Gallagher Park.

[Malcolm Robinson]

The 'Friends of Gallagher Park' are putting out questionnaires to see what facilities our community would like to see down there, with the most practical being included in a 'master plan' for the Park.

There are several questions included but the most important at the moment is:

What facilities would you like to see there?.................

Please reply to this thread with any suggestions you might have which can then be included.

[Mr Darn]

A swimming pool.

[Merlin]

HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA.......HA That's the best joke since they told us 'Man has walked on the moon' More like the walked on the Nevada Desert PMSFL :dribble:

Edited August 1, 2011 by Fourgeeâ„¢

[Julie Scott]

The 'Friends of Gallagher Park' are putting out questionnaires to see what facilities our community would like to see down there, with the most practical being included in a 'master plan' for the Park.

There are several questions included but the most important at the moment is:

What facilities would you like to see there?.................

Please reply to this thread with any suggestions you might have which can then be included.

The Bmx track is great but its a shame that no club or more organized events have not happened. I think some lights would help to , during the darker nights it gets very dark very quickly .

[Merlin]

A question. Is access not restricted for the park?

[alison]

How about a multi-purpose sports shed type thing - which could be used for local teams/clubs of any sport to train indoors, hired for kids birthdays etc

[Malcolm Robinson]

Good point Julie and lighting is one of the suggestions already in. I am under the impression a cycle club use the Park now for training sessions? I will see if I can get them to post on here saying when and where they hold them.

Also I think you are right about events, but the more facilities which go in there the more chance there is of all sorts of events being organised. If anyone wants to get involved in organising an event why not go along to the FoGP meeting and suggest to them directly.

There is the Portrait Bench unveiling, along with other exhibitors etc planned for Sept 10th, once I have details I will post them here.

Merlin,

The Bedlington Forum commissioned that study into facilities in Bedlington and Gallagher Park was one of the sites investigated. One of the main concerns for the Park was lack of access road but the one Sustrans has just put in has blown that out of the water as far as I am concerned!

I now have 31 suggestions out of about 1400 replies, and thanks Mr D yours is included. Please if anyone has any suggestions post to this topic and possibly the more off the wall the better! We have to organise them by popularity then see what can be included in current funding bids and what are more longer term ambitions.

[Malcolm Robinson]

Thanks Alison, noted.

Even though that is already suggested, and something along those lines is currently the clear top suggestion, the fact that more and more people support it keeps it in that top spot.

[Merlin]

Another question. Security?

[Malcolm Robinson]

Another question. Security?

Think you will have to elaborate on that a bit Merlin..........?

[Merlin]

Well Malcolm if these 'purpose' built structures are not in use 24/7 whose to stop the vandals moving in? We all know what goes on in the park, you just have to count the white lightning and voddie bottles lying around! You have to admit that even with the Sustrans route, access is still restricted.

[Malcolm Robinson]

Merlin,

You sure you're not working for council on this one!!!!!

I think you raise invaluable points and only an idiot wouldn't take them into consideration but the only chance we have of seeing any sort of development is to work with the positives, no matter how tenuous they are!

There is support off the boys in blue and their input will be invaluable regarding some of the points you raise. Yesterday I was looking at 'vandal proof' modular buildings (and that's not an open invitation to test them!) so there are ways and means we can eliminate some of the possible problems.

Personally I think we have to get the kids to buy into the whole initiative and allow them some form of ownership because I think peer pressure is vital with regard to at least maintenance issues.

If everything was prefect Bedlington would have all the facilities it deserves but it doesn't and it's far from perfect so we can only work with what we have and make best use.

BTW, over 1700 replies now and 40 different suggestions between them! I would really like to double that first number!

[Keith Scantlebury]

Well Malcolm if these 'purpose' built structures are not in use 24/7 whose to stop the vandals moving in? We all know what goes on in the park, you just have to count the white lightning and voddie bottles lying around! You have to admit that even with the Sustrans route, access is still restricted.

MERLIN !!!!! You had to open your big piggin mouth didn't ya. Now where am I gonna go to drink my cider and meths in peace, ffs man nothing is sacred.

[Brett]

Well Malcolm if these 'purpose' built structures are not in use 24/7 whose to stop the vandals moving in? We all know what goes on in the park, you just have to count the white lightning and voddie bottles lying around! You have to admit that even with the Sustrans route, access is still restricted.

If you're that concerned Merlin, why not organise some sort of community event in the evenings so that the louts you mentioned can use the facilities that will be provided and hopefully they will respect the park rather than abuse it.

Maybe setup a voluntary 5-a-side tournament on a weekly basis or something similar. If I remember correctly there was something not too long ago which setup in Tesco car park with a make-shift 5-a-side court but a more regular event organised might lure people away from the drinking of cider and do something more productive.

