Upton Country Park play & recreation project, Poole

Happening Now Completed 2010-2013
Completed 2007-2009

Upton Country Park play & recreation project: phase 2

The new Play Trail latest pictures…

Last news / photo update: 25th February 2013

Phase Two

New gates and railings at the entrances in to the Park from Symes Road and the North-east Shoreline will allow easier access for pedestrians and look much less imposing than the old fences.

A new entrance near the Lodge in Blandford Road provides a more open view into the park, making it more welcoming and feeling safer. Vegetation has been removed along with the old closed-board fence, replaced with new ‘estate-style’ fencing and vehicle gate.

In the woodland diggers and dumper trucks have been busy laying woodchip paths and scraping areas to remove some of the thick soil layer deposited from the Rhododendron and Laurel bushes; this will help to allow trees and other vegetation to establish. As a by-product a mound overlooking the wet land area in the farmers field has been created, giving a nice view and a good bird-watching lookout.

A work party from Dorset Countryside Volunteers (DCV) spent a busy weekend laying a hedge and coppicing willow near to the Grove Lake, they will return in January to lay more of the hedge, which creates a thicker, better quality hedge line as well as being beneficial for wildlife. The lake will also benefit with more light and wind being able to circulate that will increase oxygen levels in the water.

VISIT THE WEBSITE

www.uptoncountrypark.com…

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Project Background

In 2011 we undertook an assessment of the play & recreation opportunities at Upton Country Park with the aim of providing a range of enhancements which will:

attract people to the park
encourage them to stay longer
create a wider range of interest, whilst retaining the quiet and natural areas.

Between 25th June - 26th July 2011 we consulted with Park users on:

The zoning of different activities
Enhanced cycling routes and facilities
Opportunities for natural & formal play experiences
Designated areas for dog walkers, such as a dogs off-lead area
Areas for sport, recreation & events

Retaining the enjoyment of formal gardens and wildlife areas.

On Saturday, 25th June we met with park users in the car park when they had an opportunity to consider and respond to the proposals in person.

We then made an online questionnaire available with the option to download a copy of our questionnaire to print and post to us.

All the proposals taken forward to the public consultation, summer 2011, were well received, and in most cases with a clear majority – see the graph of results, above right. We also received a wealth of individual comments that were extremely valuable in shaping the way the project have been taken forward.

The main theme we took from responses and from face-to-face discussions was to resist changing Upton Country Park just for the sake of it. People like the park as it is and wish us to preserve its tranquillity.

Having collected feedback from park users during summer 2011 we are undertaking various works in two phases. Phase One was completed in 2012 [more…]

Phase One - Summer 2012

► Click here for information & photos detailing Phase One

Upton Country Park’s new Play Trail is now open!.

To help navigate the trail each new feature features a steel plate with different images which can be ‘crayon-rubbed’ to make a picture in the new trail leaflet … see if you can find them all!

The new Play Trail map can be downloaded below or paper copies are available from the Tea Rooms and the Kiosk behind Upton House - with crayons so you can do the rubbings as you follow the trail; a nominal 50p charge is requested per pack.

The ten-piece trail starts in the car park and takes in the lawn close to the Education Centre and Grove Wood.

T Download the new Play Trail map & activity leaflet (pdf, 3Mb) o celebrate the opening of the new Play Trail:

On Thursday 21st February at 1.30pm the Mayor of Poole, Councillor Carol Evans, officially opened the Play Trail.

On Saturday 16th February around 60 members of the public came along to take part in a hands-on carving workshop run by Touch Wood Enterprises of Bristol, the company that have supplied the play features. Beautiful pieces of cedar timber were carved and sculpted with the words ‘Play Trail This Way’ and a whole host of animals, leaves, trees, hand prints and other designs. See our video (right)

The pieces are now installed in the car park, beneath our very own Cedar tree, and lead you towards the play features in Grove Wood or towards the features near the Education Centre.

Other works going on

Click on any image to enlarge it / view the photo gallery:

16th Feb: At the Wood Carving Workshop where up to 60 local people joined us to help carve and sculpt the entrance features to the Play Trail

16th Feb: At the Wood Carving Workshop where up to 60 local people joined us to help carve and sculpt the entrance features to the Play Trail

16th Feb: Enjoying the new Play Trail

16th Feb: At the Wood Carving Workshop where up to 60 local people joined us to help carve and sculpt the entrance features to the Play Trail

16th Feb: At the Wood Carving Workshop where up to 60 local people joined us to help carve and sculpt the entrance features to the Play Trail

Trail marker discs are fixed to each play feature for ‘brass rubbing’ with wax crayons - it’s all part of the Play Trail activity map leaflet (see left for a leaflet to download)