© 2014-2017 Borough of Poole Environmental Development Team, Unit 1 Newfields Business Park, 2 Stinsford Road, Poole BH17 0NF. All rights reserved.
£2.7m funding bid 2014-2016
Poole Park Life
Updated: 4th November 2015
“Very impressed,” “very informative” and “yummy cake, thanks!” are just a few of the positive comments we had following our first engagement events of the Poole Park Life Development Phase.
We ran a full programme of activities through the summer to encourage people to get involved.
Have you considered helping to organise public events or to raise much-needed additional funds?
The new Poole Park Users Group at Facebook
facebook.com/groups/1379248272319770/
Plenty of conversation, memories, photos and anecdotes about the Park
To monitor and record bird and wildlife numbers, set up a log-in and practice by counting dragons at - www.livingrecord.net
Public Engagement with Science
A community based project in collaboration with Bournemouth University Global Environmental Solutions - facebook.com/groups/pooleparklakes/
Wednesday 8th April Poole Park pavilion
Once again we used the cricket pavilion as our base for a day full of information on the Poole Park Life project, giving people the opportunity to view the master plans again as well as get in-depth detail on the lake research project.
Saturday 18th April Boating lake
Guided walk.
We took a guided walk around the boating and freshwater lakes, looking in to the detail of what Bournemouth University are investigating, some of the evidence they have already found and discussed the historical uses of the lakes.
About 15 people came along, some of whom have started to upload their photos and findings to our lake research Facebook page.
8th April
At the Boating Lake 18th April
Wed 9th Sept Poole Park? Have Your Say
Conserving Poole Park What matters to you?
At this event we asked the public their views on the significance of the Park’s heritage, what they felt was at risk and how we should look after them in the future. This helps us to understand if we are including the right things in our Conservation plan.
- A draft report will be available for consultation in the Autumn.
Wed 23rd Sept Poole Park? Have Your Say
Managing Poole Park What would you do?
Help us plan how we manage Poole Park day-to-day for the next 10-15 years. Have your say on what is included.
At the Civic Centre; please use member’s entrance.
Monday 28th September
Get hands on in the lake!
Our 'Get hands on in the lake' event was a great success; amongst other things we found an eel, over 30 swans, egrets, a kingfisher, crabs both dead and alive, shells and plenty of algae and weed sat on top of the very smelly mud. We also discovered more than 30 pipes feeding in to the boating lake.
Into about 18 bin bags of rubbish went 2 tyres, 4 road cones, a timmy toppy lid, 12 shoes (!), a tennis racket, a paddle boarding paddle, loom bands, an LP, endless crisp packets, carrier bags and takeaway wrappers.
A great effort from everybody who came along, got stuck into (literally) the lake and helped clean it up.
We also had the Poole Park Lakes team from Bournemouth University undertaking a fish
health check in the freshwater pond, which revealed the Carp to be in good health,
and we passed on info about their lake research and the wider project.
All in all
a great evening's work - thanks again to everyone who came along.
Earlier in 2015
Thursday 27th August
Poole Park Counts!
A day full of counting the activity in Poole park. For the first time we used a mapping system to mark park users such as walkers, joggers, cyclists etc and where they were. We then looked at their broad age category, sex and ethnicity and repeated the activities every hour. We learnt that:
- Over 2,300 people used the park, with a nearly even split of male and female.
- We estimated ages and the proportions were 38% 0-18's; 52% 19 - 64; 10% 65+
- Approximately 1,000 cars used the car parks and the busiest time was between 1pm and 2pm
We will run similar surveys again in the future, get in touch with Martin if you would like to help!
Email: environment@poole.gov.uk
Wednesday 22nd July Discovery Walk & Talk
Poole Park’s landscape heritage.
The landscape setting and Victorian design sets Poole Park apart from other parks.
Our walk with about 15 people took in the unique landscape setting, discussed the chronic work and living conditions in Poole Town at the time of the park’s creation and how that shaped the design and creation of Poole Park. Trees, planting, the sluice gate, reed beds and plenty of other detail was also discussed through the evening.
Wednesday 1st July Discovery Walk & Talk
Poole Park’s built heritage.
We started our walk at the war memorial and took in the lodges, gate piers, Norton’s Gate, War Memorial, lake walls, sluice and pavilion.
About 30 members of the public came along and helped us by telling their memories and thoughts on how the park’s heritage has developed over time, sometimes correcting our version of events!
Discovery Walk & Talk 22nd July
Poole Park Counts 27th August
Daily Echo 30th September
28th September - Getting hands on in the lake
Daily Echo coverage of our day at the lake - click on the image for the full write-up
Getting Involved in Poole Park Life
29th October
The weather unfortunately got the better of our planned practical morning, but we still got the wildflower bulbs planted.
In the afternoon the pavilion came alive to the sound of cracking conkers, Oliver Bouzad becoming our inaugural Poole Park Conker Champion, hopefully this will become an annual championship.
We also had stands from the Poole Park Heritage Group volunteers with the photomosaic project and Chestnut Nursery. Over in The Ark we had lots of childrens designs for play areas.
Planting wildflower bullbs
The first Poole Park Conker Championship
The first Poole Park Conker Champion, Oliver Bouzad
The Chestnut Nursery got involved
Poole Park Life contacts
Project Manager: Martin Whitchurch
Community Engagement Officer: Toni Powell
Tel: 01202 261700
Email: environment@poole.gov.uk
Sunday 2nd August Poole Park 125
Celebrating the park’s 125 year history
Approximately 3,000 people came along to join in the Poole Park 125 celebrations on a beautiful sunny Sunday 2nd August.
Free activities were provided throughout the day with everything from a fun dog show to vintage music and dance performances, sports, classic cars, face painting workshops, community stalls, inflatables, martial arts and plenty more!
