New children's play area planned for Polson Park

It is always good to hear of other public spaces being upgraded so the Friends of Cuthill Park were pleased for the neighbouring town of Tranent when they heard a new £100,000 children's play area will be built there.

Polson Park is the largest open space in the town but the existing play area has become run down and provides limited play opportunity. Recent surveys carried out in Tranent indicated that the play area was the single most popular reason for people to visit the park but improvements were required.

East Lothian Council appointed Jupiter Play and Leisure Ltd to design and install the new play area following a tender process. In order to ensure that the new play area meets the needs of children of different ages and abilities in Tranent Jupiter Play will consult extensively with local residents and community groups.
Cabinet member for community wellbeing, Cllr Ruth Currie, said:

"Polson Park is an important asset for Tranent residents but visitor numbers have dropped recently because it has become run down. A major restoration plan was prepared for the park but unfortunately failed to secure Heritage Lottery Funding in 2009. East Lothian Council remains committed to upgrading facilities within the park and I am delighted that the work for the new play area will shortly begin. I know from similar projects across the county that the play area will attract children, their friends and families to the park. It seems particularly appropriate that the park will continue to be enjoyed by new generations of local residents as we approach its centenary year." 

Polson Park was gifted to the people of Tranent back in 1911 by the trustees for the Polson family. The foundations of the park were laid out in the following years through the creation of formal walks, turfing and fencing. In 1925 the Tranent Miners welfare committee began the process of developing the park as 'a recreation ground providing facilities for outdoor exercise for the community'. The plans for the park dating from this time show that it was to be divided into four distinct sections - a games area, a children's play area, a formal garden and an open area for juvenile sports. This basic layout of the park remains today.
The existing play area equipment will be removed and the new equipment will be appropriate for pre-school children, early primary years and 10-14 year olds. Seats and litter bins will also be installed for picnic provision and the play area will be completed for opening by Easter 2011. In addition to the new play area East Lothian Council will also upgrade the path infrastructure of the park.

We hope this bodes well for our own plans to upgrade Cuthill Park.

Autumn Antics

The latest pieces of artwork to adorn the park's walls are the 'Lowes Market Garden' mural and 'Cuthill Garden'.  Both murals are collaborative works painted as part of The Big Draw.


The murals aren't the only new thing in the park: the area earmarked for the community garden has been flattened by a digger loaned from Cockenzie Power Station.  Lorraine and her colleagues from Mobex have kindly strimmed away the area along the metal fence ready for planting some hedging. 

Prestonpans, like the park itself, is forever changing.  There are several new housing developments within walking distance from the park and we welcome residents new and old, to come and be part of its transformation.  

On the practical front, we could do with some pallet collars (not pallets) which are always to be found on building sites.  They are perfect for building raised beds and, as they are stackable, would be great for making potato towers.
 
Next work-in day: Friday 22 Oct, 1p.m.  taking delivery of compost and filling half barrels.  Family-friendly, come along and help.

The Big Bulb Plant

After days of heavy rain showers we were fearful that the day of the Big Bulb Plant might be another soggy one....but no it stayed dry and bright.

The task in hand was to plant one thousand purple crocuses (kindly donated by the Longniddry & District Rotary Club as part of their Focus on the Crocus campaign) along with a further 50 Ruby Giant crocuses, 50 Purple Sensation hyacinths, 50 Remembrance crocuses, 50 Queen of Night tulips and 50 Curly Sue tulips (which were given to us for being one of the first 100 groups to register for the Big Bulb Plant).

Luckily, help was on hand in the form of the1st Prestonpans Guides, the Rotarians, Friends of Cuthill Park, our MP Fiona O'Donnell, friends and families.

We can't wait to see the blaze of purple next spring!

Thank you everyone for mucking in - you're blooming brilliant!

clearup weekend

We couldn't believe how much we managed to clear. It was good fun working and chatting. Me and tom really enjoyed the fresh air, labouring and chat! Can't wait to see the progress over the year.It is already quite a transformation. Well done to everyone for all the hard work!

September Weekend Clearance Work

before

While other folk were having a lie-in or heading off for the start of a long weekend, on Saturday morning Jan H was taking delivery of a 20 yard skip (if you didn't already know, these things are huge).

after

We had set aside two days to blitz the overgrown area where the Community Garden will be sited.  It became clear quite quickly that this was a bigger job than any of us envisaged.  Fortunately lots (over a dozen households) of people came along to muck in .

After hacking down the shoulder-height nettles, we discovered all sorts of weird and wonderful objects including a fire extinguisher, a games piece from Connect 4 and Pure Garage Rewind Back to the Old Skool CD.

Any initial fears about ordering too large a skip proved unfounded as we soon began to fill it with weeds and debris.

We also discovered this little fella....a shrew who must have been a bit bewildered at seeing several children all peering at him.

There were shrieks of "Can I hold him?" and "Look at the funny-looking mouse!" (n.b. shrews aren't rodents) from the kids. 

As shrews have a high metabolism and need to eat every few hours (some of these little mammals will perish if they go without food for as little as two hours), we retreated from the vicinity to let him find a hidey hole.

After four hours of tilth and filth it was apparent that we needed a second day so back we came on Sunday to begin the painstaking job of removing the nettle roots and levelling out the mounds of earth.

The area in front of the burnt trees is a horrendous mess of masonry, metal, Tvek-like material and broken glass - all of which seem to be fused together after the many arson attacks.  Clearing this section is going to be a long term project.

We've still a lot of work to do but we are almost at the stage where we can put in some raised beds and get sowing some vegetable seeds!

Next step is for East Lothian Council to remove the fire-damaged trees; and for the Friends of Cuthill Park to thin out the foliage along the wire fence ready for planting the edible hedgerow in November.  Why not join us?  We're a friendly bunch and you could be part of a fantastic community project.

A HUGE thank you everyone who came along over the two days.

Prestonlinks Woodland Group

After an initial flurry of activity, the Prestonlinks Woodland Group has been inactive for a wee while now.  


Perhaps the combined might of the Friends of Cuthill Park and Prestonlinks Woodland Group could achieve great things?  At the very least we could pool our knowledge, swap tips, share tools etc?

If you are interested in helping to manage two orchards, a small woodland and an area of wildflower meadow (10 hectares of land to the west and south of Cockenzie Power Station's Coal Plant) then come along to a meeting in the ante-room in Prestonpans Town Hall on Tuesday 5th October at 6.45 for 7.00 p.m.  

If you want to be involved but can't come along then give Stuart Macpherson, Biodiversity Officer a call on 01620 827242 or email him at smacpherson@eastlothian.gov.uk

Fruitful Discussions

At Thursday evening's Friends of Cuthill Park meeting we agreed a couple of work-in dates:

Saturday 18th September: 1-6p.m.
Site clearance
Removal of weeds, debris and dumped rubbish from the northern corner of the park.


Sunday 19th September: tbc
A second day of clearance, if necessary.
(This is also Speak Like a Pirate Day which be fun!)
Saturday 2nd October: 2pm onwards
The Big Bulb Plant
A day of planting 1,000 purple crocuses, kindly gifted to us by Longniddry & District Rotary Club (see here for more information).
Saturday 30th October: 2pm onwards
Any outstanding jobs, building raised beds etc.

We are also going to be busy in November  planting the 150 trees in the Woodland Trust 'Jams, jellies, chutneys & cordials' pack which will be used to create an edible hedgerow along the western perimeter fence.

We need LOADS of help to bring the plans for a community garden to fruition.  Please consider coming along to some of our work days.  It'll be fun!