Save Our Field From Goals

We won!!!!!!!

2009-11-14T18:37:00.005Z

I have neglected this blog shamefully! Sorry if you have been following us from afar. Big news is we forced the council to go for consultation. Independent company came in ( see previous post) came in and what do you think they found? Yes thats right - an overwhelming rejection of the Goals! plan.

I think we should say thank you to the council for listening to local opinion. The council cabinet have now formally rejected the goals proposal. You can read the report for yourself by clicking here

I think we now need to create an archive of our campiagn so we can share it with any other residents else where in the UK who face similar proposals.

I love people power! Local democracy is great.

I am now seriously considering standing for council as an independent. Anyone else fancy joining me?

This weeks local paper

2009-05-02T17:41:00.001+01:00

Have a look here at what this weeks paper says about the consultation

Morden Civic Forum

2009-04-28T22:19:00.004+01:00

I have just got back from tonights meeting. Several residents accompanied by children were able to take part in the discussion about consultation over Morden Park. The council have just appointed a company called Dialogue to conduct a proper consultation exercise. You can see a picture of Max and Kirsten above.

I think we need to give Max and Kirsten as much help as possible. We need to encourage as many sections of the community as possible to share their views of what they would like to see in Morden Park.

I really think we should welcome this as an opportunity to kick out the ludicrous Goals scheme and to begin proper discussions about what we do want. The consulatation covers the whole of the park including the leisure centre. It does not cover the registry office or the college.

We may not all agree on what we want the park used for but the big breakthrough is that we have established that the public do not want this land to be leased by a profit making organisation that will take the park out of free public use.

As soon as I have details I will post them here.

Mordern park consultation

2009-04-27T22:02:00.002+01:00

I have just found out that Morden park consultation is to be launched tonight Tues 28 April at Civic centre at 7.15 at Morden Community Forum. Please encourage friends and neighbours to come along!

Nice to see Morden Park playing fields being used

2009-04-27T13:42:00.002+01:00

This was taken sunday afternoon in the playing field. As well as these kids there was a big informal football game going on, lots of individual families and some knock about tennis action!
One councillor describes this field as a "dogs toilet". I intend to collect some photographic evidence to prove he is wrong! If you have some pictures of residents enjoying the fields please send them to me or to the website.

Free advice from USA. Watch this clip of Obama's director of blogging.

2009-04-03T20:35:00.006+01:00

I have been away at an amazing e campaigning conference in Oxford. I had the chance to learn from the most inspirational campaigners. Here is some advice from Sam Graham Felsen- a man who helped put President Obama where he is today.

I really wish I had filmed some of the other participants. Thinking about what Zuhal in Iraq and Tonee from Kenya have achieved with minimum resources aside from their passion and intelligence really inspires me to redouble my own efforts. People power is unstoppable and it starts in local communities!
Yes, I know saving a local park doesn't sound very heroic on the global scale but its a start.

This is the leaflet we plan to deliver down Hillcross Ave

2009-03-21T17:07:00.002Z

Saving Morden Park

It looks like the council has changed its mind about allowing the Goals soccer centre proposal to go straight to planning permission. They now accept that the Goals proposal is unpopular and have proposed a further consultation.

You can see the consultation plans for yourself on the council website http://www.merton.gov.uk/democratic_services/ds-agendas/ds-fpreports/754.pdf

You will see that whilst saying they want to explore potential options for Morden Park the Goals proposal is still very much on the table and appears to be the preferred option.

So, whilst being delighted with the announcement of consultation there is still the need to continue to campaign to protect Morden Park from the environmental disaster that the Goals plan represents.

Hopefully this consultation represents a dignified way for the council to withdraw their support from the Goals plan but reassurance is needed that the park will stay in public hands and will be developed for the benefit of the local community and not simply to make as much money as possible for the Council. Until that reassurance is received the campaign will continue.

We will be in touch soon with next steps in the campaign. In the meanwhile if you can get your neighbours to display the green posters you can download them from www.mordenpark.org.uk. Don’t forget to sign up to the email group.

Does anyone have a spare minute to help deliver them?

Council's plans for consultation

2009-03-17T23:36:00.002Z

Have a look here at the plans for consultation Merton Council have proposed.

It looks like the Goals proposal is still on the table.

2009-03-16T20:01:00.005Z

New consultation is very good news!

2009-03-12T23:17:00.002Z

It is too soon to celebrate but this new consultation looks like an excellent opportunity to blow the Goals! proposal out of the water. We will have a real opportunity to to make our case for saving Morden Park. Don't take the posters down yet though. We need to ensure the consultant understands the strength of feeling against this lunatic scheme!

Have a look at the local guardian article here.

Watch this space!

New poster!

2009-02-02T01:10:00.002Z

Watch out for the new posters appearing in windows very soon. My youngest son and I nearly lost the use of our fingers after delivering some in artic conditions today! Click here to download a poster for yourself.

