Croftlands Park a great success

There's a great atmosphere here at the moment.

Kids are having a wonderful time.

They are tackling challenges to suit their ability.

SLDC have done a great job of choosing equipment with varying degrees of risk involved.

There are a wide range of activities to suit different ages and the layout has been thoughtfully put together.

Parents I spoke to yesterday were full of praise.

The children play really well together and the adults are beginning to dare talk to each other as they, for the most part, sit around and watch.

The presence of this park in Ulverston owes much to Phil Lister speaking up when he was a SLDC councillor at a meeting when Windermere declined the offer of a theme park there.

Phil piped up quickly with "If you don't want the money, we'll have it".

The money was thus earmarked for Ulverston several years ago.

After some discussion Phil, a Labour Councillor, persuaded the other councillors not to rip up existing equipment in Lightburn Park but agreed to support the Conservatives in their bid to have the equipment on Croftlands.

This was a great decision; the equipment benefitted from all the extra space available on the site on Central Drive.

There have been some moans about the lack of parking for cars but I can't see this as a serious problem as there are a lot of alternative places.

Yes Croftlands will get "invaded" by lots of people from outlying areas. but this will in the long term be to their benefit. The kind of people being attracted have very positive outlooks and amny great friendships will result.

As someone very interested in supporting parks in general; Mill Dam and Lightburn in particular; I hope a similar spirit can be encouraged at both these parks through the efforts made by local people in their park.

Work in Mill Dam is going really well - Lightburn, apart from the Skateboarding facility and one new piece of equipment, is on hold because of lack of enthusiasm in a potentially difficult area.

Maybe Lightburn will draw some strength from seeing what can be done on Croftlands and by a small group, with little official support, the BUGs,in Mill Dam.

So well done Phil Lister and the design team at SLDC which includes the overworked Engineer Peter Clarke and his behind the desk counterpart Tony Naylor.

Well done - we need a plaque to honour them.

I could make a ceramic one if this would be appropriate.

Greenhouse raising flowering plants for Ulverston

This is my first ever greenhouse.

I've struck really lucky with the location for it which now has about 2,500 potential plants for Ulverston's public spaces. A great variety of seeds have been donated by Chiltern Seeds of Ulverston; an adventurous seed supplier of rare flower heirloom veg and herbs.

In a recent email Denise Taylor states:

"we confirm that we would be delighted to help out again this year! I will arrange for another box of easyish annuals and perennials to be made up, as we did last year,"

"Anything to help and support our community!"




It's a lovely place to go and 'work'.

The slightest bit of sun and it's beautifully cozy - and I have these great views! The cat likes it too!

I can see why people love their contact with living things. Everything is so eager to grow. Given half a chance and the seeds are off.

What a phenomenal burst of energy from one innocent looking packet of minute seeds!

It's the same feeling as watching birds outside as they busy themselves with living. They appear to enjoy life - but I'm sure it's really a lot of hard graft.

I wonder what they would think as they observe us humans as we go about life?

Imagine them flying over Market Street on a busy day.

Are we too enjoying the challenge of life in the same way?

I can understand why Stafford Salmon of West Ulverston enjoys his secluded work in the wholesale market gardening business, of working with plants all day, so much.

Again there's a link with people who work on allotments. They too have a positive way of looking at life.

Have we done ourselves a disservice of using technology that takes us away from a hands on approach to life.

Lightburn Park

Things are definitely looking up here.

A new climbing piece of equipment for the older adventurous children is now in place.

The drainage problem which lead to large puddles may have been solved and funds have obviously been found to put in a good path to the Skate 'Park' - work in progress.

New picnic tables are in place.

A group of people are planning to put some flowers in the beds.

There could be an increased presence of adults in the park in the future.

Someone who lives on the lower part of Croftlands was also enthusing about the MUGA and other games facilities on Croftlands playing field.

A lot of this is all thanks to Phil Lister's work while he was a District Councillor if I not mistaken.

The display at Lightburn Park

Note: a flower,fish and bird have been added since these photos were taken!

So, from left to right we have:

Drum roll . . . .

Mounting the pottery in Lightburn Park

Always bear in mind that the photographer, Zoe, was there too!

Help needed in Lightburn Park today

This afternoon 1pm onwards (Saturday 17th) we will be putting up the 100 items of pottery that were made a fortnight ago. These will go in the Children's play area and will attract a lot of interest.

This will make a great display to rival the one on Gill Banks.

You can help the couple of people that have said they would help if only to hold pottery in position while it's fixed. With a few more people we'll have the job done in no time and the result will be fabulous.

* * * * *

Many people actually turned up to help and all the work was done within an hour.

We felt it really looked good! What do you think?

More photos no doubt from Zoe!

Leaflet re Lighburn Park activities

A group of us who live across the road from the park and have been making pottery items for the railings at Gill Banks plan to do something similar on the railings surrounding the children’s play area. We’ve caught the pottery ‘bug’ and its fun . . . and not at all difficult - total beginners can do it! Geoff Dellow who helped do Gill Banks, is bringing his gear and supplies so that all we need is some ideas and hands – both children and adults!

At the same time we’ve been in touch with South Lakeland District Council. Their officials are also concerned to bring the park up to a high standard and welcome the involvement of local people. We are being invited to give our input into what the park could look like in the future. Our view is that rather than be dependent on overstretched council workers we plan to take on small tasks ourselves and coordinate these with more ambitious plans from the Council.

