Following the lake walk around:

Again thanks to all who came out on Saturday morning and braved the cold.  It’s been an excellent responce to setting up the group and it’s great to see community spirit.  It shows theres a lot of interest in the lake and people care about the area.

It was interesting to read in the news recently the amount of community/neighbourhood groups has trebled across the country and the government recognising this, as central government pushes big society groups.  Our group has a great future.

Following the cold walk around please see the list below which was generated, feel free to comment at the bottom or make additions to the list.  The plan next is to hold a meeting on Tuesday 24th January 2012 at 6:30pm.  At the White Swan Centre. At this meeting we will form group members i.e. Chairperson, Secretary and Treasurer and look at sub groups,  followed by running through the items on the list.

I Look forward to seeing you all soon, have a great Christmas and New Year.

I have numbered the items incase people want to make reference to a certain topic in comments:

1. Clear out dead branches and rubbish from woodland areas.
2. Tarmac pathway on the industrial side of the lake.
3. Provide more seating (vandal proof) near pathways.
4. Engage George Stephenson High School students in making more wrap around tree seating.
5. Provide larger and more litter bins.
6. Provide more doggy bins.
7. Create a wildflower meadow in front of woodland areas.
8. Plant 4 weeping willow trees near to edge of the lake.
9. Extend swan nesting island.
10. Land next to Hallington Mews needs possible landscaping.
11. Drainage problem needs addressing at children’s park.
12. Several lake edge kerb stones need replacing.
13. Encourage outdoor water clubs.
14. Cafe
15. Toilets
16. Regular clearing of the bird muck.
17. Too many birds – education on feeding for both children AND adults.
18. Lighting around the south side of lake.
19. Check out subsidence (grassed area where the swans graze specifically).
20. Look at other parks for inspiration (South Marine Park South Shields mentioned).
21. Grit bin for car park.
22. Play site was deemed to be pretty good once drainage issues are resolved.
23. Random poles around the lake look unsightly (were used for dragon boat races and kayak slalom course equipment).
24. Water run off from the play area puddles significantly on the path and can be very slippery when icy.
25. Entrance signs and notice boards to announce the park and lake more appropriately.
26. More Ash and Oak and less Willow in the woodland areas.
27. Formalise pathways through the woodland areas with bark chipping paths.
28. More bird boxes and wildlife stations in the woodland areas.
29. Historical interpretation brought to the site to celebrate Killingworth’s connection to the waggonways and George Stephenson (working with the school potentially).
30. Litter removed and enforcement carried out for failing to pick up after dogs and leaving rubbish.
31. Back car park is flooded, not inviting, needs opening up potentially removing some of the trees encroaching into the area.
32. Community clean up operation in this area working alongside parks team and ground maintenance.
33. Make the car park more prominent for park users and more attractive.
34. Reinstate formal entrance with seating, community notice board, waggonway notice board interaction between this site and surrounding links.
35. Attractive screening for metal fencing around Norgas side of car park, Pyracantha suggested for this purpose.
36. Central grassy area could be landscaped and bins and picnic area added.
37. Norgas House potentially turning into a leisure complex / hotel therefore the park could benefit from planning application funding in the future.
38. Historically there were public toilets located in this car park.
39. The grassed picnic area on the south-side of the lake is water logged and needs some kind of drainage.
40. Angling competitions used to make full use of the fishing jetties.
41. Extra monitoring of fishing / review of the usage in relation to the residential side.
42. There is mischief use of the copse (stripping stolen wire etc) vehicles get access to this area – bollards may be useful to deter this behaviour.
43. Path again is flooded and icy in the winter weather.
44. Reed bed replanting.
45. Slopped area used by birds for nesting as the vegetation cannot be removed can the planting be made more attractive?
46. Fishing licence review
47. Litter at the corner of the lake needs regular removing – environmental education – mesh structure created to collect the rubbish while letting the biodiversity return to the lake before removal from site.
48. Fishermen on grassed area often leave their lines over the path making it awkward for pedestrians to get round – more signage?
49. New path very puddle and very icy – grit bin needed on the north side.
50. No obvious path to complete the circular walk of the lake.
51. Issue with noise of people passing through the residential area.
52. Inlet on the residential side needs monitoring for rubbish and removal same as the corner of the lake.