Article in Wimbledon Guardian

2009-01-23T00:01:00.001Z

Looks like speculation is growing that Morden Park may be the site that Goals abandon. Click here to read the report in todays local guardian.

I'm back!

2009-01-15T00:07:00.003Z

Sorry for the lack of posts recently! However I am now back and ready for action. We had a really good committee meeting tonight which has re invigorated the campaign.

We kicked off with a discussion about the news of Goals financial position. Falling profits have led to an announcement from Goals that they will reduce the number of new centres they plan to open in 2009 from 6 to 4. Click here for further details. Let's hope Morden Park is one they plan to abandon!

Over the holidays we recieved the testimonies of a number of residents who back on to Goals site in other parts of the UK. They make for grim reading - complaints about the noise, anti social behaviour and flood lighting are central. There are also lots of comments about matches and socialising often going on long after 11.00pm. We are planning to put them on the website soon and will send them around our email group as soon as possible.

Council Vote

2008-12-06T12:04:00.005Z

At a full council meeting the council voted to extend sporting facilities but not to develop green open spaces. Well done Councillors Bettridge and Pearce for adding such a good amendment. You can read an acount of this meeting in this weeks issue of the local guardian.

I am truly baffled as to why the conservative councillors are so desperate to see Morden Park spoilt by such an awful development. I know that some of the councillors who are supporting the "Goals!" scheme are the same councillors who passionately defended Morden Park from a floodlit golf proposal. I know that they won't be happy to see the park used as a carpark and a bar.

I really wish that local democracy meant that councillors voted for schemes on their merits and not on party loyalty. Maybe the Merton Park residents have got the right idea!

Channel 5 News - if you missed it

2008-11-28T17:47:00.003Z

Channel 5 News DID show the 1 minute clip! You can see what was broadcast here.

Watch channel 5 news tonight 5.00 - 5.30

2008-11-23T23:51:00.003Z

We are hoping that channel 5 will show a one minute film, today Monday 24th Nov about our campaign to save Morden Park from Goals. If you miss it you may be able to see the report on their website under the "your news" heading. Click here

Video: How Goals would ruin our field

2008-11-20T13:14:00.004Z

Just take a look at this video to see why it is so important to stop the proposal to build a Goals Soccer Centre on Morden Park playing fields. The video contrasts how the fields are now with the way they would be if the Goals scheme went ahead. Scary stuff! Be warned: there is some swearing on the clips recorded at Goals.

Sundays activities

2008-11-18T00:21:00.002Z

Well done to all those who turned out on Sunday to help us get some good video footage of the the field. We were really lucky with the weather! Karl and I are ploughing through the footage and pictures. Will post some here as soon as I get a minute.

Thanks again to everyone who turned up at such short notice!

"Green spaces promote good health", says study.

2008-11-07T08:41:00.003Z

Richard Mitchell from Glasgow University has found that the difference in life expectancy between rich and poor shrinks amongst those who live in an environment with parks and trees.

The study makes the case that walking and spending time in green open spaces ( defined in this study as open, undeveloped land with natural vegetation) is more beneficial than taking exercise in developed artificial spaces.

Click here to read an account of this study in todays Independent

"The implications of this study are clear: environments that promote good health might be crucial in the fight to reduce health inequalities."

"Populations that are exposed to the greenest environments have the lowest levels of health inequality related to income deprivation,"

Here are just 2 quotes I found from this study that support our case against the Goals development.

Goals illuminations

2008-11-05T17:32:00.006Z

Just have a look at the Goals centre in Raynes Park. Would this really enhance Morden park? Flood lighting doesn't look highly controlled and focused to me! Well done Imran for taking the pictures. Maybe we should ask people over the country to email us pictures of their Goals centre by night. we could build up quite a gallery!

grass v artificial surfaces

2008-11-05T10:33:00.003Z

Grass

It produces oxygen,
filters rainwater,
cools the air,
is a useful home to plants and wildlife.

Yes it needs cutting and you can't guarantee playing football on it all year round, (though interestingly they seem to manage with it in the past )

Artificial surfaces

adds to global warming. Heat from sun is reflected back into atmosphere rather than being absorbed into the ground
leads to large amount of disinfectant being added to the soil. Cleaning off the blood, sweat and spit from artificial turf requires disinfectant and detergent where as these materials are easily absorbed and broken down by natural soil
disposal of the artifical surface is a real problem. Goals plan to replace surfaces every 7 years yet we know that they are very real problems with disposing of the old surfaces as they don't disintergrate. Some landfill sites in America have banned them.

Yes, it does create a surface that can be played on all year run, 7 days a week, 9.00am til 11.00 every day of the year.

Todays Evening Standard

2008-10-30T22:51:00.004Z

I am delighted to see that news of our campaign has reached the Evening Standard. Please spend 5 mins posting a comment. Since the council have n't been very keen to listen to us face to face maybe they will pay more attention to our views via the Evening Standard.

This is a great opportunity for our campaign to make our views known.

