing negative feedback regarding this park.  We knew we could not please all the people all the time with the new design which went through full public consultation, but on the whole the park is much improved and the many people I and my neighbours have spoken to have on the whole remarked on how much nicer it is. Locals who would not have stepped foot in the park before are now using it and this is a diverse cross section of people.  Picnickers are there at the weekends and little children roll down the hills. We have brought up the matter of the bin overflow with the Council and hopefully something will be done about this.  The resident drinkers were there before the park was improved and is nothing to do with the refurbishment. It is up to us to police the park, the Constabulary cannot be there all the time. If you see street drinkers in the park the Constabulary have the power to confiscate their drink so phone them on 020 8740 3417. They will soon move on if their drink is consitently taken away. Please stop blaming others for your own lack of action. We are the community all of us and we individually can make a difference. Regarding the lack of a dog run, these are now discouraged in local parks. The maintenance people use a type of lawn mower with a grass catcher which takes up the odd bits of dog faeces that may be there but I take a dog into the park and clean up after it. If you see others not cleaning up after their dog, if it is safe, say something. I do. Again it is up to us to discourage this. There is also a fine for not cleaning up after your dog. You can phone the Constabulary and let them know what times you see this and maybe they can help to stop it if there is a pattern. They will treat calls with confidentiality if you let them know. It is so easy criticise and do nothing. Please help the community whatever small way you can and we can help keep the park in good condition for all to enjoy.

Chris Jones ● 6152d

Try going through it in the early mornning when the designer dustbins are still overflowing with yesterday's shitty pizza boxes. The street drinkers have staked their claim although hopefully they will soon fly north to the delights of newly opened Westfield Centre for the the winterI note that there is no dog shit area so just wait until next spring when all the local yummy mummys want to play picnics on the grass and get to see what their precious offspring are rolling about in. That should be one for the family picture albumI was passing through two days ago and saw a member of our noble Parks Constabulary kick a beer can into the undergrowth. I do hope that it was captured on the 24/7 CCTV system (installed solely for my protection.) If this is the attitude that those uniformed overpaid louts take then what hope is there for the rest of us.Other than that it does look rather jolly although rather over engineered for such a small area

H JOHNSON ● 6153d

Steady on, it may have improved a bit recently but it is hardly the garden of Eden.

Ellen Kearney ● 6154d

I've only recently run through it rather than round it.  It's lovely!  Very pretty landscaping, mature trees, slopes, wide paths, attractive children's area ... lovely!

Sarah Taylor ● 6164d

It is great to hear progress is being made in this area - it always struck me as somewhere with fantastic potential but suffering from a lack of coherent planning.

Ellen Kearney ● 6164d

Thank you Chris for a very informative reply and thank you Sarah for putting in to one sentence exactly what is required and no one seems to acknowledge

H JOHNSON ● 6182d

Well done Chris.  thanks very much.  Very interesting. Your next mission: dissuade them from building an office block at all on that Embankment site and get us another park.

Sarah Taylor ● 6183d

HiI am the Chair of Hammersmith Embankment Residents Association.  We have been working with the Council planners, local residents and interest groups for the past 10 years regarding Frank Banfield Park.  We cover Chancellors Road, Winslow Road, Lochaline Street, Parfrey Street, King Henry's Reach and Fulham Palace Road from Chancellors to Parfrey.  We have yearly AGMs and SGMs when there are pressing issues to discuss with the residents.  The Park changes were decided a number of years ago after lengthy public consultation and are part of what is known as a section 106. This is tied in with the development of the Embankment site the first phase of which included King Henry's Reach and the Water and Riverside buildings at the end of Winslow Road. The monies have been provided by the developers.  None of it was Coucil funded. The work did over run by a couple of weeks but the majority view now that it has finished from those canvassed is that it is a vast improvement over the deteriorated condition that the Council had allowed in the Park because it knew these funds were coming eventually.  Of course it will not please all the people all the time, that is inevitable, but it is already being widely used and enjoyed.  The developers will be responsible for maintaining the park over the next 10 years.  As you may have noticed although the park signs state it will be closed from dusk to dawn, in fact it is being shut around 10-10.30 pm which is the reason for the lamps being lit.  We agree that after the gates are locked there is too much light and have suggested to the developers that some sort of timer be introduced to shut off a certain number of lamps. However the lights being on after closing does discourage anti-social behaviour (ASB) in the park (persons jumping over the fence) which we the residents that border the park can observe and report to the police and parks constabulary if we see it.  It is obviously more difficult to check this without light.  The park is also being monitored by infrared CCTV 24x7 at the town hall.  This is also discouraging ASB which local residents have suffered almost nightly over the years. The litter bins do seem impractical and we have raised this as well but now that the park is open and there are more bins available, it seems to be not as big a problem.  All parks have problems with street drinkers.  The park is a no alcohol zone so if you do see people drinking illegally please phone the parks constabulary on 020 8740 3417 and they will come (eventually) and confiscate the drink and move on the drinkers.  The constabulary depends upon the community to be their eyes and ears as their resources are limited. The more we discourage the behaviour, the more it will be moved on. But it is better than the old days when there was no parks constabulary and if you had no warden, like our park, you were dependent on the police who really did not turn up.  If you have suggestions on how to improve the park, pass it on to your local councillor (Paul.Bristow@lbhf.gov.uk or Gavin.Donovan@lbhf.gov.uk) and they can let the developers know your opinion.

