We hope you’ve had a great start to 2020! It’s a new year and that means plenty to get done in Hamworthy Park.
Below, you can read about the priorities for this year. There will be plenty of opportunities for volunteering from fence painting to prepping the extended wildflower bed.
See you in the park!
Paddling pool and surrounding area
Paddling pool remedial work: Remedial work is due to start in late January, putting right some of the issues you noticed over the summer. When we have more info, we’ll let you know.
Pressure washing and painting the fence: hundreds of you joined us last year to help paint the fence around the paddling pool and play area. This year, we are finishing the job. Parts of the fence need digging out where sand has piled up — then we can pressure wash and finally paint.
Paddling pool wall repair: Some sections of the wall around the paddling pool are loose or coming loose. It’s dangerous. The wall will need to be repointed/repaired.
Promenade entrance to the play area: the area by the south gate to the play area needs sorting out. It’s pitted and the grass is eroded away – we think it needs paving as grass just seems to get eroded away.
Elsewhere in the park
Provision of shade: we are looking into types of shelters that might be suitable for the park. There used to be a shelter in the park, much loved by dog walkers on a wet day, but it became part of the outdoor education centre.
Supplying picnic tables: FOHP are in talks with the council to provide a number of picnic tables for the park.
Seating by Tennis Court: this includes some benches by the tennis court as requested by people who play there.
Promenade sweeping and repair: during the winter, the prom needs regular sweeping – we are talking with the council to see if they will do this. In the long term, the prom will need upgrading.
Outdoor Education Compound: the compound by the outdoor education centre is very overgrown and needs tidying up.
FOHP tool store: we have to take all our tool down to the park every volunteer session – it’d be easier if we could store them in the park ready for use.
Erosion at the Eastern End: the erosion continues apace with the autumn and winter storms. The Council are waiting on a permit – once that comes in, it’s a case of chasing up the work that needs doing.
Extending the wildflower area: after the success of the wildflower area behind the floodbank, we are extending it to at least twice the size. We’ll run a volunteer day in March to get the ground dug, ready to lay the special wild flower turf.
Refurb of flower bed by Ashmore Avenue entrance: the flower bed at the entrance to the park needs some serious work. It needs a plan of action and then a good old refurbishment.
Toilet refurb: last year, the new council announced funds to refurbish the toilets in the park. We haven’t heard anything else about this, but the toilets are in dire need of a full refurbishment.
Out and about in Hamworthy
Blandford road planters: we are continuing to look after and plant up the planters along Blandford Road – this year we plan to add some water retaining gel to the planters to reduce the amount of watering our volunteers have to do in the summer.
Litter picking in Hamworthy: we are continuing our winter litter picks out and about in Hamworthy. We are supporting groups and individuals with practical help and contacts, helping to grow the number of people who are out and about keeping Hamworthy tidy.
A massive thank you to all our volunteers and supporters – here’s to another great year in Hamworthy Park!
