2019 Update –  Passing through Jowett Street Park alongside the Surrey Canal Walk it’s clear the Pocket Park improvements from four years ago have made a massive difference. On a sunny weekend it’s not unusual to find a children’s party or some other social event taking place on the grass. The new fencing is unmarked, the holly hedge is growing and in the spring and autumn the bulbs are a blaze of colour.  It’s great to know that this small green space is so well used and looked after.

The 2014/15 project was supported by Southwark Council’s Cleaner Greener Safer Fund and the Mayor’s Pocket Park Programme.

At our celebration event we made a new sign for the park as well as a sports coaching session and holly planting.

New sign to celebrate the pocket parks project

Celebration – Saturday 11 April 2015 2.00 to 4.30pm

Join us to plant -up the holly bushes and plant wild flower seeds, craft activity to create a name sign, plus chalking and sports.

 

Park entrance from Commercial Way with new bulbs and bushes removed March 2015

Come and help plant  holly bushes and wild flower seeds 

CANCELLED – Unfortunately the fence behind the shops has not gone in so we are not able to plant the holly bushes. A new date wll be arranged in April.

Thanks to everyone who completed the consultation. The ideas were fed back to the council and then discussed at two FOBP meetings. The work will take place in the spring. 

Summary – Following two events in the park the preferences put forward through the consultation found:

–          No clear consensus on closing the alley beside the shops/canal bridge

–          Support for the other proposals for planting, seats and the rear of the shops

Preferences on the different proposals are listed below

Seating:

1. Ornamental/unusual shape bench

2. Picnic bench

3. Individual seats

Natural play:

1. Climbing and balancing both preferred

2. Stepping stone and wigwam less popular

Back of the shops:

1. Fence

2. Corrugated panels

3. Brick

New tree:

1. flowering tree or apple tree

3. silver birches

New planting beside the path: 4:1 agree to taking down the bushes and both the meadow and grasses planting equally popular.

Alleyway beside the shops/canal: 50% of people use the alleyway but no support for the alleyway to be shut.

Comments:

• Empty the bins more often
• New seating to be rustic style
• Extra lighting beside the shops (where the bushes currently are)
• Playground/pitch lights don’t work (?)
• Gym equipment suggested
• Upgrade the playground/Astroturf
• Don’t expand play equipment/noisy/improve what is there
• More bins
• Sports coaching/activity to take place on the pitch

Community bulb planting Sunday 19 October 2014 11am to 1pm 

400 cyclamen bulbs planted by volunteers – flowers next autumn

 

Coloured dots: always popular for getting people’s views

Friends of Burgess Park have successfully raised £23,000 to improve the planting and seating in Jowett Street Park. The funding is from Southwark Council cleaner greener safer fund £13,000 and the Mayor of London Pocket Parks £10,000.

We are launching the project on Saturday 4 October with fun and games including making a new name sign for the park, more art and craft activity with willow weaving plus some traditional children’s games and races.

Come along between 1pm-5pm and let us know your ideas for Jowett Street park. It is already a tranquil green space with a well-used playground but there are some areas which need some tlc.

• The back of the shops forms a key section of the park but is a messy mix of different walls and fences
• The alley way up to the bridge is obstructed by bins
• The park beside the pavement on Commercial Way is uninteresting
• The entrance way next to the shops is narrow and uninviting

We have linked up with Fun Palaces for this event.