Renata, if you're reading.. One o'c club

[The Nappy Lady]

When I raised all that Cleaner, Greener, Safer money 5 & 4 years ago it was to renovate the old paddling pool or to give us something new but similar - a proper hot weather water play area. A gully with a trickle in it is not going to keep any child amused for long - the natural stream running through the park is more exciting I'm afraid.

[Fuschia]

What I find depressing is that where previously there wAs a safe haven for me and my twin toddlers, yesterday one escaped twice, they both got soaked to the skin and I ran out of spare clothes, and they were discontented because they wanted to go through the fence and climb the big climbing frame

There are not many places I feel relaxed wrangling two toddlers and a new baby ... This is no longer one of them

I think other mums of toddlers feel the same

[Fuschia]

Sometimes it feels like the council locally is run by very stupid people

[snowboarder]

We went to the new water play at Brockwell Pk today and it does seem a shame that something like that could not been provided within Peckham Rye (not nec. in the location of the 1 O'c club). Brockwell is really fantastic, fun and felt completely safe - only one gate that was easily and quite naturally policed - and children having so much fun it didn't seem to occur to them to escape anyway.

Oh well. Is brockwell pk lambeth?

[Fuschia]

Dulwich pk play area is very insecure as well, as is goose green

I wonder why the council doesn't osy mire attention to security? Parents would prob rate it no 1 issue!

[Mick Mac]

Mick Mac Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> Where and what is this place you are talking

> about? thx.

I still don't know where it is. So I guess only those who know you will give you an opinion.

You fight amongst yourselves.

[citizenED]

Hey Mick, we are talking about the Peckham Rye One o'clock club next to the Cafe on Peckham Rye Common.

[Fuschia]

Putting the old one o'c club kit to the rear (I guess found behind where the outside loo is) will meAn you cant see the whole area from any point ( eg if feeding a baby)

[buggie]

Having just moved closer to Peckham Rye I was looking forward to the one o'clock club being done up and starting to go along, however having seen the new area & read the comments on here think I'll be finding somewhere else. As I don't fancy having to constantly stop bugglet getting wet/worrying about dog poo/knowing that if she suddenly decided to head off she could just keep going.

Gavin the counsellor seems to have avoided the issue of the equipment being totally unsuitable for the younger (& more frequent) users of the one o'clock club - obviously visiting on a Saturday (or any day in the summer hols) there'll be children using it - maybe he should revisit the area mid week once the schools are back - hey, maybe even visit the one o'clock club (I'm guessing no councillors visited before the revamp?).

Is interesting that there's been talk of the club loosing it's funding - were the council deliberately making the plot smaller/inappropriate so that by next year they could talk of "falling numbers" using the club and so defend the removal of funding? It all seems pretty shoddy - looking on the blog & seeing the pics of the counsellors on the play equipment just highlights how there's no way it is/would ever have been thought to be appropriate for under 6yr old :(

[ladywotlunches]

I've just come back from a early Sunday run, on which my 5 year old insisted on joining me. So we ran down to the rye and round to the one o clock club to check it out. His eyes lit up when he saw the new space!

I agree that the water tap should have been put outside the fence, but to me that looks easily fixable - literally turn the 2 fence panels in the corner 90 degrees each, and hey presto the tap is outside.

But I disagree that its necessarily been detrimental to the one o clock club. when the existing play equipment is put back, there will be the same facilities as it had before, but cleaned up and with better play surfaces. The far end of the space was never really used much before anyway. As to not being able to see the whole area, I remember that on busy days when my son was younger he often went out of eyeshot for a minute. I didn't like it but hey, unless they are strapped to you every minute of the day, there are going to be those moments.

I also have a 10 month old. At this age, she is in enough of a routine that I know when she is going to need feeding, so I perhaps wouldn't be somewhere where I wouldn't be able to control my older child at that time. So that really isn't an issue.

So on the whole, I'd like to say thank you to Southwark for yet again improving our local outside spaces. We are really lucky to have such great play areas for our kids and those of you who feel 'depressed' should perhaps be grateful you have so much around already.

[The Nappy Lady]

LWL, I too am grateful to Southwark for the revamp, and for a 5 year old it is great, and yes the tap issue is easily fixable. However, the point is, fixing it will cost more money, which is not easily available.

My 7 year old loves the new swing and climbing frame, but then again, she also has the Adventure Playground to enjoy.

My point is that there is a gap in the market, where 3-5/6 year olds are not well catered for with play equipment, and I really thought this area might have addressed that.

Personally, I think if they fix the tap issue the 1 o'clock club area will be fine, and actually with the old equipment put back in the new, expanded area it will hopefully work really well for the majority of people. For me, with a almost 3 and 7 year old, it's ideal as I both children will have something to keep them happy.

However, I'd still like to have seen a little more water play, which is what I originally raised funds for, and I still think without any greater expense they could have installed a landscaped slide (like the one at Goose Green) and maybe a tunnel, and that would have had more value and been better suited to 3-5 year olds, alongside the new swing, and instead of the climbing frame and the strange posts etc.

But hey, I guess we are all going to have differing views, according to our children and their ages.

