Orchard Park Playing Field Meetings

12 & 14 September 2020

 

1.    Football Pitch Calendar

There has recently arisen a need to make reservations and bookings for use of the football pitch at Orchard Park. The solution is a Calendar which can be added to the Orchard Park Playing Field tab of the Parish Council website. This will be built using Google Calendar and embedded in the Parish Council website.

It was agreed by the Parish Council on 15 September 2020 that this should be built by Mary James and maintained by Rachael Harding. The calendar is now live on the Parish website and can be booked via orchardparkpf@gmail.com

 

2.    Football Pitch Maintenance

It was proposed that the football pitch could be enhanced if the village had access to a white line machine which could be stored in the village or in someone’s garage and could be borrowed for a game when it was needed to paint the lines.

It was agreed by the Parish Council on 15 September 2020 that a decision to purchase a line marker should be delayed until such time villagers express a demonstrable need.

Concern was also raised about how potential muddy or worn patches near the goal posts could be managed. One suggestion was that, when worn, the goal posts could be moved over by the width of the goal posts, so that the area in front of them would have a chance to recover.

It was agreed by the Parish Council on 15 September 2020 that the grass by the goal posts should be monitored to determine whether the Parish Council would need to purchase additional sockets and have them installed.

 

3.    General Playing Field Maintenance

General appreciation was expressed for the quality of the maintenance of the Playing Field by Chris Snook of Square One Service.

There are many other maintenance or one-off jobs around the Orchard Park Playing Field that should be done on a regular basis. These include:

1. Put concrete pads under the feet of the benches and playground equipment to protect them from rot.
2. Protect all the woodwork by varnishing/staining or otherwise treating it.
3. Kill weeds on the surface under the swings.
4. Tighten the bolts on the benches and playground equipment.
5. Address any other needs which arise from annual the safety inspections.

Paddy Edwards volunteered to put together a list of volunteers from the village and decide what maintenance tasks they would need to do and at which frequency.

It was agreed by the Parish Council on 15 September 2020 that such a team of volunteers should be organised, but it was noted that:

1. All volunteers will need to abide by the Parish Council’s Volunteer Policy and sign the Volunteer Application form:

https://www.teddington-and-alstone-parish-council.org.uk/council/volunteers/

2. Any expenditure of up to £100 (such for the purchase of Wood Preserver) should be first agreed by Councillor Graham Spry who will notify other councillors, and who will then authorise the Parish Clerk to make the payment.

4.    Boules Piste

Gratitude was expressed to Paul Noke for removing the weeds from the Boules Piste, but concern was expressed that the piste is never used and that there could be better use made of the space. Various suggestions included use of astro-turf to cover it, a basketball goal or table tennis table. The Parish Council agreed to review options in spring 2021.

 

5.    Brambles Clearance

Chris Bishop has volunteered to trim branches surrounding the playing field. Chris will approach local farmers to ask for quotes to clear the brambles.

It was agreed by the Parish Council on 15 September 2020 that a working team such as this should be organised, but it was noted that:

1. All volunteers will need to abide by the Parish Council’s Volunteer Policy and sign the Volunteer Application form:

https://www.teddington-and-alstone-parish-council.org.uk/council/volunteers/

2. Any expenditure of up to £100 (such for the hire of a pole saw) should be first agreed by Councillor Graham Spry who will notify other councillors, and who will then authorise the Parish Clerk to make the payment.

Once the brambles are cleared (the trimmings safely burned on the boules pitch and the ash disposed of), it should be easier to determine what work needs to be done to repair the fence. The Parish Council was informed of the cost of repairing or replacing the fence from a contractor earlier this year and it was deemed prohibitively expensive, and it may be possible to fix the parts which are in most need of repair.

It was agreed by the Parish Council on 15 September 2020 that once it is known what work needs to be done to repair the fence then this will be reviewed in a future meeting.

 

6.    Park Bench

One of the park benches has a loose seat. Rachael Harding has kindly volunteered to take on the tasks of repairing and staining the broken bench, and of tightening bolts on the other bench.

 

7.    Events at the Orchard Park Playing Field

It was proposed that there should be an event in the Orchard Park Playing Field when circumstances allow, partly to raise funds for the playing field but also to bring the village together. One suggestion was for a Children’s Sports Day. To be reviewed after the pandemic.

 

8.    Other matters

A question was raised about how funds could be raised for future items of play equipment when current ones needed replacing.

It was agreed by the Parish Council on 15 September 2020 that there was not yet a demonstrable need to raise these funds, but as soon as there is that this matter will be discussed in a future Parish Council meeting.