Minutes of Meeting, September 2021

FRIENDS OF MARYON AND MARYON WILSON PARKS

Meeting, 23 September 2021

Venue: Kinveachy Gardens, SE7

Present: (11) Christine (chair), Steve (secretary), Natalie (treasurer), Gulle, Mickey, Catherine, Jason, Helen, John, Hazel, Cllr John Fahy.

Christine welcomed the above to our first formal meeting since February 2020 and introduced Helen, plus Natalie for her first meeting as treasurer; and our special guest Cllr John Fahy.

Cllr Fahy said that in view of all the redevelopment going on locally – Lovell’s plans for 766 new homes on the old Morris Walk estate were formally approved by Greenwich Council this week and there are major plans for the Charlton Riverside area to the north of Woolwich Road – the local parks are undervalued as a widely used community and schools resource.

There is capital funding available, which has led to the current improvements to the ball court, playground and tennis courts in Maryon Park; and local councillors had agreed to use some of the ward budget from the Charlton and Riverside wards to fund the two picnic benches in Maryon Wilson Park for which we were unsuccessful in applying to the Greenwich Neighbourhood Growth Fund despite strong local support.

There are now plans for a temporary mobile café in Maryon Wilson, probably next spring, to test demand for a more permanent structure. In the longer term the Council has agreed to revisit plans for the long derelict toilets. A new feasibility study, similar to that done in 2017, has been commissioned. In addition, Lovell have agreed to put £150,000 towards further capital improvements in Maryon Park and the Friends would welcome suggestions as to how that might be spent. The meeting thanked Cllr Fahy for his time and continued support.

Other matters arising: “Sparkle in the Park”: The Council’s Communities and Environment department is proposing that a free winter light show which proved successful in Avery Hill Park last year should take place in Maryon Park from December 1-5. The park would remain open to visitors from 3.45pm to 9pm each evening and as well as the lights there would be a grotto and various stalls on the tennis courts, which would be closed for tennis during that week. Friends representatives met Council officials at the site and raised questions about parking, ticketing, dangerous unlit areas of the park etc. We will be kept informed of plans.

We have asked the Council for several hundred daffodils to plant as usual, this time in Gilbert’s Pit; Four new Jacob’s sheep have been added to the Animal Park; There is a photoshoot with the new playground equipment from 2-3pm in on Tuesday 5 October.

It was decided that as our most recent AGMs in winter months have been poorly attended, and with no certainties about Covid this winter, we will postpone this year’s until next spring.

Steve Tongue, Secretary. Email: FriendsofMaryonparks@gmail.com

Facebook group: Friends of Maryon and Maryon Wilson Parks