Chris Jones ● 6183d

Well the honeymoon didn't last long did it ?  Quelle surpriseThe designer bins are overflowing, the lawns are strewn with litter and the flower beds filling nicely with dog shit.The street drinkers have firmly established their claim and no one seems to realise that the new trees may need watering.However there has been a sighting of that rare bird "The Parks Constabulary"

H JOHNSON ● 6194d

Wash your mouth with soap... I have to eat humble pie. I walked through the park today and it looked very splenid.  How long it will stay that way is a matter for conjecture. I would still like to know how much it cost and who is paying for it

H JOHNSON ● 6206d

As the park is clearly such a problem and not currently providing the public amenity it ought to would it not be a good option for the super sewer entrance?

Paul Corcoran ● 6206d

Will the park be part of the alcohol free zone ?  if so will it be enforced and by whom. ... In addition I would still like to know who paid for the scheme and how much...never mind about the upkeep.....PS  The problem of street drinkers has now spread to the river walkway between Chancellors Road and the River Cafe.  When is action going to be taken against this problem on a borough wide basis instead of just pushing them from A to B ?  Why not let them all sit and drink in the waste of space under the Town Hall at King Street, then the inhabitants of that building can see what the rest of us have to tolerate on an almost daily basis

H JOHNSON ● 6218d

Thank you very much for the offer.  I haven't any suggestions.  I think it looks very nice now.  I only ever go past it in the mornings and I have never seen any of the problems other posters have mentioned. I know there are people on this thread who have lots of opinions about what doesn't work, so let's hope they give you some helpful suggestions. Keep us posted!

Sarah Taylor ● 6219d

I am the local councillor for Fulham Reach (where the park is situated) and responsbile for parks and open spaces as the Cabinet Member for Residents Services.I really do hope once the park is officially opened the parks police will crack down on the street drinkers here as they have done in other parts of the borough.  I accept there is a problem - I used to live on Lochaline Street and know how they often congregrate.If anyone wishes to email me - paulbristow@hotmail.com - I would be happy to hear suggestions on how might improve things.  The park will certainly be a lot better than what was previously there.  Looking forward to hearing some suggestions.

Cllr Paul Bristow ● 6219d

I entirely agree.  I think it looks rather nice now. Bayonne Road open space has a special area for dogs - it's divided roughly half and half dogs and no dogs.

Sarah Taylor ● 6219d

I don't understand the level of antipathy here and why certain people have such a bee in their bonnet about this park.I've gone through the park most days in the last few weeks and have only seen these fabled "street drinkers" in there on one or two occasions.The park looks far better than before. The paths are excellent. I only wish there had been paved paths in the days when I was having to push a pushchair through thick mud every morning.The children's play area is good and long overdue - there is no play area anywhere near to Frank Banfield Park so it's about time that residents of that area should get one.I only wonder why they put that raised mound on the flat southern side of the park where you often used to get groups of people playing football. It's going to make it rather tricky to play sport on what was a natural area. And now they've got rid of the dog shitting area, I mean dog exercise area, and there's a lot of dog shit on the northern side of the park. I don't know if that was always the case, I had never spent any time there until recently. But most parks don't have a special area for dogs. The dog shit is not the fault of the developers, it's the fault of the people who fail to clear up after their pets.Prior to this development the park was just a shortcut away from Fulham Palace Road for most people. It's now a pleasant place to stroll or sit and you see families out there enjoying themselves, even having picnics. I'm sorry that some people think that "kids running riot" is something inappropriate in a park.I'm seeing a lot of misanthropic whingeing on this forum but I haven't seen a single positive suggestion for what should have been done differently.

Douglas Brown ● 6220d

But isn't it heart warming to think that the local chavs have somewhere to let their "Staffies" shit and their kids run riot all at my expense

H JOHNSON ● 6220d

But isn't it heart warming to think that the local chavs have somewhere to let their "Staffies" shit and their kids run riot all at my expense

H JOHNSON ● 6220d

Still looks a tip during the day - hate to think what it is like at night. I think there has been a bit of a crackdown on street drinking at the Bush and that will continue with the big new shopping centre open as the developers will have the muscle to make sure that the shoppers won't be bothered by some special brew swigging alkie. Frank Banfield Park is likely to be one of the places where they head to.

