PACT Food group

Food Group Meeting

Date: 
Fri, 06/05/2011 - 19:00 to Thu, 28/03/2024 - 03:36
Venue: 
Castle Park, Penrith
Organisation: 
PACT
Group tag: 

 

Notes from food Group Meeting 6th May

The food group meeting involved a walk round Castle Park and discussion about how the facilities could be further enhanced and improved.

The first observation is that the park is a valuable and as far as we could tell well used resource. Facilities include putting, tennis, bowls, obstacle golf, play area, toilets and of course the castle. On the Friday night we visited the park many of these facilities were being used as well as people walking their dogs or out with their family.

It was agreed that before any action was taken discussion would need to be held with the Friends of Castle Parks and the Council to ensure there was support for the proposals from local residents.

The thoughts of the group were as follows

  1. With reductions in Council funding it was important to reduce costs and maximise income generation. Four things were suggested

  • Reduce costs by installing automatic gates to tennis courts so that the need for an attendant to be present was eliminated.

  • Find ways to promote the facilities so that membership income was increased for the bowls club and tennis facilities.

  • Look at letting a concession for food and drink.

  • Reduce labour intensive planting and grass cutting by using different planting designs, including ground hugging plants which would reduce the growth of weeds. Also reduced the use of annuals and increase perennials. Also look to plant wild flower areas so that grass cutting was minimised e.g. the castle moat.

  1. Improve signage both to the park from the town, particularly important with the building of the New Squares development and within the park. There is potential to use the park as the main route way from the station to the town. The restriction is perhaps the current opening hours of the park 7.30 to 9 in summer but only 7.30 to 4.30 or dusk in winter. The signage and information around the castle could also be improved as there is no information board, other than one advising about health and safety issues, if one enters the castle from the main park entrance opposite the station.

  2. Develop an annual programme of activities for the park, external concert or plays, use of band stand area for events or music, green/food events. This could be facilitated if electricity could be run to the band stand and adjacent parts of the park. This area could also be used for craft markets and events like Giants of Eden.

  3. Plant more trees particularly fruit trees in the area to the north of the bowling green. This could be turned into a permaculture area, which in turn could provide the logic for associated events.

Finally we had a quick brain storming exercise to bring forward other suggestions

  1. Town farm

  2. Giant games, chess etc

  3. Orienteering course

  4. Objects which can be used to produce music, assembly of pipes, drums, etc.

  5. Tree House

  6. Climbing wall

  7. Events :- Story telling, Bonfire night, travelling productions, walk in movie

  8. Outdoor oven

  9. Christmas market.