We are discussing the idea of forming an official group. In this way we become eligible for grants for items up to about £1000. By working together with all the users of the park both young and older we will have a voice with officialdom: councillors, officials and the police so that our views will be taken seriously.

So we’d like to discuss these ideas and the future possibilities with as many local people as possible. We can conveniently do this, at the pottery activity, with anyone that can drop in for a chat between 1 and 5 on Saturday 26th September.

We plan to erect a Market Stall in the park on this Saturday so whatever the weather we will have cover, though the present forecast is neither good nor bad! (Further details from Geoff Dellow - tel 480347)

Progress in Lightburn Park

Contact with SLDC officials went really well yesterday.

They agreed that perhaps maintenance of the park had been neglected because of the wide range of responsibilities of the engineer responsible. Improvements are already in hand. Safety has always been the main concern but the presence of large puddles also needed dealing with.

The mindless behaviour of some teenagers that were hangers on to the Skateboarding Group led to much of the pottery that was put up yesterday in the childrens area being smashed.

Alternative areas are being tried out and action necessary to achieve an improvement in behaviour are being explored. It may be that for too long teenagers have done what they liked in the park without giving consideration to other younger children and the adults in the area.

The difference between Lightburn and the Gill is that there are very few adults around at Lightburn. By contrast there are far more adults than teenagers at Gill banks most of the time largely due to its popularity with walkers particularly those with a dog.

Lightburn Park - great progress - talkwise

Tony Naylor of the SLDC Parks Department is to come to the park tomorrow to discuss the suggestions and involvement of Tony Taylor's Group.

He is being very helpful, sending us an impressive reply to our inquiries.

More great pottery workshops

Making pottery objects to go on the railings continues to attract whole families to come along to the Coach House in Union Lane every Saturday between 11 and 4. It's a great way of meeting people and everyone enjoys it.

The pottery kiln is at this moment firing with a full load of new work for Gill Banks and elsewhere. This will be up by Tuesday and Wednesday this week.

Advance notice : We'll be at Lightburn Park in a fortnight ; the week end of 26th September see you there!

Lightburn Park

Job 95% done.

So far 8 bags of gravel !

Compare with before

Lightburn Park - my what a state it's in

Beware : man with camera without kids - it could be me!

See comment below on previous Lightburn story!

When looking at these pictures, bear in mind that this is Ulverston's pride and joy of a park. Why aren't the whole town kicking up a hell of a fuss?

Have we all become resigned to be given a second rate service.

When I come here (with kids) when the sun is out, the place is full of young people skateboarding and youngsters in this park - it's not as though its not well used.

The play area - reminds me of the Vicar of Dibley final episode. This puddle could be a lot deeper than you think!




Puddles by the Seesaw.



Less important but creates an uncared for look.






Finally - What a mess. When are the council going to finish the job properly.





This enlargement from the photo above shows the facilities that our young people have to put up with - some steps in the open, by the shed. Why does only one councillor take the needs of our young people at all seriously (Colin Williams who focuses mainly on Ford Park). Why is this hut not open to the general public as it used to? Why is it only used occasionally by the model railway enthusiasts and shut most of the time. Why don't we care?

Where have all the young people's hole-ups disappeared to. Why has Grange got vastly superior places for young people. I'm surprised that they're as well behaved as they are bearing in mind the way 'responsible' adults treat them. All the nearby residents do is to moan about the beer cans that are left behind.



There's a serious lot of 'stuff' that needs doing here.

Well for the cost of a tenner and very little effort, we're going to fill those puddles in the next week (the smaller ones that is). This is far easier than getting the council to do it.

I shall try to put these thoughts together convincingly and feed them to David Pickthall, the Evening News reporter who I feel is doing a good job for Ulverston.

Lightburn Park - we're heading your way!

Soon (within a fortnight) we'll be filling in the puddles on the equipment area.

Then it will be cultivating the small round bed at the town centre entrance to the park - Chiltern Seeds are supplying some of their seeds free. Starting small but doing something!

Then it will be ceramics on the fence - probably on the railing around the rail track. Moving wheels and gears to start then engineering things - any ideas? A working model of a piston maybe.

We've also requested seating so that people can interact with the skateboarders as they watch.

Cllr Norman Bishop-Rowe and Richard Forster SLDC officer informed.

Lightburn group to meet again

Ten people from close to the park attended the first meeting in a private house this last Monday.

In a businesslike meeting that lasted an hour, everyone got to know each other. The use of the park as a place where people of the neighbourhood could get to know each other was the main focus; concerns about traffic close to the park were voiced. Those attending were a good blend of both young and old, with some staying behind to for a chat afterward.

The most encouraging decision was that the idea of a group was definitely a goer and a second meeting is planned for this next Monday 23rd at 8pm in the same place. Some 200 leaflets will be distributed by the group to those in the surrounding area to invite participation at this meeting.

A lot of interest was shown in the use of the park for cultivation by the local people. It was felt that the park provided a missed opportunity for people to meet each other and the possible use of the pavilion to serve refreshments would be a valuable asset. Ways of reducing dog fouling were discussed and the imminent installation of the Skatepark was welcomed.

This is a chance to meet an energetic and very friendly group of people.

Use of Lightburn Park

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?

Lightburn Park

A new group for this area will meet on Monday 16th at 8 pm at a private house in Lightburn Ave, to discuss what cooperation between neighbours can achieve.

It will be focussed on the increased use of the park and other concerns by people of all ages and interests.

If you would like to attend or are sorry that you can't manage this time send me an email - gd@tygh.co.uk

Watch this space for further information resulting from the meeting !