Pincott Place People's Park
Work has begun to transform an unloved corner of the furthest frontiers of west Brockley in to a community garden oasis.
The Lottery-funded Pincott Place People's Park will be located on a site that lies between Pincott Place and Frendsbury Road. Currently a wasteland, clearance and landscaping work has begun and is due to take approximately 6 weeks in total, so that the park is ready for the public by May, although the gardens will not be properly finished until October 2009.
Project Officer, Gareth Schweitzer, explains:
"We’re hoping the garden will become a place for people to relax, learn and enjoy themselves. There will be different areas in the garden including a sun, formal and wildlife garden and a pond. There will also be some community allotments in the garden."
"We’re hoping the garden will become a place for people to relax, learn and enjoy themselves. There will be different areas in the garden including a sun, formal and wildlife garden and a pond. There will also be some community allotments in the garden."
Before the park was built, the land attracted a lot of fly-tipping and anti-social behaviour. Lewisham's Environment and Community Development department consulted local residents about the possibility of turning the land into a community garden. Funding was secured from the Big lottery fund with contributions from Lewisham Council, Family Mosaic Housing, and South London and Maudsley (SLAM).
Clearance and landscaping work will be undertaken by Envirowork Lewisham, a social enterprise that employs and trains long term unemployed people to work on improving and enhancing the environment for the benefit of local communities. Residents will also choose the plants that will be planted in the park at an event hosted by Groundworks. In mid-May there will be a consultation event at the Honor Oak Youth club about the construction of an artwork for the garden.
At the end of the project in October 2009 the park will be maintained under the Glendale's contract, but the hope is that residents will play a major part in the running and maintenance of the garden though a management committee.
From May 2008 through to September 2009 there will be a range of events and free training sessions for adults, young people and children, funded by the Big lottery fund. These will include accredited horticultural training courses and informal workshops on a range of subjects from gardening to recycling.
Through referrals from local GP's surgeries residents and local people will also be able to use the park for gentle exercise to improve health and well-being. In all cases priority will be given to local residents (identified by postcode).
For more information or to register your interest please contact the project officer, Gareth Schweitzer on 020 7314 2071 or 07834 145 054 or by email on gareth.schweitzer@lewisham.gov.uk
With thanks to Yaxu.
