| Topic: | Re:Re:Re:Warren Farm - time for compromise? | |
| Posted by: | Raymond Havelock | |
| Date/Time: | 08/04/22 11:12:00 |
| He means mowed to a playable surface. But they stopped mowing , scarifying rolling and levelling. Those playing fields were very good. Quite level and well drained. Unlike the Gunnersbury Park ones which had a gradient that even a rugby ball would roll on it's own. The fact is there is a lot of open space in the vicinity that is not open to the public. A lot of that open space being inaccessible to man and domestic predators means that genuine wildlife exists undisturbed. The RSPB were appalled at the removal of Gunnersbury Parks golf courses. For decades they were home to a varied range of uncommon species from Slow Worms to Woodpeckers and Swifts and some quite rare birds. As well as not so common rodents, toads and frogs. Largely because the area was banned to dogs and golf etiquette rules minimised litter and food waste. So while the greens and fairways were manicured, the rough was a safe haven for wildlife, along with the varied and again undisturbed tree varieties. All that got trashed with events and heavy vehicles and plant for events which compacted the ground and ruined the balance along with overflowing portable conveniences contaminating the ground in places. Trying to simply let it go wild has had no effect as it is now the domain of large numbers of Dog walkers and dogs forage. Whilst wildlife is great, it's only great if it's completely undisturbed. This Disney approach to wildlife is not going to work. With a huge hike in densification, need and demand for safe open recreational spaces will increase. A huge increase in younger people who are going to be far less mobile than previous generations means activity locations will have to be in the locality...and affordable. Best option is to revert the site to its long term use as a sport facility of basics. 21 century changing facilities and maintenance facilities but not a massive structural complex. The focus on outdoor sport and activity. And around the perimeters , proper planting of trees In particular Poplars as windbreaks near the playing areas and hedgerows and planting where humans cannot intrude on wildlife. There is certainly space for a bit. But the facility is ready made, has everything but badly neglected infrastructure that needs replacing. |