Runnymede Voice - Runnymede Borough Council

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Improvements to Pooley Green open space
Pooley Green open space,
located on Pooley Green Road
in Egham Hythe is to get a new
play area for young people.
Improvements will see the
removal of the old equipment
and fencing and a new play
area and landscaping further
into the open space.
The Council’s parks offcers
have been working with
students from Magna Carta
School and Hythe School
on a design for the new play
area. The fnal design will be
shown to the students from
the two schools, along with
residents who will be given the
opportunity to comment. It is
hoped that work to install the
new play area will begin in the
spring.
Plans to install a cabin on
Pooley Green open space
is also been considered by
the Pooley Green Planning
Group, a group made up of
professional people supporting
improvements to young people
in the community. Such a
cabin would be used as a
youth centre and may double
up as a meeting point for other
community groups.
Whilst the cabin is been
considered young people
have been given access to
a youth centre at St Paul’s
Church Hall, St Pauls Road,
Hythe. The Pooley Green
youth group is open to young
people aged between nine
and 13 years, meets every
Friday night, 7pm and 9pm
and allows young people to
hang out, play games and take
Queen Elizabeth II Fields
Heathervale Recreation
Ground
The QEII challenge has
been a national scheme led
by Prince William with the
aim ‘to create a ftting and
lasting grassroots legacy
across the UK to mark both
the Diamond Jubilee and
the London 2012 Olympics.’
Across the country over 1,300
sites have been nominated.
Runnymede Council took part
by nominating two sites for
QEII status, Chertsey Meads
and Heathervale Recreation
Ground, which were accepted.
The sites show the diverse
range of open space available
in the Borough.
Chertsey Meads is a
riverside meadow important
for wild fowers on the River
Thames. It is a local nature
reserve and previously had
Site of Special Scientifc
Interest (SSSI) status which
the Council is looking to
regain. There are formal play
facilities but the area is also
used for walking, horse riding,
cycling and fshing. Chertsey
Meads is also encouraging
wildlife to the area with an
otter holt and a converted
old building on the meads to
encourage bats.
Heathervale Recreation
Ground is located in New
Haw and the Basingstoke
Canal runs along the South
boundary. This is a much more
formal public park with park
keepers, and is a valuable
community open space. It
caters for a range of sports
part in activities. The group has
proven to be very successful
with 32 young people attending
within four weeks of it running.
If you would like to fnd out
more about the group please
contact Gill Warner on 01784
470960 or come along to the
sessions on a Friday night.
For more information on the
improvements contact Leisure
Services on 01932 425685.
Pooley Green open space,
Egham Hythe
including football, cricket,
bowls and tennis but also has
facilities for young people with
a paddling pool, play area,
multi use games area, skate
ramp and youth shelter. The
pavilion is also used by a
nursery during the week.
As well as protecting the
sites the QEII challenge also
allows the Council to apply for
funding to improve them.
Formal naming of the parks
as QEII felds will be held in
2013.
For more information about
QEII felds visit
www.feldsintrust.org or
contact Runnymede’s Leisure
Services on 01932 425685.
Memorial benches
If you would like to
commemorate a loved one with
a memorial bench you can buy
one to be placed in one of our
parks or open spaces. Perhaps
a spot where the person being
commemorated liked to while
away a few hours, or walk their
dog daily.
What you need to do:
agree with a Park Offcer
a suitable style of bench
and location
What we do:
• organise the purchase of
the bench on your behalf
• liaise with you and the
manufacturer on the
plaque wording, design
and specifcation
• install the bench
Rachael Freer bought a very
high quality bench to replace
an old standard park bench
in memory of her much loved
parents. The bench features a
plaque and bespoke roundels
in a design special to her
Exploring Surrey’s
countryside in Winter
Did you know
that the North
Downs Way was
an inspiration
to some of our
most famous
authors and
poets including
Lewis Carroll
and John Keats?
Or that the Basingstoke Canal
is a Site of Special Scientifc
Interest (SSSI) due to the
range of water plants and
dragonfy species?
These and other amazing
facts can be discovered
in Explore Surrey, a new
magazine produced by Surrey
County Council’s Countryside
team designed to inspire
Memorial bench at Runnymede
Pleasure Grounds
and her parents. The bench
was placed at Runnymede
Pleasure Grounds in a tranquil
spot overlooking the Thames.
Rachael Freer said: “I can’t
thank you enough for the time
you have spent on this and
the bench looks lovely. We
have been able to use this
lovely bench to remember my
parents by and at the same
time giving something to the
community they loved.”
To fnd more about memorial
benches, please contact
Leisure Services on 01932
425685 or e-mail
leisure@runnymede.gov.uk
people to make the most of
the county’s landscape.
The autumn/winter issue is
full of ideas for getting kids
out and on the road to good
health, as well as promoting
greats walks in the county
plus lots more.
John Furey, Surrey County
Council’s Cabinet Member for
Transport and Environment,
said: “This magazine gives
you a taste of some of the
fantastic things you can do
and see, as well as ways you
can get involved to help us
preserve the countryside for
future generations.”
So why not take a closer
look at what Surrey’s
outdoor playground has to
offer – there’s something
everywhere for everyone
to enjoy.
Visit www.surreycc.gov.uk/countryside,
e-mail exploresurrey@surreycc.gov.uk or telephone
03456 009 009 to start planning!
New goalposts
Runnymede Council has
been awarded funding from
the Football Foundation, the
UK’s largest sports charity, as
part of The FA’s 9v9 goalposts
initiative which was launched
in May.
The Football Foundation
teamed up with The FA to
provide funding towards the
installation of 9v9 goalposts
as part of The FA’s Youth
Development Review.
Children will now be able to
play matches on pitches that
are relative to their age
and size.
We have purchased and
installed three sets of news
goalposts with 50% funding
from the Football Foundation,
creating 9 v 9 pitches at:
• Aviator Park,
Addlestone, access
off Station Road near
Addlestone station
• Manorcrofts Recreation
Ground, Egham next to
Egham station
• Bishops Way Recreation
Ground, Pooley Green,
off Bishops Way
The goalposts are laid out
to FA standards to give a
pitch size of 80 x 50 yards,
and replace older goalposts
that were coming to the
end of their lives. The goals
and pitches are slightly
smaller than full size and
are perfect for kickabouts or
for full games with younger
participants.
Pitches can be marked out
for clubs who wish to use
the new facilities. For more
information please call 01932
425686 or e-mail pitchbkgs@
runnymede.gov.uk
Aviator Park, Addlestone
22 23
Runnymede Voice visit www.runnymede.gov.uk issue no.17 Winter 2012/ Spring 2013