[Fuschia]

Yes, I think it depends very much on age

It's the parents of toddlers who are unhappy I think

Also if you have more than one small child, then having them go out of sight(when there is a gate there) is not good

Hopefully there will be no exit from this new area to be created at the back/side Of the one 'c club...

I did actually have one of my twins escape out of the one o'c club twice yesterday ... Looked up at one point feEding the baby to see him scooting off across the big grass

Terrifying

I do wonder if a risk assessment has been done into the new area and the redesigned one o'c club because surely the council could be held liable for things like dog bite, child getting into the road? The one o'c club is not just a casual play area after all

[reetpetite]

Fencing around the area is needed ,two large dogs watched by their owner ran onto the playground yesterday and peed on the equipment while children were playing ! Also what happened to the large amount of fencing that was removed further along the path towards Barry Rd.?

[Saffron]

Grrr that's awful! At least no one's child has been bitten yet. If you think the revamp was expensive, let's wait to see what the cost of a lawsuit is when someone's child finally does get bitten. Poor planning Southwark. Shame on you.

[The Nappy Lady]

Not sure Southwark would be liable if someone gets bitten - it is a public park after all. Surely the issue would be between the owner of the dog & the injured party.

However I don't think it's great that dogs can roam freely on an area where children are likely to be playing, mainly because of the issue of them urinating & pooing in the area. Plus male dogs love to wee up something as we all know, so the play equipment is almost certainly going to get 'it'.

Such a shame, I suspect the old fencing has been sent to landfill when it would have done the job just fine - that's what really upests me. I generally think Southwark is good about Green issues, but if other been thrown away, what a waste.

[Gussy]

Well, don't forget everyone, there's a nice big stash of money to completely re-build the one o clock club at some unidentifiable point, plus the funding withdrawal next april to run it. All sounds completely sorted and well thought through doesn't it?

For what it's worth I think the new play area is a good addition and I'm grateful for the improvements. However I agree with everyone that the lack of fencing is an issue for me with 2 kids under 3. The 'road' that runs along side the club/play area is fairly busy with cyclists. I've had many an near miss with my toddlers running out only to narrowly miss bikes, rollerskates etc charging down there. Also had a close call with the tractor that cuts the grass the other day, but that's another story.

The water tap thing needs to be moved for sure and the gates need to be more secure. My 15 month old can open them. Not good.

[Ko]

gavin - what was wrong with the old fence? why get rid of the old fence as its seemed fine and very, very useful?

[The Nappy Lady]

They made the area bigger Ko, but with a bit of common sense could have moved & re-used the fencing.

[Ko]

thanks molly. i do wonder what has happened to the old fencing??? if its still useable, then that would reduce the re-fencing cost. a little bit of make do and mend?

[jctg]

The swings that are currently being installed at the 1 o'clock Club appear to be older children's swings ie. not infant swings, if you see what I mean. This can't be right can it? Surely it needs 'baby' swings?

[nikki73]

i really hope you are wrong jctg but bearing in mind that there seems to be a lack of concern for safety, I wouldn't be surprised.

[The Nappy Lady]

At Brockwell Park 'Beach/Water Play today.

How right they have got it here by comparison. The kind of play area Southwark really lacks.

[Pickle]

Having read this thread with interest we visited the 1 o'clock club today. The new play area was being utilised by older children, who all looked like they were having fun. No dog attacks witnessed, and lots of Mums sitting round on the grass chilling out in the sun. The 1 o'clock club itself is lacking space at the moment, but the area out the side being developed is going to be great, with lots of space and it looks like there will be grass/seats for parents to sit on.

I know my children are slightly older than many here (4.5 and 3), but I really didn't see the issue regarding gates etc. We were in the 1 o'clock club, gates were shut, and they know not to go out without me. Perhaps I'm just lucky, but they know the rules - and even 18 months ago when they were much smaller the same would have applied.

It's not perfect, and not as good as Brockwell Park by any stretch of the imagination - but it's a free resource provided by the council and is better than nothing.

Just my two penny worth :)

[Renata Hamvas]

Sorry, I have been away for the last couple of weeks (even though I did manage to post on a couple of threads on the forum, I didn't have my usual internet access, and this is also why I didn't make the play area opening!) When I'm up and running again next week, I shall go down and look at the new facilities myself and at the issues raised above(the last time I looked in July, the area it wasn't yet completed). I don't know for sure in this case, but often when fencing or similar metalwork is removed, it is found to be corroded and it's not worth putting back (I'll check with Gavin, as he has probably raised an enquiry about this already).

Renata

[Bellenden Jo]

Went here today for the first time since the work has sort of been finished. Was a bit disappointed at the "water play". Tap wasn't switched on, and even if it was, can't see how much fun could be had apart from getting soaked under the tap!

Can anyone explain what the posts are for? They're too far apart to be used a stepping posts (and quite frankly the last ones are too high!), just couldn't see what use they are and that whatever they cost was a waste of money. Surely a slide or something would have been better.

Also the climbing frame, what's the curly pole for? And the cargo net was too widely spaced for easy climbing.

Did the planners of this not actually consult any parents? Also agree with the fencing issue, much easier to relax if you know they can't run off and you don't need to worry about dog poo!