| Napsbury Communal Sports Facilities Meeting - 21st Sepetember |
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| Written by Oliver Warrack | |
| Saturday, 14 February 2009 | |
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Sally Fishleigh and Mag Combemale, two of the Napsbury Park RA Committee members, attended the first meeting called by London Colney Parish Council last Tuesday. A second meeting is to be held on SATURDAY 21 FEBRUARY COMMENCING AT 10AM AT THE NEW PAVILION MOVING TO THE CALEDON CENTRE, BY THE LIBRARY AT 11AM. All residents with an interest in using the facilities and the running and maintenance of them is urged to attend to ensure Napsbury Park has input into the decision making process.
A summary of the first meeting follows:- The meeting was chaired by Malcolm McMillan (MM), London Colney Parish Council (LCPC), which was held to discuss the communal sports facilities at Napsbury Park. Note paper was passed around the meeting for all in attendance to add names/contact details. It was clear that the majority were from Napsbury Park (15/20 attendees) with a few others representing their various sporting or environmental associations. MM chaired the meeting, he said that the facilities were '3 years too late' and that there had been a battle with Crest Nicholson in particular, which had caused the long delay. The purpose of the meeting was to provide an update on where we were with the facilities and to establish interest in terms of clubs and individuals. He was clearly excited about the new facilities and thought they would bring good things to the community. MM said that the Parish Council wants some management for the site and that it needs a committee. Crest Nicholson is due to sign over the site to St Albans District Council (SADC) before Friday this week. There will then be a 3 week gap following which the site will be handed over to London Colney Parish Council (LCPC). MM said that the LCPC wanted a spread of people involved in the Management Committee - representing different aspects of the community. He wants to appoint a Community Development Officer to run the facilities on LCPC's behalf. He said there was a fund for this and was clear that the facilities needed professional support to make sure they work. He said that the first issue was that a building was needed to store machinery such as grass cutters etc. He also thought that staff would be needed for 2 days a week to attend the grounds and that money was in the budget for this. At this point there were questions/answers/concerns: - Q - Will we be able to play tennis there this summer? A - yes. Q - Will there be grounds staff employed full time and where will they be located? A - Don't know yet but is being discussed. There will be an office available in the interim at Caledon Centre (LCPC just been located to Caledon Centre). MM understood that this needs to be addressed. He will consider talking to Group 66. Q - Will there be charges to use the facility? A - yes to be decided by the Management Committee. Q - Can individuals hire? A - yes, the Management Committee will develop a scheme of use so this can happen and therefore not be dominated by sports clubs. Q - How will decisions be made as to which clubs get to use the facilities? A - that will be a matter for the Management Committee however all applications will be dealt with in an open and honest manner. Concerns from those in attendance were: Stones removed from tennis courts, graffiti, quad bikers. A - Crest responsible until handover. Drainage of the facilities. A - taken note but appointed grounds men will address Lack of parking particularly when big matches take place. A - LCPC and the Management Committee to address. Lack of road markings on roads leading to facilities. A - LCPC and the Management Committee to address. Safety of roads leading to facilities. A - LCPC and the Management Committee to address. Maintenance of roads leading to facilities. A - LCPC and the Management Committee to address. Adoption of roads under review by Herts. Highways. Lighting. A - LCPC and the Management Committee to address but it is possible that extra lighting could be put in - and bins too! A wider use of the facilities is required other than sports. e.g. fireworks displays and other community events. MM also talked about a Users Group being set up to liaise with the Management Committee. It seems a little strange that a Users Group would be separate from the Management Committee as one would hope that users of the facilities would also be part of the Management Committee. It's clear that the facility is going to bring in more traffic to the Park so perhaps as a result there could be more interest in the shops being let out. MM is keen for the shops to be filled and took this on board. Those in attendance last Tuesday and on 21 Feb will be written to, to ask if they want to be represented on the Management Committee. A Committee (hopefully representing a broad interest) will then be agreed by LCPC. So it's important that if Napsbury Park residents/Napsbury Park Residents Association Committee and or its Members want to be involved they express an interest by writing to MM and/or attend the meeting on 21 Feb. |
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| Last Updated ( Wednesday, 25 February 2009 ) |
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