Straiton Place Park

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Mark Cameron
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Straiton Place Park

Post by Mark Cameron » 28 Jun 2011, 20:18

A meeting of Friends of Straiton Park took place in the park on Friday and a number of the 'Porty Dads' attended to show their support and willingness to be involved in canvassing opinion from the community and providing input (be it brain or braun) in any resultant agreed way forward.

We'd really be keen to get as many ideas from as many people in our community to understand what ideas are out there for the space.

You can use the link below to post ideas (as many as you like).

Some ideas already floated have been:
- an inclusive play / exercise park on par with the Meadows or Musselburgh with equipment for the young, old, able and disabled
- a space for community events to be held
- a storytelling area with views over the Forth for use by local groups
- an allotment space for use by nurseries, schools etc.
- a series of beach huts that can be rented for small businesses

As this is a large space and large parts are relatively underused at the minute there does not necessarily have to be just one use for the space (so a combination of things could be what the community want).

One of the issues (of course) will be funding with the parks department having no budget specifically for this park however they are very keen to work with the community to make this space better and infact carried out a survey which got 65 responses recently.

There may of course be alternative means of funding (through grants and sponsorship and good old fund raising events) and I guess these depend on the eventual plan.

So it's over to you Porty............... :D it would be great if you could give this some thought and give us some ideas. After all is there another park space in Edinburgh with a stunning location and so much potential?

Follow this link to submit comments: http://bit.ly/mhgGT4

Here's an example of what community spirit can achieve (although this construction might be a little on the large side for the Prom) - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u-5ORYuWBdU

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Last edited by wangi on 28 Jun 2011, 21:20, edited 1 time in total.
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Mark

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wangi
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Re: Straiton Place Park

Post by wangi » 28 Jun 2011, 21:32

Hi Mark - I think a problem just now is the park is pretty much fully enclosed. The fences are a big barrier to people actually wondering off the Prom to enjoy the space some more. That's especially true on the smaller half which was recently flagged as a possible site for a car park to easy local parking issues!

So, get rid of (some of) the fences. That then makes it an easier and more accessible for space for community events to be held - the cake stand acting as a potential stage.

A beach volleyball court?

Thinking hat on...

L//

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Re: Straiton Place Park

Post by wangi » 28 Jun 2011, 21:35

Maureen Child, Councillor’s Report wrote:Straiton Place Park
Our emerging ‘Friends’ group for this small park at the foot of Marlborough Street met on a sunny afternoon, as small children played around us. Some of the ‘Porty Dads’ group are now to meet with the Council’s own playground designers to come up with some ideas and drawings on which to go out to public consultation. Their ideas are firmly based on a survey which so far attracted sixty responses, on paper and on line. These have been analysed by the Council officers, and the local group, and show the main ways the park should be improved, with better play equipment and ways to ensure dog walkers don’t let their pets foul the area.

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Mark Cameron
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Re: Straiton Place Park

Post by Mark Cameron » 28 Jun 2011, 21:42

One of the issues that came out strongly in the Council Park's survey was that people are put off by the amount of dog dirt especially in that smaller part (as mentioned in Maureen's report above). I agree that opening it up would be good but only if we could address the dog mess issue.
Mark

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Re: Straiton Place Park

Post by wangi » 28 Jun 2011, 21:50

Roger that, but the fences act both ways - they can keep dogs in so they can get about and do their business off the lead...

It's also catch 20-20: the less used it is, the more likely it is for otherwise responsible dog owners to look the other way. But if it's busier, ...

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Pal of Porty
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Re: Straiton Place Park

Post by Pal of Porty » 29 Jun 2011, 15:17

I think built in BBQ's and benches would be good - works really well in lots of other places. 8)
Justice delayed is justice denied.

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Epykat
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Re: Straiton Place Park

Post by Epykat » 29 Jun 2011, 16:05

I love the beach hut business idea - we need a bit of colour and beachy type things!
Enough of your nonsense - get back to the Play Pen!

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Porty
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Re: Straiton Place Park

Post by Porty » 29 Jun 2011, 17:06

mcdryburn wrote: I agree that opening it up would be good but only if we could address the dog mess issue.
Think out the box: we could ask the ESPY to bake the poo into brick like shapes (during the night when they are closed to the public) and then build a Big Things on The Beach type art thing?
.....ambition makes you look pretty ugly

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SoupDragon
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Re: Straiton Place Park

Post by SoupDragon » 29 Jun 2011, 20:36

I thought the whole idea of the park being fenced and the cattle grid was to discourage dogs ( though it doen't stop the determined dog owner taking their dogs there to foul )
Compare the amount of dogs dirt on the unfenced bit to the fenced bit
You'll also notice there are more kids playing football in the fenced area and there are few places in the area that kids can safely kick a ball around

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Puerto bella
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Re: Straiton Place Park

Post by Puerto bella » 29 Jun 2011, 22:13

Reminders of the lovely ideas that came out of the Planning For Real workshop for the Paddling Pool site all those years ago........... As an aside can anyone tell me why are there so many huge campers (and white vans) parked on our Porty streets now? It didn't always used to be like this? Theres a place in East Lothian where you can securely park your camper/ van or caravan for a fee but it doesn't clog up the streets.

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Porty
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Re: Straiton Place Park

Post by Porty » 30 Jun 2011, 10:35

Puerto bella wrote:As an aside can anyone tell me why are there so many huge campers (and white vans) parked on our Porty streets now?
Could it be that they don't manufacture small campers and the greatest majority of vans are in fact white? (there's 2.5 Million white vans in the UK).

On a more serious note. When I lived in West Brighton Crescent; one summer we had a white camper parked in the street for about 2 or 3 months and there was people living it, sleeping there at nights. I didn't mind too much, in fact I didn't realise for a few weeks. Don't know whether any complaints were made? Maybe that's what is happening in some instances.
.....ambition makes you look pretty ugly

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SoupDragon
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Re: Straiton Place Park

Post by SoupDragon » 30 Jun 2011, 13:12

Some of the vans are used as family transport, some
My van may not look like its moved, but I have been VERY lucky and got back to the same space many days in a row.

Some of the vans are visiting I think, I know a couple of the vans are used by residents as work vans
the rest i dont know
maybe its their breeding season?


The park was being well used last night, the fenced area being the most popular

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Porty
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Re: Straiton Place Park

Post by Porty » 30 Jun 2011, 14:21

I walked past the community garden and coadstones a couple of sundays ago. I think its looking marvellous.
.....ambition makes you look pretty ugly

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