Report re Osgathorpe Park Pavlion

OSGATHORPE PARK PAVILION

Background

This paper was originally drafted for the meeting of the Burngreave Youth Council on 1st May which had been asked to comment on the proposal to demolish the Osgathorpe Park pavilion. It has been slightly amended and added to for the discussion at tonight’s Area Panel meeting.

Purpose

The purpose of tonight’s discussion is to be able to gauge opinion on the present and future use of the pavilion (or not) as part of the continuing improvements made to Osgathorpe Park.

Question from the City Council area co-ordinator to Street Worx:

There's been some discussion about the pavilion in Osgathorpe Park. It's underused despite many attempts to open its usage to local organisations and groups. It's increasingly decrepit inside (and outside) - recently the cooker's been condemned! There's a strong view from the "Friends of Osgathorpe Park" group who are all very committed and a remarkably energetic group that the building should go; it doesn't provide a purpose, it's a site for what they see as anti-social behaviour, and it certainly doesn't fit with the vision of how the Park could develop. Importantly, it's actual position stands in the way of the plans for a major improvement of the multi-games area that's at present proximate to the pavilion, but which if the pavilion wasn't there, could be a lot grander.

In short - there's a strong view that the building should come down - be demolished.

I'm aware that the Friends group isn't made up of young people. I'm also very aware that there is a frequent complaint that there's nowhere for young people to be/hang out/whatever. So, my suggestion to the Parks & Woodland colleagues in the Council is that the Youth Council might well be a good arena to discuss whether or not the demolition of the pavilion should happen - what's in favour of such a move - what are the downsides - how do young people in the area feel about one view or another - and importantly, if the pavilion were to stay, how would the Youth Council see this as being a 'positive' move.

Statement from the City Council Parks officer for Burngreave:

There has been some discussion about the future of Osgathorpe Pavilion. We're currently working on developing a design (with our Environmental Planning team) for this area, and will be looking for additional capital funding to match that already secured from the Earl Marshall Trust Fund. We hope to provide improved facilities for cricket and other sports, a climbing boulder, terraced seating and possibly an item of challenging play equipment for teenagers.

Clearly, the presence of the Pavilion has a major impact on the design for this area. Several problems have been highlighted by the Friends and the question of its need and value have been raised.

I have spoken to the Community Buildings Team and they are willing to talk to us further about the future of the building. Before that, I thought it would be a good idea to see what you thought. Do you think it would be a good idea to pass this question on to our local Burngreave councillors too?

Edited statement from “Friends of Osgathorpe Park” – (FoOP):

The idea to demolish the pavilion did not come from the Friends, but from the Council's Landscape Architect, who stated that [i] it was an eyesore which detracted from the rest of the park which we have improved and continue to improve in a variety of ways; and [ii] advised that the proposed MUGA, provisionally planned for the area currently behind the pavilion, would be much bigger and would provide more facilities if the pavilion was knocked down because of the extra space provided.

Reasons for keeping it:

The Fir Vale Youth Club meet twice weekly
FoOP and the One Love Jam Festival use it for events, e.g. as shelter, to dish out food, and as access to toilets.

Reasons for demolishing it:

The Youth Club is the only group who use the building. They could use, e.g. the Earl Marshal Community Centre (Connexions) on Heathcote Street, or the Community Centre on Carwood Street/Grimesthorpe Road, or the Community Centre on the Whiteways Estate, or the Community Centre on Scott Road.
The One Love Jam Festival already hire marquees and portaloos, using the pavilion only as extra space. FoOP could do the same. We can’t now use the cooker in the kitchen because it has been condemned after a recent gas leak (reported in February when we opened to provide lunch for a Make Your Own Valentine Rangers’ event).
We have endeavoured to have all sightlines in the park made clearer. The pavilion is an obstruction to this. If on one side of the building you have no idea what is going on on the other.
The pavilion attracts anti-social behaviour. Its shelter provides a haven for drug dealing/using, prostitution and drinking, even in bad weather. We regularly have to sweep up broken glass from empty bottles of alcohol consumed under the shelter. Although we paint it out when we can, graffiti is a regular issue.
Although the building is cleaned regularly, it never ‘feels’ clean. The kitchen is nasty. The toilets are not the best.
The building is a white elephant which costs money for maintenance and repair but is wholly under-used. The dilapidation of the building and its decline in use has led park users and local residents not to expect access, so they are suspicious of anyone inviting them in.
Although we have painted it, commissioned a mural for the back wall, and regularly litter pick around it to make it look as best it can, the pavilion is an eyesore which draws the eye from everywhere in the park because it is situated in the ‘valley’.
If the pavilion were demolished, the plans for the MUGA could be developed considerably and opportunities for many more sports activities for local youth could be included. E.g. the game traditionally played on the ground at the back of the pavilion is cricket, which is why we insisted that stumps be included in the mural. At present, there isn’t really the space to accommodate a full cricket pitch.
The rubbish from the youth club is left outside the building in black bags and rarely collected on the same day that it’s left. As well as being more work for FoOP, this is a health hazard.

Statement from Fir Vale youth project (to past Lord Mayor)

15th May 2007

Dear Lord Mayor,

I write on behalf of the management committee of the Fir vale Youth Project based in the pavilion in Osgathorpe Park to thank you for the support that you have given to FYP in the past and to request a meeting with you to discuss the recent proposal/s suggested by the Friends of Osgathorpe [FoOP] to demolish the pavilion, without any consultation with the young people, who regularly use the building in the evenings.

I look forward to your reply.

Mahmood Hussain

On behalf of the management committee

How useful is this page?

[ Comment On This Page? ]

Browsealoud |