Thanks Steve. Any locals with memories going back to 1953 recall what took place on the meadow to mark the Queen's Cornonation? Gingernuts - I agree ?40k is not a lot of dosh but Lewisham applied for & got the money from the National Lottery. Their application must have given at the very least an outline of how our Council planned to spend the grant. Why the secrecy? Is this because,like our town's 2 swimming pools provided by a philanthropist, we are about to lose another local amenity?

thanks steve - very interesting.

This is no doubt technically correct - there is no written evidence.

However, I'm sure I've read this area referred to as 'hallowed ground' - sorry no reference - but it was early 20 century, so this is no recent invention.
It suggested it was common knowledge - (perhaps as local folk law).
Since few could write before then, should we so lightly dismiss this 'evidence'?

Also consider this: this land is a remote part of the Dulwich estate - if the estate had 10 to 50 infectious bodies to dump in ~1349, this is a reasonable location. I doubt that you were allowed to bury infected bodies in other people's estates after all.
It is reasonable to think London Rd existed then, following the boundary of the estate, but not going any where in particular, so this site was remote yet accessible (!).

And this was no one off event - plagues hit every 20 years until the mid to late 17 century - so that is plenty of time for the oral tradition to get established.

Should there be an investigation ie a dig?

Frankly if there is potentially live plague virus in a bone down there, (the best historical/scientific outcome), surely it is safest that it stays there and rots for another 400 years.
Most likely outcome by far would be that nothing would be found, which would not prove anything either way.

So I am happy to stay in the dark on this one.

It's an interesting point you make Scipio. Indeed if the council have applied and successfully obtained lottery funding isnt there any evidence of this? Have the council responded at all to this question?

Gingernuts - I raised the question of the ?40k funding on the forum a month ago because it seemed strange that this information was not being publicised. Maybe other readers of SE23.com have a very good idea of what's planned but they certainly seem reluctant to share this information with you & me!

We were in St. Albans this weekend and were mighty impressed by the "Splash Park".

Here are links to a piccy and a news item on it.

http://www.inn-on-the-park.com/splashpark.php

http://www.stalbans.gov.uk/pressroom/new...&Id_No=478

However, I noticed the price tag too - ?200K - Ouch!!!

Could be subsidised by a cafe - there was a queue out the door for the one in St. Albans, even at 5 pm.

I am genuinely surprised there have not been some more positive comments about this little play park. Perhaps those who like it do not contribute to this forum. Whilst it is not ideal to be so close to the traffic on London Road, Perryman's comments about polluted air apply equally to the Horniman Gardens on the opposite side of the same section of London Road. The play park's high boundary hedge creates a bit of a barrier for the traffic polluted air to get over. The young children in their buggies being pushed along the pavement to the Horniman Gardens are much more exposed to breathing in this traffic polluted air. There is a lot of public housing in this part of Forest Hill & for children who do not have the benefit of their own garden, the Triangle provides a very welcome green space to play in.

For sure, and that is why I suggested creating a playground in the corner of Hornimans, as far from the traffic as possible. Is this such a bad idea?

I'm often asked in the gardens where the playground is, and it is not a favourable reaction when I point them to the other side of the South circ.

It's not just the air quality Scipio. Some of the equpiment is good - but the the environment and feeling of the place is all a bit half ***ed - especially when compared to any others any in the area - Dulwich, Brockwell, Peckham Rye, Crystal Palace. The raised soft concrete is a trip hazard. There is often strewn rubbish - especially around the bins - and broken glass in the disused paddling pool. The crumbling shack is an eye sore toilet for pidgeons and drunk yoof.

I'm with Perryman on the Horniman idea - although the dogs issue would need addressing.

Vipes - Have you reported the strewn rubbish and broken glass to Lewisham Council who are responsible for the Triangle? Their contractors Glendales are not doing the job they are paid for if a children's playing area is not even being kept safe from litter.

No. That'd be like asking a dodgy scrap dealer to scrape the bird poo off a rusting, long-junked old school Skoda that he's forgotten about as it sits forlornly leaking the last of its oil at the back of his stinking hideous yard. Which is over the road from a gleaming Aston Martin garage.

This place needs a total overhaul. Where's that freakin' ?40 grand?

Vipes - Your views noted. Should anyone visiting the Play Park who finds broken glass or litter, please ring the contractors Glendale Grounds Management on 020 8318 3986. If this does not result in a thorough clean up, please report the problems direct to Lewisham Council who are reponsible for the Play Park.

I agree with Perryman that the Horniman Museum should include child friendly outdoor activity areas within their 16 acres well away from the traffic pollution on London Road. However, this view is evidently not shared by the current team running the Horniman or their consultants. Part of their plans for a revamp of their grounds, (which apparently are to be expanded to incorporate the old railway line), is to provide a very small adventure playground. Its proposed location is immediately adjacent to London Road.

More about children's play areas is in the "Revamp of the Horniman Gardens" thread

I noticed for the first time this morning 3 proposals for redevelopment of the play area on the noticeboard. They may have been there forever as they are utterly missable small sheets behind age-frosted glass. They are pinned beneath a note asking for people to express a preference for option 1, 2 or 3. It is not clear from the 2 pictures and 1 plan depicting the proposals which is 1, 2 or 3. There is no detail and no written information to explain the proposals either on the noticeboard or on Lewisham's website.

One picture looks like one of those classically utopian planner's images. This depicts a play area that reminds me a bit of C Palace Park's play area. The other picture is of a more interesting (but less fun and functional?) stonehenge type arrangement and the 3rd proposal - the plan - was indecipherable. But that might only be to my simple brain.

Any development is an improvement on the current arrangement. The "ponds" beneath the swings again made them unusable this morning despite it being hours since the rain stopped and I've had no response to 2 emails about this to Lewisham in the last few weeks.

I have emailed the link on the note for more info but does anyone know any more about the proposals / decision making / timescales etc?

I guess this is low on the priority of LBC as very close to the borough line.
Surely best policy would be for Horniman Garden's to take the area over as they are very close at hand.
Only a suggestion.

When I was in Macau earlier this year, we went to a public pack which in addition to children's play areas also had an outdoor gym - exercise bikes, elliptical trainers and a few other pieces of gym equipment.

It would be great to see an outdoor gym/fitness trail in the local area - something for adults to do while their kids play.

I agree but think of the security required. We are talking about The UK.

I don't think the amazing weather we've had this summer can compete with Macau either.

Don't think you'd need much security - these things didn't have electronic consoles or anything. They were literally the bare mechanics of what's needed. I'd guess health and safety might be more of a concern here. Part of me was wondering that if we made parks more attractive to adults outside pure 'kid' time, it might cut down some of the anti-social behaviour and threats of vandalism?

Weather-wise, you'd be surprised. It rained for most of that week in Hong Kong and Macau and it was pretty damp and misty that day. I'd take today's FH weather over it!

Emailed reply to my enquiry from Fiona Alleyne at Lewisham

The first phase ( the ?40k you refer to) of the play improvements is to be installed this autumn and should be in by the end of November. This will consist of some climbing rocks and ropes. Fortunately, we have also secured some further funding and are planning to put a sand and water feature in the central area. This will be done before in the early part of 2009. The swings are also likely to be replaced.

I sent her a link to this thread.