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Report transcript in: Reporter Mash interviews Richard and Brigid about living near and visiting the park regularly
Please Report the Errrors?
Hi there, Richard. I'm Bridget.
Um, just,
uh I know that you've lived around here for quite
a long time and that you're interested in the park.
Um, and I wondered if you've got any thoughts to share about
how you appreciate Longford Park. Um,
it
actually the park include us
moving into the area.
First time we
I remember, we came to the park.
It was
in
before you
moved
here
to the
right. So you
Oh,
that was probably a festival that
I organised with Jean. And yes,
we came in
at the,
um
the first would end,
and then it's it's and then it was a wild final festival. So just
the sense of
a big you know, this is a big park, and, um
and then and then when we were looking around for houses,
we decided that someone with some sort of green space was was an important
and this
is a
nice park.
And we've actually seen a seen a house close to the park on the other side, on the
side,
and we didn't get, but then
they must have, uh,
saw a house
on the Stratford side. But
the fact that the partners there
was a big
factor,
right? Right. That's that's very interesting. Yeah.
Um, that's great.
And so so you've been here quite a few years now,
and
we've lived in this area since the beginning of
Right? Lovely.
Lovely.
So you've been coming? You've seen the park during that time. Really?
And, um, what are the special things that you actually enjoy about it? Really?
For me personally, I like the
variability in the park,
so you
know,
different habitats and, you know,
different kind of places for people to do different things,
but it can still feel quite private.
And it can feel like if nature gets a chance as well
in
different pockets of it.
Um
and, uh, certainly, You know, when I was working,
um, it was really part of my mental health plan to come for a very early morning walk,
even if it meant putting the light on my on my phone.
Um, just to get, you know,
a half an hour to 45 minutes sort of walk around the
park before I went to work and it was absolutely vital.
Lovely, lovely. That's great.
And what about you, Richard? What? What's important to you?
I've
seen some sort of changes which
I have added to the park over time. So,
um,
having a cafes made a made a huge difference.
Um,
and also the wildlife garden, which for me is really important. And, uh, I I
go to regularly
when
I
was
physically able to sort of like going to base of community allotment.
That was something I used to go to as well. So it's a
so it's so part of it is just having a range range of different things in the park.
Um,
but I'm
one of my interest is, is about nature. So, um,
so I think there's there's a lot of
nature in the park and even more if you include Rye
Field, which is next door,
Um,
life is quite is quite
here. And
sometimes during the summer time, in particular in the evenings,
I used to come up with my bath detector as well.
That sounds quite good.
Yeah,
yeah,
yeah.
Yes.
And
then I I've I've been on the tree walk as well.
So, like, that's that's been a good idea.
And just and
getting some sense of, like, the history of the park as
well.
Yes.
Yeah,
yeah, yeah.
And are there obviously sort of? So you're familiar with with the whole area.
Really? Are there things you think could be improved in the park? Um,
were we to be successful with heritage Lottery?
I think that's definitely an issue with the flooding, which I think everybody would
probably agree with.
It's been an issue
for
you.
Um, something about managing that a little bit more when we
weather or
the
of wet weather over
time.
Um, I think that's
a
massive
thing,
but
I
can
imagine
an open.
Yes.
Yeah, yeah.
Anything else that you think could be
improving?
I
was in Victoria Park a couple of days ago and went to a
cafe there.
Um
and
so I've got a cafe which has also got some sort of community space, and I could see that
that actually gives them,
um all the friends of Victoria Park. A lot more
range of of activities I could have. So things like,
Yeah,
yes,
yes.
Yeah. Yeah.
And that's missing here, isn't it?
Um,
yeah,
that's
that's really good. Yeah,
yeah,
yeah. I think that's that's really important.
Yeah,
else that you
think
I'm aware of is that. And I think
obviously there's been several issues that maybe have fed into this one
is about
of funds more generally, and
also the very fact that the park probably you know,
we've had lockdowns and covid and stuff like that,
but and there's two elements to that about then what? The council.
What the park is able to do
but also the fact that the park is probably
more frequently used. But that's a good thing.
But some of the pathways, some of the grasslands,
some of nature has been really eroded with,
with people walking especially down the bottom ends there.
So the path to getting
up. But more importantly, that means we all encroach on
on the grass and, you know,
thinking of the bongo and everything else and
the habitats that micro habitats that might grow.
How are they being affected
as pathways and stuff like that
as well?
That's particularly down there at the bottom of the edge
lane
that I'm aware of.
Yeah, well, there have been quite a lot of changes, like the disc golf
and, um,
things like pets.
Corn has got to be run by volunteers
and the community allotment the areas run by volunteers
and the disc golf run by volunteers.
So there's a lot of sort of voluntary activity in small groups, you know what I mean?
And
I wondered if you got any comment on how that could be improved as well.
I
I suppose again,
just comparing,
um, Victoria Park with here
that
walking around Victoria Park
and Friends of Victoria Park has got more of a public presence
because of the community room
and what that means in terms of, like, the posters advertising activities.
Um,
you know, the friends of the park so that
so you could walk through this park.
Um,
and you probably
you probably
know,
right?
Right?
Yeah.
Yeah.
So that's true. So, So more publicity for that type of thing.
I know something that we'd thought about was the possibility of having her
a part time volunteer coordinator.
Do you know what I mean?
Which would help, because we're all busy people in different ways.
And, um, you know, we have a limited amount of time.
We want to enjoy our park as well as as well as give to it.
Um,
and, uh, I know that's something I'm quite keen on.
Obviously, in the olden days, there used to be parties around here, so, you know,
if if if there were actually personnel and they used to be
a lot of gardeners here, do you know what I mean?
Who were who were actually stationed here
at one time,
and we've got none now,
Um, so
yeah, and it's a very big park. It's the biggest. It's the largest park in Trafford.
Um,
and, uh, you know, and Victoria Park is small and surrounded all by houses.
Do you know what I mean? Which is which are obvious, really All the way around.
It is, It is. Yeah, it is. But I think you're absolutely right.
That that that's that could be much better. Do you know what I mean? So that's great.
That's good.
And I don't know how much use the, um
the Facebook group gets
that way.
Or
can just
having
more information about what's on in the park or other things like
the the
wildlife
in the park?
Yes,
Yes,
yeah,
yeah. So there's there's real opportunities. If we could only
coordinate that in a bit better way, even just
the odd poster
about friends of
longing
and
yeah,
yeah,
yeah,
Well, I'll I'll certainly raise that issue, actually, at the next friends meeting,
Um,
you know, But, uh,
it is something I think we can think about in relation
to the heritage lottery and how that can be best addressed
Because people might assume that lawful stuff goes on that goes on here is actually
rather
than
absolutely,
absolutely so
just,
you know, did you know?
Yeah,
Yeah,
yeah.
No, that's great.
Yeah,
yeah.
Yeah. Well, thanks for those thoughts. And is there anything else you want to
say or
I suppose I mean,
just some sense that of how much we use the
heart that
we
we're in here more days when we
not.
Yeah. So it's really it is really important for lots of people
at different stages in their lives. Really?
Yeah.
So
I I often come here and have a drink, and then when you leave or
just sit here and read
to do some of the
work that I need to do, just
you know, these benches,
right?
It
just
again just really lovely for your well being to be able to do that.
Yeah,
Well, thank you very much for your time. Thank you. And thoughts
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