July Roundup

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July has been a very quiet time around the park so we don't have much news this month.

Towards the end of the school term we were delighted to have the local junior schools bring their pupils over for a morning and afternoon session of games and other activities. Everybody enjoyed themselves and it was great to see the park in full use.
Who needs Oakwood park when we have Coed Bach!

Also we are launching a photo competition and the first prize is your image will feature in next years cards/calendars we are producing and your image will be the centre point of a local exhibition promoting the park.

Click on image to enlarge.

Park Budgets

At our last meeting on 26/7/15 at Pontarddulais Cricket Club park's development manager Richard Davies took some time out of his busy day to pop along and give us an update on the situation with regards to Swansea Parks budgets.

As we know it is tough times for all Council run departments and budgets are being slashed due to lack of funding from central goverment. This also effects our parks in the area and they no longer have the manpower they need to attend to everything in the park.

Richard has set up a Friends of Swansea Park's forum on Facebook and they meet occasionally in Swansea to discuss and share ideas.

This hopefully will lead to all volunteer groups being able to share ideas and hopefully share machinery (and volunteers) to attend to our parks.

It is more important than ever to get more volunteers on board to save our open spaces.

If you would like to join us the contact email is at the top of the screen and you can contact us via Facebook or Twitter.

As you can see from the aerial map below over the last five years FOCBP have been able to make a big difference in the park all through volunteer efforts.

Changes Made

New Tennis Courts

Seasonal Pond

Extended hard standing area by the Rugby pitch

Skateboard Ramps

Extending the BMX track with support from local schools

Continual planting and clearence work around the park

Safer Swansea schemes implemented to improve park safety

Extra bins and seating 

You too can also be a part of something great.

Click on map to enlarge image taken from Google Maps

Dog Poo

Due to a minority of people not picking up after their dogs we have been forced into the difficult decision of calling in the Dog Wardens.

People are allowing their pets to foul our pathways and volunteers (many of who are dog owners themselves) have found themselves picking up other peoples mess or worse still stepping in it.

We have to say the majority of people follow the rules but sadly one or two have even told us. 'It's ok as we are in a woodland area'

And one little boy told an irresponsible owner 'But I play in here!!!!!' Well done that little man.

Also FOCBP members are always watching and are willing to lend a bag if the owner mat have run out. (it happens)

Volunteers

There has not been much activity this month due to the Summer wildlife settling into the park but we have been out litter picking and a small bit of clearence work has been carried out.

Wildflowers

As you can see we have had a bumper crop of wildflowers growing by the Coed Bach entrance this year and if you stop to study the flowers you will notice the Bees and other insect life going about it's business of pollentaing the flowers.

Can we please ask people not to pick any of these flowers as they are given by the council to the people of Pontarddulais and they are there to be enjoyed and not damaged.

Also in the park we have a few fruit trees. These are beginning to bear the first signs of any sort of fruit growing on them.
Unfortunately people have already started picking at them and the fruit is not yet ready to be picked.
Can we please ask you not to pick anything off the trees until we give official notice, as the trees are currently getting damaged.
Warning notices will be placed around the park until further notice. And we will make a public announcement when things are ready.

Tennis coaching has restarted in the park. Please ring the number on the banner if you want to book a session.
All sessions must be booked through the Swansea Tennis Centre.

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June Roundup

The beginning of the month saw an incident in the park where youths were using a scrambling bike in the area. They then decided to use the football pitch as a scrambling course, but they were spotted by members of the Safer Swansea volunteers and after a short search by thr police and some great detective work by members of the public in the town the youths were identified and given an official warning about off roading in illegal places.
Just remember the park is always being watched!
We at FOCBP thank everybody that took time to phone the 101 non emergency number.

Sports and Activities

This month was Carnival month and things kicked off in the park with the inter school sports evening over the park.

This year the pupils of Ysgol Gymraeg Bryniago took the top honours.

Well done to everybody that took park and we hope you had fun.

Swansea CC also installed a new swing in the Playarea and this has proved to be very popular with everyone (including adults :-)

As usual a big THANK YOU to all as Swansea Council for all your work and effort in installing this for us.

And this year the pre carnival funrun returned to the park this was another well attended event for the community.

And a Basketball hoop was installed near the far end of the football pitch by the roundabout in the road.

Hopefully this will provide anyone with a ball a good challenge to pop a hoop.

Winners of the inter school sport Bryniago.

Our new swing.

Basket Ball hoop.

Some of the Pontarddulais Scouts (4th Lliw Valley) ready for the funrun.





4th Lliw Valley Scouts

4th Lliw Valley Scouts clearing the park before Sports day.

After carnival day (very wet)

The 4th Lliw Valley Scouts have been very busy in the park this month helping to clear the park of any rubbish before and after the Carnival.

Again thank you guys and girls.

You can find out more about them below.

http://4thpontarddulais.scoutsites.org.uk/

Volunteers

Volunteers have aso been active in the park picking up other peoples rubbish.

It is not up to us to clear up after you it is your responsibility.

Please Bin It!

Dog poo bags are no longer being distributed by the council due to cutbacks. We are looking into an alternative way of having bags in the dispenser in the park.

So we ask for you to bring your own with you (they cost a few pence from Tesco or other places.)

FOCBP and other park users have noticed that some people are refusing to pick up their dog's mess and we want to avoid having to call in dog wardens to deal with such people.

The majority of people do clear up but sadly it is a minority that just don't bother and give everybody a bad name.

Carnival Day

After our exploits on the float last year we returned to our traditional stall on the Carnival field.

On hand were volunteers armed with clipboards talking to the public and finding out more about facilities in the park and we have had a lot of positive feedback from this event.

Also Gaynor and Tarra spent several hours facepainting to raise funds for the FOCBP group, again this was very popular with everybody.

Thank's to everybody that volunteered their time and gave us feedback.

Wildlife

As we are in the summer months you may have noticed the grass is a little long and overgrown in some areas.

This is simply to support the summer wildlife that uses the park woodland areas, and to be able to provide habitats for any breeding or nesting species.

Clearing programmes will again resume in the winter months for next year.

Also by the Coed Bach entrance we have a display of Wildflowers growing.

This year is a bumper crop so pop over for a look.

Wildflowers.

Other Events.

The Bowls club that use the park will be running free taster sessions throughout the summer. So if you fancy a go feel free to pop over to the bowling green by the Gwynfryn rd entrance.

Just bring flat bottom trainers or shoes.

The sessions will start at 10am.

As usual Thank You to everybody that has contributed images to our Facebook page and Twitter site.

We hope to see more from you soon.

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