Vote for Mayow Park!

By the time you read this it is likely that Friends of Mayow Park and all interested parties will have learnt how the largesse from the Greater London Authority will be distributed between local London parks. Two out of eight competing parks in the South East sub-region will be chosen by the size of their popular vote. Watch the website for more details: http://www.london.gov.uk/parksvote/

Thanks to all who voted for Mayow Park, and especially to the army of deliverers who distributed 6000 leaflets to 6000 doors in Sydenham and Forest Hill as well as larger notices to local businesses. Our foot soldiers were from the Friends and from members of the Sydenham and Forest Hill Societies, and included ward councillors. Lewisham Green Scene staff braved the early morning rush hour at Sydenham station to hand out reminder cards to commuters. We are particularly pleased by the enthusiastic response we had from schools: most spread our information via the childrens’ book bags or encouraged text voting. If we do not achieve the desired result it will not be due to lack of trying: and it has raised our esprit de corps!

Last Autumn we had an open-to-all ‘walkabout’ in groups round the Park with landscape architects from Groundwork London, to discuss aspirations for the Park. It was a well attended event, and we await their ideas and recommendations with great interest. We are working with Council Officers to prepare a consultation with the age group10 to 16+ to develop somewhere in the park which they will be able to call their own. We aim to enlist their help in designing the area, and hope they will feel encouraged to use the park more.

Agreement has been reached between the Council, ParkSport Lewisham, the English Cricket Board and Envirowork to prepare the cricket square in the central grassed area of the park, for the use of local schools and sports clubs. Preparation should start in the spring. We are very pleased that this will formally restore Mayow Park’s original function as a recreation ground.

Should any further funding become available, refurbishment of the bowls pavilion, repair of the paths, improving the children’s playground, restoring a cafe, and providing a drinking fountain are all suggestions put forward by park users.

Hilary Jarrett, Chair Alona Sheridan, Emma Tarling Friends of Mayow Park