Public Realm

[Mori]

http://www.eveningtimes.co.uk/features/display.var.1221897.0.0.php


I dont think there is a public realms thread on HG, wih all the revamps up and comming and with all the different parks we have in this city i think we need a Public Realm thread

Parks’ great leap forward

THEY were neglected swathes of land at risk of being bought up by developers and turned into housing.

But now 19 sites across Glasgow have been transformed into parks - and saved for future generations.

The areas of green space - some of which were derelict brownfield sites - are being given major facelifts and added to the official list of parks run by the city council.

That means they are safe from developers and will be in line for even more investment and improved maintenance.

advertisementIt brings Glasgow's total number of parks to 91 - 17 major parks like Kelvingrove and Bellahouston and 74 local parks.

Of the 19 new parks added to the official list, 10 are in the East End, five in the South Side, three in the West End and one in the north of the city.

The areas added to the council's official list of parks are: Ashtree Park, Pollokshaws; Beardmore Park, Parkhead; Bridgeton Park, Bridgeton; Buckingham Park and Carmyle New Park, both Mount Vernon; Crosshill Park, Ballieston; Duchray Park, Gartcraig; Earlybraes Park, Greenfield/Garrowhill; Eastfield Park, Springburn; Garthamlock Central Park, Garthamlock; Hayburn Park, Hayburn; Helenslea Park, Braidfauld; Mansewood High Park, Carnwadric; Mansefield Park, Partick; Maxwell Square, Pollokshields east; Penilee Park, Penilee; Sherbourne Park, Mount Vernon; Thornwood Community Park, Hayburn; Titwood Park, Maxwell Park

[mr moto]

i am now in a state of shock ! glasgow city council actualy doing something worthwhile ?
good on them, for once .

[Fat Cat]

i am now in a state of shock ! glasgow city council actualy doing something worthwhile ?
good on them, for once .

But is it? Is it a case of giving the plebs some shitty old land, stuck between the motorway and some scuzzy buildings and call it a park. Meanwhile, the "proper" parks like Hogganfield, Alexandra Park, etc will be divided up and sold off to developers.

This council never do anything for the benefit of the city, unless there is a benefit in their wallets.

Watch this space.

[Apollo]

One has to ask, if we accept that the council's transformation of the areas listed above protects them from developers is correct, then how can they be slated for:

"proper" parks like Hogganfield, Alexandra Park, etc will be divided up and sold off to developers

if they are also parks by the same definition?

Seems to be a bit of contradiction somewhere.

I wish they'd published a map or indication where these newly protected spots are, as I live close to 3 or 4 small parks that don't appear in the list, but I don't know if they have names, and feature on the list.

[crusty_bint]

I can't find a list of parks Apollo but it does say thee are over 70 parks under GCC's stewardship (who can name them all? all at once...) on the website. You can check the Environmental Designation map on the >City Plan map< for your local area. These new parks (which can only be welcomed, even if you dont consider yourself a pleb) won't appear on it tho as it was last updated in May 2005.

Cheers for starting this thread Mo, will look forward to your montages

[Apollo]

Thanks for the link, always amazes when these 'hidden' handy maps appear inside bigger sites. I'll have a wander around it.

I did have a look around their site, but the list was only of the bigger, well known offering like Kelvingrove, Alexandra etc.

[Fat Cat]

Glenconnor in Royston "was" protected, being donated in the early 20thC by Lord Glenconnor for the people of the area of enjoy. But GCC are determined to build on it, therefore depriving the people of the area the only green space in the vicinity. Will we find the new designated areas are actually areas which cannot be built on for residential purposes due to contamination, etc?

One has to ask, if we accept that the council's transformation of the areas listed above protects them from developers is correct, then how can they be slated for:

"proper" parks like Hogganfield, Alexandra Park, etc will be divided up and sold off to developers

if they are also parks by the same definition?

Seems to be a bit of contradiction somewhere.

I wish they'd published a map or indication where these newly protected spots are, as I live close to 3 or 4 small parks that don't appear in the list, but I don't know if they have names, and feature on the list.

[Mori]

Some Public realm projects being proposed around the city.

[Smartalex]

There was a public meeting in my local community centre about this Bridge and the campaign to save the bridge for it's links
and to stop the demolition because of it's poor state of repair.

Here is a recent pic of the bridge looking more like a fortress:-

[Mori]

Absolutely love this wee scheme, good on Freinds of Mansfield Park for securing this plan.


Friends of Mansfield Park Ltd
Refurbishment of Mansfield Park

Purpose of Report:
To advise Committee of proposals to extend the lease of Mansfield Park to the Friends of
Mansfield Park Ltd to meet the funding conditions imposed by the Big Lottery.

Recommendations:
It is recommended that the Committee agree to lease Mansfield Park to the Friends of the
Mansfield Park Ltd on the principal terms detailed in the report, in order to meet the funding
conditions imposed by the Big Lottery.

1. BACKGROUND
On 24 August 2005 the Council agreed to lease the area occupied by Mansfield Park
(Ward 12) to the Friends of Mansfield Park Ltd (‘the friends’) to implement a comprehensive
refurbishment programme. At that time the Council agreed a lease of 25 years (at £1 per
annum) with contributions of £500,000 from the City Growth Fund and £300,000 from the
LES Parks development programme capital budget towards the total capital costs of the
project of £2.32m. LES have also committed to continue the current level of revenue
spend on Park maintenance.

