Comments on: Clissold Park concerns http://hackneycitizen.co.uk/2009/10/12/clissold-park-concerns/ Hackney Citizen: latest news, events, reviews, opinion and sport from Hackney's free, independent monthly newspaper Sat, 11 Feb 2012 10:14:24 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v= By: Dominic Sutton http://hackneycitizen.co.uk/2009/10/12/clissold-park-concerns/comment-page-1/#comment-69 Dominic Sutton Tue, 27 Oct 2009 11:15:25 +0000 http://www.hackneycitizen.co.uk/?p=5148#comment-69 The very idea that all parts of the park should available for everyone to use is simply a nonsense. The toddlers area is no use for people without young children, the large tennis court area is no use to someone who just wants to walk for their exercise to give just two examples. The point is that the park as a whole is great precisely because there are are lots of different areas that cater for the many and diverse interests of the people in the area. Is it really being suggested that when kids (and indeed many adults) want to spend time out doors, very active, learning and playing together in a skate area of the park that it would be much better if they were not encouraged to do this? What would you prefer: that they do it in other parts of the park and surrounding estates in areas shared by all sorts of other people who would rather not get run over by a learner roller-blader? Or is it that you'd rather they stayed at home and played a nice, safe, quiet skate-boarding game on their XBox so the park remains "tranquil" and "relaxing" for the people who want it that way, regardless of what others may want. This strikes me of Nimbyism of the very worst kind. Skate, BMX and roller-blading are superb ways for children (and again I mention also adults) to get exercise and they often suit those who do not have interest in team sports or do not engage with sports at school. Furthermore they are, as a group, activities that are now practised by a great many young people and that there is nowhere dedicated for them to do it in their park (and I stress "their") in this age of increasing concern about the health and fitness of all age groups is verging on the criminal. With a good facility there I suspect a great many more children will be tempted to try these activities and that habit of regular, out-door activity once learned may have a profound effect on their health in alter life. I am sorry if you think this a strong reaction. I will not be a user of this new area but I have also never played boule, flown a kite, held a knitting group or anything else in that dark, empty corner of the park. I know of one man who occasionally uses it to practise martial arts but he also uses many other parts of the park. All users of the park should be catered for as widely as possible - a skate and wheels area in this virtually redundant area will address what is at present a serious flaw in our amazing local park. The very idea that all parts of the park should available for everyone to use is simply a nonsense. The toddlers area is no use for people without young children, the large tennis court area is no use to someone who just wants to walk for their exercise to give just two examples. The point is that the park as a whole is great precisely because there are are lots of different areas that cater for the many and diverse interests of the people in the area.

Is it really being suggested that when kids (and indeed many adults) want to spend time out doors, very active, learning and playing together in a skate area of the park that it would be much better if they were not encouraged to do this? What would you prefer: that they do it in other parts of the park and surrounding estates in areas shared by all sorts of other people who would rather not get run over by a learner roller-blader? Or is it that you’d rather they stayed at home and played a nice, safe, quiet skate-boarding game on their XBox so the park remains “tranquil” and “relaxing” for the people who want it that way, regardless of what others may want.

This strikes me of Nimbyism of the very worst kind. Skate, BMX and roller-blading are superb ways for children (and again I mention also adults) to get exercise and they often suit those who do not have interest in team sports or do not engage with sports at school. Furthermore they are, as a group, activities that are now practised by a great many young people and that there is nowhere dedicated for them to do it in their park (and I stress “their”) in this age of increasing concern about the health and fitness of all age groups is verging on the criminal. With a good facility there I suspect a great many more children will be tempted to try these activities and that habit of regular, out-door activity once learned may have a profound effect on their health in alter life.

I am sorry if you think this a strong reaction. I will not be a user of this new area but I have also never played boule, flown a kite, held a knitting group or anything else in that dark, empty corner of the park. I know of one man who occasionally uses it to practise martial arts but he also uses many other parts of the park. All users of the park should be catered for as widely as possible – a skate and wheels area in this virtually redundant area will address what is at present a serious flaw in our amazing local park.

Offensive comment?

]]> By: Richard http://hackneycitizen.co.uk/2009/10/12/clissold-park-concerns/comment-page-1/#comment-50 Richard Mon, 12 Oct 2009 10:03:27 +0000 http://www.hackneycitizen.co.uk/?p=5148#comment-50 I think you're overreacting to the proposed 'wheels area'. I've been a regular Clissold park user for many years and I rarely see the east? end of the Redgra utilised in any way - model aeroplanes never seen 'em - same for kites (I sometimes fly kites on the NW side of the park). My point is that there are plenty of other open spaces in the park. A 'wheels area' would be a small (in terms of area) yet valuable addition to the park. Do you have any evidence to support your assertions about the noise levels? I think you’re overreacting to the proposed ‘wheels area’. I’ve been a regular Clissold park user for many years and I rarely see the east? end of the Redgra utilised in any way – model aeroplanes never seen ‘em – same for kites (I sometimes fly kites on the NW side of the park). My point is that there are plenty of other open spaces in the park. A ‘wheels area’ would be a small (in terms of area) yet valuable addition to the park.

Do you have any evidence to support your assertions about the noise levels?

Offensive comment?

]]>