Bushy Park - Monthly Park Manager's Reports

May 2010

Ray Brodie reported a busy month for the park.

Chestnut Sunday had been successful and well organised by Deputy Manager, Bill Swan. In spite of the cold weather between eight and ten thousand people were estimated to have attended. The chestnut trees were looking good, but it was too early to judge damage from the leaf miner. Unfortunately the water flow to Diana Fountain had been interrupted by an unknown blockage, this had cleared itself 2 days later. The fountain was now operating correctly.

Rain was badly needed to allow reseeding & top-dressing of the sports pitches and at the Water Gardens. Blanket weed had started to grow in the ponds in the Water Gardens and a new natural bacteria was being tried out to combat the problem but is expensive.

The new Clapperstile car park was open to the public, but the new gateway had not been constructed correctly and use will be delayed until it has been replaced. The Upper Lodge car park was remaining open for the time-being.

There had been a full series of schools projects and the Education Team had used the £10K funding-for-local-groups to good advantage.

The Heritage Lottery Fund Chairman and Chief Executive had paid a visit to the park. Using the Payback Scheme in co-operation with the Police and Hounslow Council work was being done to tidy up along the Longford River.

February 2010

In the Water Gardens, a leak had occurred and was being dealt with, but the heavy winter rains were causing problems delaying reinstatement of the grassed area. The ground by Hampton Hill Gate was also awash, but since this was at the level of the water table little could be done. Information for the public was available at the Welcome Centre.

Contractors had been appointed for the alterations to the Clapperstile car park.

The Welcome Centre continued to have problems: the automatic door was not coping with high usage and the frequent presence of people nearby. The toilet floor needed repair, as did the obtrusive decorative orange wall plaque. These were covered by defect liability insurance. The cafe concessionaires wished to improve the kitchen layout and the floor surface.

There was a problem with fencing at the Welcome Centre car park which had proved too weak. A mesh screen bolted to posts was proposed. The fence was necessary to prevent deer entering since a cattle grid had not been provided. It was noted that plans submitted to the Stakeholder Meetings had shown a fence between the cafe and the Woodland Gardens which had not yet been erected. Plans are being developed for a new low level fence between the PWC and the Woodland Gardens.

There had been good feedback from the public to the service provided at the Information Point. The volunteers too appeared to be enjoying manning the information desk. It was hoped that the Friends would man the desk more often, but for the time-being it was felt prudent to limit further cover to half-term and maybe one day a week during the summer, and this was being considered. 5 new volunteers were being trained. More were always welcome. An invitation should be included in the April Newsletter.

New fencing was planned by the allotments near Pantile Bridge, on the south of the sports grounds and along Duke's Head passage.

January 2010

Ray Brodie reported a quiet period dominated by snow falls and historically low temperatures, -9 degrees C. Hard work had ensured Bushy Park remained open, but work on the Diana pool and the pipe feeding the Diana Fountain had been held up. The main roadway and pedestrian bridges had been gritted. At one point the river had frozen over causing anxiety that water would overflow.

Ray Brodie had asked Richard Flenley of Land Use Consultants for information regarding replacement of The finials at the Water Gardens. They and Bill Swan were to meet on 26th January. He was keeping Kathy White (former FBHP chairman and founder of The Water Garden Trust) fully informed.

Re-arrangement of the servery at the Welcome Centre, and possible improvements to piping, and the floor surface were under consideration. Heating has currently been produced by electricity since woodchips had not been available due to delivery problems caused by the weather.

A new Administration Officer, Peter Nacmanson, had been appointed. He would be working out of White Lodge.

NPL and the Estates Department were working on practical arrangements for running the Clapperstile car park. Construction work had been delayed by the weather.

 

December 2009

As a result of the dry summer, Ray Brodie reported that there had been problems with water flow in the Longford River.

2 hinds had entered the Woodland Gardens but could not now be found so may have left.

At the end of his first year, Chris Nickerson appeared to have settled in well and is ready to assume full responsibility.

The FBHP shrub planting day had been fun and successful.

The statue of Diana, fully repaired and regilded, had been reinstated on 17 November providing a stunning focal point in the Park.

The art historian, Sir Roy Strong, had visited the Water Gardens accompanied by Kathy White. He was enthusiastic and had given his support to further restoration, such as mounting the finials on the alcoves.

 Ray Brodie was planning to replace the fence by the Welcome Centre with more attractive and practical wire fencing and altering the gateway.

It was reported that people with cycles found entry via the present gates difficult and in some cases impossible.

Ray Brodie concluded by reiterating his appreciation of FBHP's initiating the Water Gardens restoration and supporting & contributing so much to the Bushy Park restoration.