Councillor Williams calculates 12% of the park is a reasonable amount to lose

2008-10-23T21:54:00.006+01:00

Alright - maybe 12% sounds a reasonable amount to lose. Okay Councillor, which 12% of your body would you like to lose? Doesn't sound quite so reasonable put like that! Its the thin end of the wedge. We cannot afford to lose anymore open space. There are plenty of industrial parks, with vacant spaces which would be perfect for Goals Soccer Centres. Our parks need protection.

Thank you to my friend who inspired tonights post by agonising over which 12% of his body he would be okay to lose.

The perfect place for a carpark?

2008-10-22T20:02:00.004+01:00

We will never get these green spaces back! Help us save the fields from the dreadful plans the council have in mind. Click here to see what the council want to put in their place.

Which would you prefer?

Tooting residents stop private football development on public common

2008-10-17T22:19:00.006+01:00

latest issue of the Wandsworth Guardian (click on the link then turn to page 2).
Looks like people power actually works! Please let your neighbours, friends etc know about this victory. If people can see we have a good chance of stopping Goals then they will be more likely to write letters and lodge a complaint when the time actually comes.

If the good people of Wandsworth can save their open spaces then so can we!!!

Power to the people!

Update: To see what Wandsworth residents thought of the council's plans, click here.

great poster!

2008-10-14T21:28:00.004+01:00

How many of these have you spotted? One resident has counted 86 down Hillcross alone!

Airbrushing the park out of history

2008-10-14T00:29:00.005+01:00

Take a look at this leaflet:

Can you spot what's missing in the lower half?

Half of Morden Park, that's what! The half that's scheduled to be bulldozed into a commercial football centre, naturally.

Stalin was a big fan of editing photographs to eliminate people who had fallen out of favour. Is this the Council's new tactic?

Thanks to Greg for bringing this to my attention.

Great letter in todays local Guardian

2008-10-10T17:19:00.004+01:00

Spot on Alex! (Click on the letter to read it.)

Friday is last day to respond to moreMorden consultation

2008-10-09T19:01:00.002+01:00

Dont forget to respond to the supposed consultation over Mordens development. The questionnaire seems designed to ignore Morden Park but we need to tell the council what we think. I will be making the following points

Why are there no specific mentions of the plans for Morden park?
The draft vision booklet incorrectly states that the council "is working to bring the Morden Park Playing Fields back into public use" when in actual fact it is currently in public use and they plan to sell one fifth of it for private use.
Why did the council choose not to distribute the booklet and questionnaires to residents of Hillcross Avenue whilst selecting other roads further from Morden town centre? Was this because they feared negative comments about Morden park?

Send your comments in now! Click here moreMorden@merton.gov.uk

No Councillor - we won't get over it!

2008-10-08T12:35:00.004+01:00

Following Councillor William's now famous rude remarks to us, (look back at the local paper if you want to see his comments in full) there are are some lovely posters working there way around the borough. Can't wait to get mine so I can give it pride of place on my window!

Health worries about astro turf.

2008-10-06T11:10:00.007+01:00

Michael Pahre believes that there are very worrisome environmental concerns related to leaching of carcinogenic chemicals from artificial turf into the water table in locations that are susceptible to flooding.

In America state legislators have filed a suit aginst the manufacturers because of concerns of dangerously high lead levels. Will we have to go through the same thing here or will Merton Council take our concerns seriously? Here they are removing astro turf from schools in jersey because of this.

Picnic time

2008-10-05T17:15:00.005+01:00

The Save Our Field picnic on 14th September, held in the field under threat in Morden Park, was a great success. About 200 people turned up, including several councillors and the local Labour parliamentary candidate.

The weather was great, and the children played football and cricket while the adults talked and ate, enjoying the weather and the field.

Letter to Boris

2008-10-05T14:47:00.002+01:00

Some children who live in Hillcross Avenue have written a letter to the Mayor of London, Boris Johnson, to tell him why they want to save their field from the Goals proposal.

Here is the letter in full:

Dear Mayor Boris Johnson,

We are kids in the Hillcross Ave area, in the London borough of Merton. We want to save our playing field. The council want to sell the field to Goals. We have 4 reasons why we don’t want Goals taking over.

1. We will lose our place to hang out and play - because we have friends on the St. Helier Estate it’s a good place to meet. People use it to walk dog’s a lot too People also play football, cricket and tennis for free.
2. There will be floodlights and it will be too light to sleep and Katie has to get up at 6:30am and so do some other kids in the road. If we can’t sleep we will be tired in school.
3. There will be noise all day and night and again we won’t sleep also we won’t be able to concentrate on doing our homework. We have owls in our field and they will be really disturbed by the noise. Also because its 5 aside football it will be crashing against the walls and there will be loud crashes and players shouting all the time.
4. Lastly Goals want a licensed club house and there will be drunken people being loud in the street right by our houses!

We would like to invite you to come and see our field .You can even play football with us if you want! We’ll give you a delicious picnic if you come. We hope you write back.

No reply so far!