Dartnell Park

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Meeting on 19th September 2020

We're delighted to announce that we have been given permission by Croydon Council to form a Friends group, as part of the Friends of Addiscombe Railway Park, to do conservation and improvement work on the Dartnell Road Wayside Amenity Area, which we have renamed Dartnell Park!

Great news. Our new park could become a lot more enjoyable for everyone and a haven for wildlife amongst all the buildings, as well as become a real focus for community activity.
Thanks to everyone who has worked to get us to this point.

Survey 2020 Results

Our recent survey of the 832 households all around Dartnell Park gave a clear indication of our collective priorities. Results Summary (PDF)   Bar Chart (image)   Pie Chart (image).
Thanks to everyone who contributed. The priorities identified are:

1. Replacing seats and benches
2. Having a dog bin
3. Keeping the grass cut and an open area
4. Having more trees and shrubs
5. Having a community noticeboard
6. flowerbeds and wildflowers

Looking Forward

So, the Parks department are going to organise for a combined litter / dog bin to be put near the entrance and remove the old litter bin.

The Council may pay for removal of the old benches, once we can source, fundraiser to pay for and are ready to have installed new benches, to our collective taste.
We have done the risk assessment for when people are working in the park, so we can start meeting in groups of 6 to get to work.

Lots of other thoughts were discussed, they include:

• Involving the local schools, especially Davidson primary across the road to help involve the children and parents with nature and wildlife etc..
• Maybe think about replacing the gate / fence with something that has an arch which could have climbers growing up it
• Painting a chess / drafts board and hopscotch on the flagstones
• Possibly provide raised beds of shrubs near the entrance
• Plant Apple trees along the wall
• Hold an open air cinema!!
• Gathering an oral history of the Park and surrounding area from the local community!
• Park Puppet shows!!
• Seed swaps!
• Community picnics!
• Tea dances!
• Strolling players!
• Carols!
• Archives show that there was a Fair held there in 1923. Maybe we can have a 100 year anniversary Fair in 2023

In other words, Dartnell Park is our collective park oyster, and Addiscombe West even more the place to be......
Nothing like dreaming big - but starting small and step by step.
We want to keep the Park very open, and very community oriented.

Join in, Get involved, Vollunteer

If you'd like to be part of the Dartnell Park group and get more information about what is happending (usually by email), then please contact us via the links on the http://dartnellpark.co.uk website.

In order to be covered by the Friends Group Insurance you must register your email address in with the Friends of Addiscombe Railway Park.

Please let us know which mailing list you wish to be on (normally no more than one email a month), and we will keep you informed of any news.

Andrea