2. The Friends have devoted a considerable amount of time to raising the balance of the
funds required to implement the project, and contributions have been secured from
Community Scotland, SE Glasgow and various other charitable funds and foundations.
The largest single contribution is being sought from the Big Lottery through its “Investing In
Communities” programme. There has been considerable discussion between the Friends,
the Big Lottery and the Council over the potential terms on which the Big Lottery Funding
would be made available, with the Lottery favouring the transfer of ownership of the park to
the Trust, and the Council favouring an appropriate leasehold arrangement which would
ensure that in the event of any default on the part of the Friends the park would revert to
Council management. The Lottery has been advised that it would be contrary to Council
Policy to transfer ownership of a City Park to any external body.

3. After considerable negotiation the Committee is now being recommended to approve a
lease on the following principal terms and conditions:
a) The lease shall run for 99 years.
b) The lease will be granted at an annual rental of £1 per annum.
c) The lease will be conditional on the Friends confirming that it has the necessary
resources to complete the capital works and to fund the ongoing annual
maintenance costs.
d) The lease will be conditional on the Friends agreeing an appropriate annual
maintenance programme with the Executive Director of Land & Environmental
Services.
e) The lease will contain “break” clauses which can be implemented in the event
that the Friends default on the agreed maintenance schedule.
f) The lease will give the Council rights to utilise Mansfield Park for the Partick
Farmers Market.
g) The lease will require the Friends to hold the appropriate levels of insurance and
liability cover.
h) The lease will contain the other standard terms and conditions which are
appropriate to a lease of this nature.

4. SERVICE IMPLICATIONS
Financial: As the current level of revenue expenditure will continue after the
development is complete, the proposals will not result in a revenue saving
to the Executive Director of Land & Environmental Services.
Legal: The necessary legal work to conclude the lease will be undertaken by
Legal Services.
Personnel: None.
Service Plan: The proposals have already been approved by the Council and are in line
with the appropriate sections of the DRS and LES Service Plans.
Environmental: The proposals will significantly enhance the quality of the Mansfield Park
through a complete redevelopment of the existing facility in line with the
Planning Consent which has already been granted.

[Socceroo]

I think it is good what they are doing in terms of taking a lease on the Park, but some of the designs are a bit busy. It will be interesting to see how it turns out.

[Mori]

yer right socceroo.. i felt the farmers market was a bit overcrowded and need to be spread out a bit more for spacewise... but overall its a great wee plan i feel.

[Mori]

GCC had given the the city street workers canceled labels to deter flyposting last year but the scheme had not worked.

Several other methods have not detered flyposting over the city in the past therefore they have ben testing this method recently and it looks like they will be going ahead with installing drums around the city.





Item 8 (8 Pages)

Pilot Poster Site Scheme

Purpose of Report:
The purpose of this report is to advise the Development and Regeneration Policy Development and
Scrutiny Committee of the outcome of the pilot scheme for authorised small poster advertising.

Recommendations:
It is recommended that Committee notes :
1. the positive outcome of the pilot exercise, and
2. that further similar partnership initiatives with the flyposting industry to reduce unregulated
flyposting in the city will be considered.

1.0 BACKGROUND
1.1 On 14 October 2004, the Development and Regeneration Services Committee approved a report
by the Director of Regeneration Services on the Control of Street Poster Advertising. Committee
agreed, inter alia, that
a. advertising drums be installed for a trial period of six months at Byres Road, Charing
Cross and St Georges Cross to determine whether they led to an improvement with
regard to unauthorised flyposting; and
b. the outcome of the pilot project be reported back to committee.
1.2 The Council entered into a partnership arrangement with City Centre Posters Limited (CCP) to
implement the pilot scheme. The main elements of the agreement were that
a. CCP were responsible for providing the drums and obtaining all necessary permissions,
including advertisement consent;
b. a “clean down” area was to be agreed between CCP and the Council which would be
cleaned of unauthorised flyposting at least once a week for the duration of the pilot
project;
c. prior to the installation of the drums, a joint site survey (CCP/GCC) of the clean down
areas was to be undertaken to record the condition of the areas, and this was to be
repeated at fortnightly intervals;
d. the scheme, including the provision of the drums, their repair and maintenance at each
site, the maintenance of the clean down zones including the removal of unauthorised
flyposting and the photographic recording of the zones, was to be fully funded by CCP.
All arrangements for leasing advertising space on the drums were the responsibility of
CCP, and any income derived from advertisers was retained by them; and
e. an Evaluation Report would be prepared by CCP.
1.3 After prolonged discussion on the extent of the clean down zones and the conclusion of a formal
agreement between CCP and the Council, ten drums were installed over approximately two
months by CCP starting at the end of November 2006 – five in Byres Road, two at Charing Cross
and three at St Georges Cross.
1.4 Although the trial period ended in the summer of 2007, the preparation of the Evaluation Report
by CCP has taken some time. In the period since the end of the six month pilot period, the
original statutory applications for Advertisement Consent have lapsed and fresh applications have
been submitted for a further six months to regularise the planning status of the drums. Pending
presentation of the Evaluation Report to Committee, CCP have continued to maintain the clean
down areas, and undertake other obligations included in the Agreement.
1.5 The drums themselves are purpose built installations - freestanding, octagonal advertising drums
placed on site and weighed down to prevent movement. Each drum has a height of 2895 mm
and an approximate maximum width of 1600 mm at the base. Appendix 1 shows a typical drum.

[Sydney Rosewater]

Anybody got any idea where this "Bridgeton Park" is??

[Mori]

Pollok is No1 park



POLLOK Country Park in the South Side of Glasgow has been named best park in Europe.

It beat off tough competition from parks in Poland, France, Italy, Sweden and Germany to clinch the top prize.

Last year the park - run by Glasgow City Council - was named the best park in Britain and it has now became the first UK park to win the European award.

Land and environment executive spokeswoman Ruth Simpson said: "The Dear Green Place is celebrated for its parks and green spaces and this accolade simply confirms Pollok Country Park is a unique place of natural beauty.