[Merlin]

Malcolm, Working for the COONCIL? are ye oot ov ya mind lad? :dribble: The question of security, I think, was a valid one! I mean if the P artists and the graffiti artists move in and make the place look like Bedlington Front Street, the place(Gal Pk) would suffer with nobody wanting to use it. The question of security needs to be addressed from the outset, to prevent these things happening, and the park becoming a huge white elephant! Don't get me wrong, I am all in favour of developing the park, providing facilities for kids and for family entertainment, but I do not want all your, and every one else's hard work to be in vain because of a few mindless morons!

Keith, you'll just have to stay in more :lol:

Brettly, thing is, the louts, cider drinkers won't be the ones getting involved in the park! My views on louts is well documented on this site! I am NO, do-gooder. These people need a good thrashing to tell where they got the drink from, if from shops the full force of the law should be used to close them down, and if it was an older person buying them drink then they should be thrashed as well, did I mention a good thrashing for the owners of the shops? No? Well......... That's a lot of thrashing I'm a bit tired out! :dribble:

Things for park, Bowling alleys. How about a crazy golf

[Brett]

I know of a system where each shop that serves alcohol has a number so when said louts are found with drink when they shouldn't have it they can trace the bottle/cans back to the shop that sold the alcohol in the first place and there were provisions to prosecute the shop owner/keeper for selling the alcohol. I am not sure is this was an effort to increase the vigilance of the shopkeepers as opposed to preventing the sale of alcohol but I heard of the scheme having some success in Blyth.

Maybe if this is not active in the Bedlington area then it should be looked into as there are not too many places where young'uns can obtain alcohol, as say surrounding towns.

As for the park, how about a bill wall where it is acceptable for the young'uns to "decorate". That sort of action has proved successful in places like San Francisco and saved the surrounding buildings if there are legitimate places for the more creative to express there work. One wall rendered and painted white every so often wouldn't be a huge expense and we might even discover the next Banksy

I personally don't mind graffiti if it is well thought out and drawn. I object to chavvy nicknames scrawled all over buildings with a paint marker because Stacee luvs Macca and the likes.

[Malcolm Robinson]

Merlin,

I agree security is a valid concern and has to be taken into account but I don't accept we should forget about any ambitions we might have for the sake of hypothetical problems.

At the moment we have to win the initial arguments to get some focussed effort. Once we get something more concrete then we consider the possible resulting issues and at least try and pre plan contingences for them. The more questionnaires we get back the more serious the whole thing is taken.

Let's win the argument before we shoot ourselves in the foot!

I have added your suggestions, they are both already there and interestingly a bowling alley is quite a popular one.

Brettly,

Added your idea for a 'reusable' graffiti board.

[Keith Scantlebury]

Crazy golf? I agree, all golf is crazy

[Brett]

Merlin,

I agree security is a valid concern and has to be taken into account but I don't accept we should forget about any ambitions we might have for the sake of hypothetical problems.

At the moment we have to win the initial arguments to get some focussed effort. Once we get something more concrete then we consider the possible resulting issues and at least try and pre plan contingences for them. The more questionnaires we get back the more serious the whole thing is taken.

Let's win the argument before we shoot ourselves in the foot!

I have added your suggestions, they are both already there and interestingly a bowling alley is quite a popular one.

Brettly,

Added your idea for a 'reusable' graffiti board.

Thankyou Malcolm.

Are you aware if the alcohol tagging is in place in the area too? I know it was being used (possibly trialled) in Blyth but it would be a good indication as to where the alcohol is coming from. It can't be the supermarkets as I can't even get served for alcohol at 25 (Look about 45 with a beard, which is more often than not).

[Malcolm Robinson]

Thankyou Malcolm.

Are you aware if the alcohol tagging is in place in the area too? I know it was being used (possibly trialled) in Blyth but it would be a good indication as to where the alcohol is coming from. It can't be the supermarkets as I can't even get served for alcohol at 25 (Look about 45 with a beard, which is more often than not).

I will certainly ask the question for you and get back. I know there is an upcoming police meeting the chair of the Forum is attending.

[Malcolm Robinson]

Sept 10th..............

[P.A.W.S.]

I'm sure somebody has suggested a loo or two, though I can't see it on here.

[bedlington bears]

I'd like to see responsible dog owners who do not allow their off-lead dogs to approach on-lead dogs. Your dog may be happy and friendly but on-lead dogs generally do not like their space invaded. Are you reading this tall, gaunt looking man with the reasonable (probably under the thumb wife) and the black retriever? You are so rude! I have responsibility over my dogs - I do not wish to be responsible for yours too! Get him under control.

[John Fox (foxy)]

I'm sure somebody has suggested a loo or two, though I can't see it on here.

I was unlucky enough to walk down there on Sunday morning when the Grand Prix was diverted from Korea.The speed humps are too far apart and are doing nothing to slow down the traffic.

[John Fox (foxy)]

I'm sure somebody has suggested a loo or two, though I can't see it on here.

A dog loo sounds a good idea.