Saturday 31 March 2012

Easter in Cuthill Park


Many Easter eggs have been rolled down our slopes over the years (and sledges, and more recently scooters).

Cuthill Park is a brilliant place at Easter!  The wooded area is perfect for a family egg hunt because they are so many nooks and crannies to hide them in.

More Easter ideas
Easter scavenger hunt nature detectives wildlife club arrow scavenger hunt
spring nature trail ticklist nature detectives wildlife club arrow spring nature trail kit
Easter egg large nature detectives wildlife club arrow egg trail
large rabbit picture nature detectives wildlife club arrow Easter bunny trail
Easter hunt sheet nature detectives wildlife club arrow spotter sheet
nest challengenature detectives wildlife club arrownest building challenge
chocolate Easter nests nature detectives wildlife club arrow Easter nests recipe
easter basket nature detectives wildlife club arrow Easter basket
rabbit ears nature detectives wildlife club arrow rabbit mask
Easter card nature detectives wildlife club arrow Easter card template
forest floor cake ingredients nature detectives wildlife club arrow forest floor cake
Easter wordsearch nature detectives wildlife club arrow wordsearch
lamb jigsaw puzzle nature detectives wildlife club arrow lamb jigsaw puzzle
Lesser celandine 'spot the difference' nature detectives wildlife club arrow spot the difference
easter chick nature detectives wildlife club arrow Easter chick art sheet
rabbit outline nature detectives wildlife club arrow rabbit art sheet

Wednesday 14 March 2012

Royal Protection for the Park!

Can you remember back in June 2011, we asked you to nominate Cuthill Park as your favourite outdoor space in East Lothian?  Well, several of you emailed East Lothian Council who in turn, put Cuthill Park forward for protection under the Queen Elizabeth Fields Challenge, which aims to protect UK outdoor spaces.

Please show your support for the nomination by clicking 'Like' on Cuthill Park's page on the Queen Elizabeth Fields Challenge website.

Thank you!

Tuesday 13 March 2012

Wildflower planting

Shown below is a plan of where the East Lothian Council will sow some wildflower seeds in the park.


Rotavation will begin shortly and we will look forward to seeing cornflowers and poppies etc in the park.  The wildflower planting at neighbouring Prestongrange (shown below) certainly looked spectacular last summer!






 

Thursday 8 March 2012

Work Day: Sunday 11 March: 11-4


Tuesday 6 March 2012

East Lothian Open Space Strategy - Prestonpans Cluster Assessment

Shown below is a summary of the Prestonpans Cluster Assessment as it relates to Cuthill Park.  (You can read the entire Prestonpans Cluster Assessment here)

Parks and Gardens

In terms of quantity of provision of parks and gardens, the Prestonpans cluster meets the ELC standard with 67.46m2 parks per household.  In terms of quality of parks, the cluster falls below the standard (70%) with an average site quality score of 65%, with some sites scoring as low as 40%.

Playspace

There is only a small area of housing at the western extent of Prestonpans that does not meet the ELC standard for play.

Parks and Play Area Actions

The standards analysis has identified the following key actions:
The parks in the cluster fall below the quality standard (70%) with an average site quality score of 65% and some sites scoring as low as 40%.  Prestonpans has the lowest scoring sites.  Identify the lowest scoring sites (PR06 - Cuthill Park, PR09, PR16 and PR25) and upgrade the facilities and landscape quality, bringing them up to the minimum quality standards.  Prioritise facilities over landscape quality, wich can be developed as the park matures and the footfalls increase.  Quality of the sites that fall just below the standard could be improved by relatively low cost measures such as bulb planting, wildflower meadows or tree planting.  Address quality of parks in the Cluster.  Identify the lowest scoring sites and upgrade the facilities and landscape quality, bringing them up to the minimum quality standards.

Priority Open Space Projects

PR06 Cuthill Park Local Park Quality Score 48

Consider a total reworking and re-planting of the space including in the redesign a children's play area, cleaner more welcoming wider access points with a variety of colourful tree and shrub planting.  A clearer and more substantial path network and other facilities such as benches and bins.










Open Space Strategy Consultation


Open Space StrategyEast Lothian Council is seeking the views of local people on the proposed East Lothian Open Space Strategy.


The strategy sets out the vision for new and improved space and also addresses any deficiencies identified. It is intended to help inform decisions regarding the provision, development, management, maintenance and enhancement of open spaces, play areas and outdoor sports pitches over the period of 2012-2022. It also seeks to ensure that the important role and contribution of open space to communities and the quality of life of local residents is appropriately recognised.  
Council Leader, Paul McLennan explained:
“The Open Space Strategy is the second part of a process – the first was an audit of 209 open spaces in the East Lothian towns and villages completed in 2009. The aim of the audit was to provide a clearer understanding of current provision and future needs of local communities. The Audit was completed in 2009 and included assessments of parks, amenity open spaces, play provision and green networks.
“The draft East Lothian Open Space Strategy focuses on parks, open spaces, play areas and sports pitches in the East Lothian Council urban and urban fringe areas in particular the six geographic cluster areas of Musselburgh, Tranent, Prestonpans, Haddington, North Berwick and Dunbar.
“The need to make improvements in our open spaces may require higher levels of community involvement, as well as engagement with our neighbouring councils in order to promote and develop habitat and access linkages between areas of open space. I already know of many local communities who have adopted open spaces for a range of uses. The current right to buy bid by the Seton Fields Community Company gives a clear indication of the commitment by some local residents to retain open space for future generations. I hope many respond to this consultation.”
Copies of the strategy and questionnaire are available at all East Lothian Libraries and at main Reception, John Muir House, Haddington and at the Brunton Hall, Musselburgh. To take part in the consultation online visit www.eastlothian.gov.uk/openspacestrategy  

The Council has also produced an environmental report that details the strategic environmental assessment that has been undertaken on the draft Open Space Strategy and indicates the likely significant effects the draft Strategy may have on the environment.  

If you have any comments on the environmental report please send them to landscapeandcountryside@eastlothian.gov.uk

Monday 5 March 2012

Workday in the park

Work date: Sunday 11th of March at 11am in the Community Garden. 

We will be moving barrels, marking out paths and weeding/mulching the hazel arch.

Feel free to bring some seeds along to plant.

Family friendly!

Thursday 1 March 2012

Download a Spring fact pack

It's March!

If you haven't visited Cuthill Park for a while, then make the most of the lovely spring weather and explore our grounds.  Before you do, make sure you download these Spring Fact Sheets.  They are great for finding out about the wildlife you're likely to see in the park when walking the dog, weeding in our community garden, admiring the mural, walking or geocaching (more about that later).

Birds
blackbird
fieldfare
great tit
redwing
rook
song thrush

Fungi

St George's mushroom

St George's mushrooms on toast

morel

scrambled eggs with morels
 
Insects
brimstone
red-tailed bumble bee 
ladybird (7-spot)


Shrubs  blackthorn
 hawthorn
 hazel

Flowers
bluebell
colt's foot
lesser celandine
snowdrop
wood anemone
 
Amphibians
nature detectives wildlife club arrowfrog tadpoles
frogspawn
newt 
(via NaturesCalendar)