Geraldine Mary Harmsworth Park and Vauxhall Park to lose Park Rangers

Last week, Tradescant blog noted that due to the inevitable Lambeth Council cuts, Vauxhall Park will be losing the services of its two full-time gardeners and all of its Park Rangers.  There's an "ipetition", left by a reader on a comment some months ago that you can sign electronically to make your voice heard about the Lambeth Park Ranger service.  They've 466 signatures so far. 

This week, it's Southwark Council's turn.  I've been notified by the Friends of Geraldine Mary Harmsworth Park (GMHP) that Southwark plan to remove the full-time Park Ranger/Gardener service from the GMH Park and replace it with a rotating part-time team.  The Friends of GMHP are holding a public meeting on 28th March (7pm-9pm) at St Jude's Community Association, The Crypt, St George's Road, London, SE1 6EZ at which they will ask Southwark Council to be answerable to the community about how the park will be run in the absence of the Ranger Service.

The Friends' group have also written to Southwark to advise them on the following points:

• Based on an updated estimate from a 2002 Mori poll, it's likely that in excess of 2.5 million people use the Geraldine Mary Harmsworth Park each year.  This is likely to be increased in 2012 due to the Olympic Games. 
• The park is only 5.9 hectares in size.  This makes the footfall it receives per person per hectare comparable to St James' Park.  Given the intense pressures upon it, it needs constant care rather than seasonal attention.  Maintenance at a lower lever will have a negative impact on overseas visitors to the Imperial War Museum.
• The Ranger Gardeners deal politely and sensitively on a daily basis with 5-10 rough sleepers (and their bedding and excrement) and ensure that the playground is free from unsavoury characters.  In the past, the Parks Liaison Officers have not demonstrated effective interpersonal skills in this regard, and they'd be shared with 2 other parks, which (in view of the size of GMHP) would likely negatively impact the other parks
• The presence of Rangers at different times of the day has reduced vandalism, increased security and nearly eliminated drug-dealing.  Ocacsional patrols would not provide a continued presence capable of maintaining the character of the park.
• The plans that Southwark Council have presented do not make savings at higher grades.  New proposals introduce a Director position which cuts the budget for Ranger/Gardeners (who are good value for money).  Southwark's plans may benefit larger parks, but the GMHP would lose out.

Do attend the above meeting if the GMHP is your local park and you're worried that reduction in the Ranger Service might make it a less attractive place to be.  The park is across the border in SE1, but it's a local park for many Kennington folk...

Geraldine Mary Harmsworth Park bulb planting and gardening (of the non-guerrilla variety)

There's a fantastic park, just over the SE11 border, named Geraldine Mary Harmsworth Park.  It opened in 1934 and was dedicated to the "struggling mothers of Southwark", see here.  Many people, I suspect, probably just consider it to be part of the grounds of the Imperial War Museum.  As a park managed by Southwark Council, it's fortunate enough to have two full time park rangers, who hope to build on the work started last year to bring extra Spring colour to the park.  This is the part where you come in...

Over the next few weeks, 5000 bulbs will be delivered to the park and the rangers could use some helpful volunteers to plant them all.  Consequently, Sunday 24 October, from 10am – 1pm has been named "Bulb Planting Day".  Anybody wishing to plant bulbs needs to show up on the Kennington Road side of the park wearing outdoor clothes.  You can stay for as long (or leave as soon) as you like.  Gloves will be provided.  I know that Spring feels a long way off, but the reward for taking part in this activity will be an amazing display of colour next year, and you can't beat the pleasure that comes from back breaking hard work, right?  In any case, voluntary projects are a great way to meet local people and contribute to making London a better place to be.  I wonder whether any of the regular Tweetup/bloggy people might be interested?