Monday 4 October 2010

TED talk on surburbia - Why the locality is important to communities

WISH LEAVES IN BURGESS PARK

LOCAL PEOPLE WRITE ON A LEAF THEIR WISH FOR THE PARK - SOUTHWARK ARE SPENDING MILLIONS REGENERATING THIS PARK

WHAT WOULD YOU WISH FOR HONOR OAK PARK RECREATION GROUND?

Friends of Honor Oak Park green space is a sub-group of Honor Oak Park action group (HOPAG). It’s a tricky place to get improvements made to as the station sits right on the boundary of Lewisham and Southwark Council. The station is owned by Network Rail but managed by TfL who contract out to LORAL etc etc. HOPAG has forged links with the key players and secured funding for the planting, oak bench and Moo Moo recycling bin outside the station.

But now we have bigger more ambitious plans that we and hopefully future generations will benefit from.

For the past few years we have been keeping a watchful eye on this important local space. Years of woeful neglect and mismanagement opened the gates (literally) to years of fly tipping. Southwark embarked on a massive clean up operation which is coming to an end soon.

We recently met with Southwark to discuss their long-term vision for this space. There will be planting - hopefully a woodland type area. But unfortunately the tipping has destabilised the railway cutting and the roots of the trees are adding to this problem. Network Rail have no alternative but to cut all the mature tress down at the station. This is why the planting scheme on Southwark land is vitally important to get right.

This is where we need YOU.

We know that locals care about HOP and passionately believe that it’s the duty of local councils to create spaces that people care about, they are the custodians of the land that affects our everyday lives. The future is Local.

Our objectives:

  • Capitalise on the opportunity this new space creates
  • Work with Southwark on it’s new planting scheme – that includes the potential for a beautiful woodland area
  • Land for burial in London has run out – we have to think more sustainably
  • One obvious solution would be to create an area for woodland burial
  • Continuous consulation with locals via Friends of Honor Oak green space

Email us at fohopark@gmail.com or go to our facebook page honoroakgreenspace

Sunday 3 October 2010

When pressure from thousands of tones of illegally dumped waste began to threaten the stability of a railway cutting, the London Borough of Southwark was advised to begin clearing the site earlier this year. Friends of Honor Oak Park green space met with Southwark Council to find out their short and long term plans for this newly cleared space. We think this is a great opportunity to create something wonderful, beautfiul and sustainable. We want them to restore what was once a haven for wildlife and a peaceful site and to give this space back to the community.

Southwarks plans are to review thier burial provision which may involve extending the cemetery, but land for burial in London has run out. We have to think of better and sustainable ways of creating burial places. Honor Oak Park creation ground is a well used placed used by the local community and other visitors. We would like to create a better enviroment for those who live closeby.

The planet needs more broadleaf trees to help stem the deterioration of our atmosphere and many Woodland Burial Grounds achieve this by planting a tree in remembrance of a loved one, instead of a traditional stone memorial. The planting of a tree not only adds to the natural beauty of the countryside, but it also aids in the fight against global warming thus providing the natural habitat for insects, birds and other wildlife.

Friday 1 October 2010

Love Honor Oak


We love honor oak park - help us to keep it special

Please help to create a green oasis again behind this gate
Please help with our tree planting day
Please help us in creating a woodland burial space!

Today we had a meeting on site to discuss the proposed re tree planting with Southwarks Parks Service Development Officer and Southwark's tree officer. They showed us the proposed tree planting scheme and we discussed the proposed development of better sustainable recreation ground and cemetery site.

A plan of proposed trees and shrubs will be available soon.
If you want to get involved please get in touch asap.

We still need YOU