Ellen Kearney ● 6220d

does anyone know who's in charge of it, or am I raking over old ground?

Sarah Taylor ● 6232d

I went through yesterday. Not only is the new turf already dying but it has been cut already which I wouldn't think would do it much good.There is still no sign of completion , a hideous children's play area has been erected complete with railings and fake rocks. The locals are making full use of it  though; most of the benches were occupied by the usual stinking drunks whilst a hoody on his mobile was watching while his pit-pony sized dog dug up some of the new plants and shit in the flower bed as a token of his appreciation .  All this within sight of the team of men responsible for erecting this memorial to waste.What will it look like by Christmas? knee deep in lager cans and dog shit and no sign of our brave parks constabulary ....just a series of large bills for poor sods like me to pay.

H JOHNSON ● 6232d

I went past last week.  The good news is they have laid new turf across all the hillocks.  I went past again this morning. The bad news is a large part of the turf is already dead.  Oh dear oh dear.  It's not off to a good start, is it?

Sarah Taylor ● 6233d

well that's good.  let's hope they listen to you ...

Sarah Taylor ● 6243d

No  I don't hate the park , only what those overpaid fools have done to itat my expense and for little improvement. For your information yes I have attended all the so called discussion groups and put my views forward.

H JOHNSON ● 6243d

wow, H Johnson, you hate that park don't you?  You seem to understand a lot about what it needs though.  Have you shared your views with someone who can do something about it?  It seems a waste not to.

Sarah Taylor ● 6244d

If the "Parks Consbulary" had carried out their role properlyin the first place , the street drinkers would never have established themselves in the district. Send them back to Shepherds Bush Green to welcome the proposed development of that " green space ". The design of the park is woeful and the workmanship shoddy in the extreme. Too many footpaths, too many lighting columns and CCTV masts, and bad street furniture. The problem of the drainage has not been rectified and the whole exercise lacks control and vision.The enire site and the adjoining empty space should be turned over to the people of the Borough for a new park. Damn property developers and commercial development at all costs, the area is already  crammed with empty offices. The area needs some soul and spirit, not more bad design like this poor park or the infamous Lyric Square with its woeful Dancing Waters of Hammersmith and so called Farmers MarketWhat ever happens to this site you may rest assured that it will bear no resemblance to any developers plan that will be trotted out at the next "public Forum"  My money is on the Council ( of any political hue ) building themselves a nice new riverside edifice to supplement the ones they have already in King Street and Fulham Broadway in which to lie back and massage their egoes ( for the benefit of the Civic Pride and the Ratepayer naturally. On the other hand they could really go for broke and pass the whole site over to Tesco or some other shopowner and build a supermarket with the best riverside views in London so the street drinkers could buy their booze at the latest knock down prices and damn the rest of the inhabitants

H JOHNSON ● 6258d

One of the problems before this work started was that bench in the middle of the park, away from the lighting. At night drinkers would congregate there and it felt quite dodgy at times going through the park as you couldn't be sure if anyone was there, or how many were there, until you were right on top of them and you could never get a proper look at them.I thought that putting all the benches on the edges of the park in well-lit areas was a very smart move. Maybe drinkers will still gather there at times but at least they'll be highly visible and won't be springing unpleasant surprises in the darkest corners of the park.I am amazed at how long the work is taking though. Paving the path was absolutely necessary but who would have thought it would take this long?

Douglas Brown ● 6258d

very good questions we had been wondering the same things! We also wondered why they have placed seats outside each entrance for the street drinkers, when a central plank of their election manifesto was getting rid of the street drinkers.I suspect the answer is this - it isn't the council that is doing the work it is the developer who owns the site over the road adjoining the river. from day 1, the development proposal has tended towards maximum return for the developer and minimum benefit to the local people - this is natural as the two interests are in direct conflict. However, the role of the council is to ensure that the developer does give back to the community and will have agreed to the development on the basis that a certain sum of money is coughed up for local facilities. What appears to have happened here, is rather than specify some useful benefits eg build a new swimming pool and a school, the council has just said "spend £50k" which is what they are doing, by literally digging holes and filling them in again, which they will do until the required sum is spent. very sad - the last riverside site in the borough (if not all of London) about to be covered in more offices - even though the existing offices next door have 11,000 sq ft they can't offload due to huge oversupply in the borough. t

Madeleine Bailey ● 6259d

Between Fulham Palace Road and the river  it is in CHANCELLORS ROAD W6

H JOHNSON ● 6268d

Where in Hammersmith is this park located?

Carol Burge ● 6269d