So much to look forward to in 2012

2012 should be our year of  the realisation… when all our community discussions will be seen in birth of a new children’s play area and a resorted Civic Garden.

PLAY AREA...

The Play Area will be built in 2 phases, the 1st phase has began.  The chaps contracted to carry out the work are ensuring our plans are transferred safely from paper in to a fully accessible interesting facility for all our children.   They managed to overcome their first real challenge which was to ensure the path around the mound needed to graduated in such away it was not too steep and there were no scary drops either side.

The mound will represent a Camp ruin, a type of fort and settlement in one. This should be exciting and educational.  The style will reflect the Roman pathway through the area to Metchley Fort,  and the camping out of an army of 5,000 Royalists, led by Queen Henrietta on behalf of her husband Charles I during the Civil War.

Phase I should be completed by Easter and Phase 2 will follow shortly, including improvements to the car park.   Some of the equipment in the play area will be refreshed, the Caterpillar has been saved and moved, and there will be new pieces too.

Apologies but we couldnt avoid the play area being entirely closed for a short while but I am sure you will agree it will be worth it.

CIVIC GARDEN

You will also see change to the upper formal Civic Garden area which lies behind the St Nicolas Church.  We wanted to recognise the contribution of the Birmingham Civic Society in 1920, when they purchased the land and donated it to the City so that we could use it for recreational purposes.

We hope to replace the stone benches, have an additional curved bench, thin out the wooded areas to allow in more light and plant a small orchard of fruit trees with historical relevance. We hope to see more bins, neater signs, reshaped grasses and enhanced borders.

Look out for the official opening date of our play area.

We would welcome your comments on the improvements once they are made.

OTHER THINGS

Lots more of spring colour on the way, better car park surfaces, the beginnings of the development nature corridor along the River Rea - you may notice a change in the grass cutting programme after March.

You can get involved in many different ways contact us at:   info.foknp@gmail.com

Photos taken by Lynn Horsnett 
February 2012