For Richard and Brigid the park was instrumental in them moving to the area. They first visited in 2002 - when they attended a festival and then moved in 2005. Seen lots of changes, they like the variability - lots of spaces that can feel private and that nature has chance to flourish. 

Important to Bridgids MH to spend half an hour each morning in the park.

Changes that have added to the park - like the cafe, and the wildlife garden, and the community allotment when physically able to. Having the range of things is good. The amount of nature in the park is good and birdlife, and bats! The tree walk has been good. Learning about the history of the park.

Things that could be improved include the flooding, and comparing to Victoria Park - the community space at the cafe gives the friends of VP more scope for activities, seated pilates - the Longfords is not part of the park. The lack of volunteers, or scope to support the park. Lack of financial investment - wear and tear during lockdown, but not then maintained to compensate.. potholes and uneven paths! 

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 2002 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 2005

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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