The finished work on the path and benches, September 2007
The Northenden Riverside Park in Manchester is sited on the banks of the River Mersey between Palatine Road Bridge and the Tatton Arms Bridge. (Lat 53 24'36.40"N Long 2 15'14.59"W, OS Map Ref SJ832902, Google Earth Placemark to download)
The Friends Group aims to support a wider use of the site and to enhance the Park for the benefit of the whole community by being involved in the installation of educational and environmental facilities.
The aims of the Friends Group, taken from our constitution, are:
We are making suggestions and offering opinions about the developments of the park as it progresses. It is a chance for park users who live locally to influence the decisions that are made by the Council and how money is spent.
21st May Thursday 19:00, AGM Friends Group , St. Wilfrid's Church Hall. After reports from the committee and then the election of a new committee, followed by a brief discussion of the development of the Park. After a short break we will hear a suggestion that we initiate an oral history project, hear about an architecture project and listen to a brief talk about the Trans Pennine Trail. You can download a pdf of the Agenda for the meeting.
The intention of the open meeting was to allow everyone to share their views about how to develop and to use the entire park area in the future shortly after the completion of the play area and associated paths and seating. We still want to focus positively on the future use and developments for the entire area.
There was a lot of useful discussion about the use of the play area and about the much wider lack of provision of suitable activities and places for the young people of Northenden. Some useful suggestions were made including by representatives of the council and the police which we hope will be followed up.
The official opening ceremony and school children playing imediately afterwards
The official opening of the play area took place on January 16th. Two classes came from local primary schools, and imediately after the official opening speech began to use enthusuiastically the equipment.
Using the slide
Since the opening the play area has been used frequently, even though it has been cold throughout January and February. Mainly this has, of course, been at weekends, although as the nights are slowly getting lighter it is also being used in the late afternoons.
A week after the opening the weather was sunny, although very cold. During this weekend the play area was in full use by many families - up to 20 people simultaneously for a period of the Sunday.
Fun on the tyre
Then we had some snow, and the park was empty, but pretty. A little later groups of children were using the area near the slide as an improvised toboggan run.
Snow in the park in early February
February 2007: work started on creating the new look Riverside Park along the banks of the River Mersey. The first stage was the creation of new paths, with disabled access, and planting on the south side of the park between Mill Lane and the river. This was all completed by the late autumn.
Shortly afterwards 3 infomation lecterns were mounted alongside the path and the Friends Group put some temporary posters into them. These will, fairly soon, be replaced by displays giving information about the history of the river area and Northenden and the wildlife and plants along the river.
October 2008: Work started on creating the childrens' play area, a grassed picnic area and creating the finished path up to the river bank. Fencing along Mill Lane was also put in place and a pavement added. This was completed by the end of December 2008
Clearing the ground for the picnic area (Sep 2008)
Now that the first phases have been completed we intend to get involved with:
In the future we intend to organise and support a variety of activities within the park including, tree and wildflower planting, bird box making.
Autumn colours, October 2007