Willow Withies - This is one of the exciting ideas to be explored by people attending the meeting this Monday 16th March at 8pm.
Locals, some of whom have lived on Lightburn Avenue for more than fifty years, talk with fondness of how, in the past, this park was buzzing with activities of all kinds.
It was a place where townspeople got to know each other and developed friendships. I remember getting putters from the 'Pavilion' to have a leisurely round on the park.
Now it is a pale reflection of former glory.
Reversing a process can be very difficult, yet communities are successfully taking over their public spaces once again in some parts of Britain.
The value is that people of all ages can come together and shatter stereotypes. Loud youths may find out that oldies have a sense of fun as well. Old fuddyduddies discover that skateboarders are actually responsible and caring kids. They may have the occasional need for a reminder that the over twenties are interesting and worthwhile friends that were young once - some as long as sixty years ago.
The outside shell can be deceptive.
People reclaiming the parkland could result in a lot more people using the park.
It will take some creative and adventurous thinking to engage everyone, but the enjoyment of success can be very rewarding, as the older folk will know.
This article about the use of willow withies in the parks of Middlesborough is very relevant even though it refers to an urban environment.
Ulverston has a waiting list of keen gardeners waiting for allotments to become vacant. Why not start here in Lightburn Park and get that creative energy in action? Not necessarily with individually rented plots but with community involvement. The ideal would be to use the muscle power of youth to create a space the whole community can claim as their own.
How about creating seating areas out of growing withies where the kids can gather and chat. Who knows what ideas will sprout............
Could this be a follow on from the highly successful Lantern Procession?
Plant the wonderful Lanterns and see them grow into Ulverston's unique sculpture park?
Light them up in Lightburn Park and maybe have the occasional burn on a cold winter's evening?
3 comments:
If there is a demand for allotments it would be a good idea to use a section of Lightburn Park .After all it would be nearer for the vandals of the Honeypot and Rydal Road and save the poor dears from walking to Priory Road.
Seriously,how could the allotments be kept secure ? All the hard work that goes into them can be destroyed in minutes by the so-called disadvantaged .
How about the area inside the railway track?
Just asking!
No doubt I'll be treading on someone's toes.
Alternatively:
Can we not somehow work it so that the young people can be rebellious within prescribed limits?
A carrot and stick approach?
This may be pie-in-the-sky thinking but isn't it worth trying something?
I understand this works elsewhere!
Or are we all a bunch of defeatists?
Another more practical idea would be to plant fruit trees which the little dears could nick (the fruit) when starving (in the year 2050).
Providing soft targets will distract them from terrifying little old ladies by pelting their windows (yea yea with fruit from the aforesaid . . . . . trees!)
I'm ready to buy twenty, plant one and keep replacing it until they give up!
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