Stonebridge Adventure Playground is NOT SAVED yet - fight goes on

Rumours are apparently going around Stonebridge Estate saying that the Adventure Playground has been saved. This is not true. The Council's granting of Asset of Community Value status helps but on its own will not stop the redevelopment.

What will stop it is a determined campaign by the whole community united in protecting this asset and using every peaceful means necessary to bring the message home to councillors:  THIS PLAYGROUND MUST STAY!

Last night amid the fireworks I seemed to be the only person who turned up for the consultation meeting at the Hub. Unsurprisingly for a day when children and their families are busy having fun.

Either the timing was deliberate to discourage attendance or the Communications Team at Brent Council are extremely poor at their job.

We will need a huge turnout of the generations of Stonebridge and Harlesden people who want to keep the playground at the next consultation meeting which is on November 12th 5-7pm at Stonebridge School.

If you are unable to attend fill in the consultation form here: www.brent.gov.uk/stonebridgeconsultation

or email your response to stonebridge.consult@brent.gov.uk
 

The consultation closes on November 17th

I told the consultation team:

• Stonebridge and Harlesden children need a playground in a high density area to provide space to play, experience challenge and develop physical and teamwork skills
• They need a staffed playground so they and their parents know they are safe
• The playground is a place where parents and carers mix and get to know each other
• Children from many different primary and secondary schools mix happily at the Centre
• The staff are known and trusted by the community and have their respect
• In turn the staff know several generations of local people and have seen them grow from children into youth and adulthood
• This makes a unique contribution to the stability of the area
• The Council is in danger of concentrating on the 'accountancy' in housing and school place provision and missing the social value of what Stonebridge Adventure Playground provides
• Increased density of housing with no 'safety valve' such as the Playground provides will build up potential trouble for the future (more flats are to be built on the site of Bridge Park and Wembley Point across the North Circular Road may be turned into flats)
• The kickabout area (see illustration below) is next to the main road posing a danger both from traffic accidents and traffic pollution
• The Playground's holiday and weekend provision for children with special needs and disabilities is unique and its record of integration very positive
• The Playground also contributes to the mental health and well-being of children and young people through the care and support it offers
• Any Equalities Impact Assessment would have to recognise that in closing the Adventure Playground the Council would be depriving an already disadvantaged community further as well as removing support from children with special needs, disabilities and mental health problems

Stonebridge School and Our Lady of Lourdes next door - kickabout area next to main road and NO Adventure Playground

It is worth noting that the Brent Council website  consultation page introduction does not mention the plans involve the closing of the Sdventure Plkayground ad it merits just two sentences on page five of the consultation booklet.

From the Council website:

We are consulting on the redevelopment of Stonebridge Primary School between 6 October and 17 November 2014.

The current proposals are for the redevelopment of the Stonebridge Primary School site and the area around it.  This site is located off Hillside and is bordered by the canal off Johnson Road, Milton Avenue and Our Lady of Lourdes RC School.

The redevelopment includes the site currently being used as the Stonebridge Primary School annexe on Twybridge Way.

Stonebridge is your community, so it’s important that you tell us what you think of these plans.

These are proposals and no decision has as yet been taken.

Not very transparent is it?