Finsbury Park - the area near the station

trainspotter

I was reading with interest people's accounts of the changes that have been made to the park since it was under-used and a bit bleak and also the Council's own website which talks of plans to use some of the revenue generated from the concerts to demolish a derelict pavilion on the baseball field and open up a currently closed section of the new river - and it got me wondering about the remaining derelict buildings near the station - what used to be the Jamboree playhuts and surrounding playground. I think these closed in around 2010. Are they destined to remain unused and in a state of decay forever? I also think better use could be made of the baseball field area. It doesn't seem to be in regular use for games. At the very least it could be opened up as a route through to Sainsburys etc by putting a gate in that corner of the field. Regular passers through might help that section feel less abandoned.

Arkady

I suspect that there's some hesitation to invest in the 'Jamboree' area of the park, as it's earmarked to be where the new entrance to the park will be if Rowan's is redeveloped.

trainspotter

Are they going to allow building on that area of the park? In some ways they might as well, if no one can use it anyway, but it seems a shame. Would be better to require any development to invest in something the community could make use of in that area of the park as a condition of planning consent (if that's how things work). I know the Woodberry Down development has been very controversial and I don't want to comment on it overall except to say that the community centre within it is lovely.

Arkady

Build on the park? No. It's designated Metropolitan Open Land. Redevelopment of the building next to the park to create a new entrance, maybe. That corner of the park is pretty dank and underused, and would benefit from some thoughtful planning.

trainspotter

Yes, agreed

J_R

There was also a (secret) garden center which was amazing for geraniums. Its got massive greenhouses. Think its shut up now. Waste - could be a thriving space.

trainspotter

Yes that's true. The waiting list for allotments is huge so you would think that there would be lots of people willing to make use of the greenhouses and planting space. You could imagine local schools making good use of them too. Public investment as such may not even be necessary for some of these spaces - just handing over their control to someone who wants to make use of them and is therefore wants to put a bit of effort into bringing them up to scratch. Better than being derelict.

miss annie

The council could make a fortune by building a reasonable sized village hall type affair for rent on the huts space. Parties, functions etc. There's not a decent sized one with good facilities anywhere in SG or surrounding area. We looked when we were setting up WI. There is a massive waiting list for allotments in Islington and Haringey but when our community allotments on Hanley Road were advertised three years ago only five us signed up. Free and gardened communally and no one wanted to join in! The park growing space should be given to the food banks - there is no fresh produce at a food bank. Users of the service and volunteers could look after it - you'll get plenty of kids and seniors without gardens pitching in for sure. The baseball pitch is very well used - you've clearly never been past there on a weekend morning or a weekday night! There are already six gates to the park - one or two on each side how many more do we need?

trainspotter

Well one more, imo, as if I am walking to those shops I have to leave the park at the river and walk down Endymion road, which feels a shame to me, but fair enough if another gate would disrupt the baseball pitches. I do walk past there a lot though but yes, probably midweek daytimes mostly.

maclondon

There are some odd gaps in getting access to the park along Endymon Road - people have torn out a bit of the fence near the new river outlet rather than go that extra 50m down. Not sure if the access point is better there or as you say @Trainspotter.

miss annie

I reckon it's maybe a three and a half minute walk from Endymion Road gate to the big shops. Are people really that ridiculously lazy?

trainspotter

It's not so much laziness on my part. (I hasten to add I haven't broken any fencing!). It's just that it'd be a more pleasant walk to the shops if you could do it via the park rather than along a busy, traffic filled road, especially when you have small kids in tow, whose speed of walking (dawdling) means they are breathing in fumes for much longer than 3 minutes. It's not a huge deal. Just something that would make a modest improvement to my life. What's your objection to a gate, out of interest?

Sutent

@trainspotter. I agree with you. I have walked through the park many times towards Sainsbury but have had to either come back onto the main road or take a detour through the park. Another gate near Endymon Road would be great. Also in the summer evenings you see many people have barbecue by the broken bits of fence and drinking alcohol. I don't mind about either but don't think these by laws are enforced at all.

Papa

I agree there should be an extra entrance or two to the park there too. Just a pedestrian gate.

Papa

I agree there should be an extra entrance or two to the park there too. Just a pedestrian gate.

Arkady

Oh my god people, please read the message at the top of the front page.

Sutent

Double trouble..

Sutent

Double trouble..

Arkady

SUTENT

Sutent

sorry

Papa

I agree there should be an extra entrance or two to the park there too. Just a pedestrian gate.

Papa

I agree there should be an extra entrance or two to the park there too. Just a pedestrian gate.

Arkady

PAPA L

Sutent

@Arkady I dont think most people realise they are doing it especially from a mobile device

trainspotter

Is anyone on this forum a member of the Friends of Finsbury Park and might consider taking forward some of these suggestions, or should I send them to Councillor Gallagher to consider?

maclondon

i would email the Councillor adding the points raised her including the damaged fence.

miss annie

I'm not opposed to a gate but I'm very against destroying or limiting an existing sports and leisure facility for a gate. There are few enough places for the athletically inclined youth to hang about, let them have their pitch. we all kick off when the bits of park we like are closed for the odd few days for concerts, imagine how they'd feel. If you're taking kids there the pollution from an occasional five minute walk beside all the trees in the park down Endymion Road would be the least of your worries. The air inside the retail park from traffic in Green Lanes, a constant queue of cars and people waiting to park is much worse! You can smell it there, not a place for little lungs.

trainspotter

Thanks MissAnnie for your reply. I agree a gate shouldn't be at the expense of the sports pitches. I would hope the two could coexist but if not the sports pitches would take precedence.I agree the air quality around there is awful. Unfortunately that's the reality of London life with little ones. You still have to do the supermarket shop or buy paint or whatever. I do hope progress can be made on emissions before long.

trainspotter

Thanks MissAnnie for your reply. I agree a gate shouldn't be at the expense of the sports pitches. I would hope the two could coexist but if not the sports pitches would take precedence.I agree the air quality around there is awful. Unfortunately that's the reality of London life with little ones. You still have to do the supermarket shop or buy paint or whatever. I do hope progress can be made on emissions before long.

maclondon

access to the park from THE STATION could also be better or at least more attractive. There seems to be little progress after the consultation on play spaces other than the work near the pond last summer. The Rowans site cannot be the only reason why it has not happened!

trainspotter

I agree Maclondon. I had a proper look again today and it really is awful. If there's no money to do anything else it'd be better if it was all knocked down and turned into a normal grassed area of the park - and presumably that'd be helpful for any eventually development. Designated open land is all very well but if it's shut up it's not really fulfilling its job description