Save Pollok Park from Go Ape!
Posted by: Richard in Campaigns, Glasgow, Personal, Politics, RunningHello if you’re visiting my website after searching for details about the Go Ape proposal in Pollok Park, Glasgow.
The community campaign to stop Go Ape from taking over a part of Pollok Park is at: www.savepollokpark.com – Be sure to visit, and also to write to the Planning officer to express your views on the matter. The public meeting is Tuesday, 22nd January, at 7.30pm, at Pollokshaws Burgh Hall, 2025 Pollokshaws Road. Please get along there if you can.
What follows is my personal website, which seems to appear high up on some search engines. I’ve had quite a response here to my own critical views about the proposal, so feel free to add your own voice too.
I’d previously posted about Glasgow council’s proposal to bring Go Ape! to Pollok Country Park. There was a public consultation that was decidedly dubious (very focused on children’s views, and absolutely no attempt to publicise it anywhere out in the park itself, or to local residents). Whilst the views of everybody matter, approaching primarily groups who are likely to have a positive view is out of order.
Via G41 I see that There’s an opposition campaign kicking off (pdf), following a public meeting last week that I would have been at myself if I hadn’t been at a Christmas Party.
There’s also the beginnings of a website at savepollokpark.com. Have to say, the use of Family Guy’s Evil Monkey (probably my favourite character in the show) is inspired.
Whatever your views, please make them known to the council as soon as you can. More details via the campaign leaflet (clicky here
Update: – I’m not actually associated with the official Save Pollok Park campaign. I do wholeheartedly support it, but this is a personal weblog that just happens to get some quite high listings in popular search engines.
If you want to speak to anybody in the campaign, check out their contact page.
I appreciate all the comments, but if you want to register your objection, please visit The Save Pollok Park campaign website, so you can contact the council planning officer directly.
Entries (RSS)
December 21st, 2007 at 5:10 pm
I have been to Pollock park only once and that was driving past, but it seems to me to be far too small an area in which to develop something like Go Ape. Referring to their website, I discover there is one near us at Mallards Pike in the Forest of Dean. I never knew it was there until now, and that I think is a good thing. The Forest of Dean and the other Forestry Commission sites are much larger areas of woodland in which there is space for a variety of commercial outdoor activities to take place without intruding into areas where the “natural” order prevails.
In your capacity as a Glasgow resident I would be glad for you to forward this view to the council if you deem it appropriate so to do.
January 9th, 2008 at 1:16 pm
The proposed ‘Go Ape’ development horrifies me.
I walk round the whole of Pollok Park every day with my dog and it is my
’sanity time’!
I am also a council tax payer in the G41 area.
I cannot believe that GCC planning dept. are considering – no, promoting – such a venture.
I have it on good authority that the city council’s park employees have been instructed to confiscate the notices posted around tyhe park explaining the proposals and giving notification of the piblic meeting.
THE CITY COUNCIL IS GUILTY OF PUSHING THROUGH THESE PROPOSALS WITHOUT ALLOWING THE GENERAL PUBLIC, THE COUNCIL TAX PAYERS, TO BE INFORMED ABOUT THEM AND THEREFORE DENYING THE PUBLIC TO HAVE A SAY IN THE MATTER
January 16th, 2008 at 10:16 pm
This park is a perfect park already for outdoor activity it does not need upgrading, any further developments will cause the distruction of what is already a well loved and perfectly enjoyed park.
The Burrel collection is free and is perfectly enjoyed by all.
It seems absurb to risk the success of the burrell for this ill conceived play park.
As far as i can understand it is the intention to charge money for the use of this play park, this is an absolutly offensive idea.
I am also a very regular user of this park and take my young child there, I note that information about this development has been very limited. This implies that this is being sneaked through.
This needs proper public debate.
Shell Kerr
January 17th, 2008 at 4:06 pm
this is dispicalbe it will ruin the whole park.
January 17th, 2008 at 8:55 pm
I grew up living on the Pollok Estate, firstly in one of The Hippenstanes cottages and then in South Lodge (my parents have just recently moved from there) as a child I had the unique advantage of being able to run out the back door right into the estate, the idea of this play park horrifies and saddens me. Im afraid that this development is part of a problem that begun with the construction of the M77 Motorway right through a huge section of some of the oldest and last greenbelt in Scotland, and which will end in there being nothing but shops and commercial ventures running from The monstrous Silverburn all the way to Dumbreck and Mosspark. This proposed play park will be located in the heart of North Wood which I know to have some of the most beautiful and oldest trees in Glasgow, the idea that a commercial venture such as Go Ape could in any way improve the natural beauty, that after all belongs to the PEOPLE of Glasgow, is ridiculous!!! The only way to combat this is to make a stink in any way legally possible, petitions, posters, local news and radio, personally I find it highly suspicious that the powers that be are keeping thing so quite!! From the Information that I have been given a lease of Twenty One years will be granted, the first years rent being Around £2000 when you add this to the fact the the proposed price of admission to Go Ape will be £20 – £25 the sums dont add up!! Finally it may just be me but I was under the impression that a Public Park (that was gifted to the People of Glasgow by the Maxwell-MacDonald family) was somewhere that the general Public could enjoy free of Charge!! If you care about Glasgow, its Heritage and what is left for the next generation do what you can to stop this Nightmare!!
January 18th, 2008 at 1:50 pm
i love pollok park
it shouldnt be built me and my friends at school have started a petition and have got a few hundred signatures
but we need 5000 help us and support us
January 22nd, 2008 at 5:39 pm
Go ape is a good idea but NOT for pollok estate
January 23rd, 2008 at 9:47 am
[...] blogged a number of times about the Go Ape proposal (here on the consultation, here, and here), and last night went along to the Save Pollok Park public meeting. The Herald does a [...]
January 23rd, 2008 at 10:14 am
I have used Pollock Park almost all my life and the beauty of it is the fact that it is quiet, unspoilt and a little bit of countryside that the public can use without resorting to the farmed fields. There is so little green space left for us, is it not our right to have a little bit to enjoy for peace, quiet and relaxation??
January 23rd, 2008 at 5:53 pm
sure would be a shame when the neds express their approval with a tub of petrol
and whats this about the councillor getting the backhander (I mean in this case specifically rather the usual modus operandi)?
January 23rd, 2008 at 6:51 pm
Iam shocked at plans to have go ape in pollok park,ive been brought up in pollok househillwood and i go to the park as often as i can its so peaceful
and relaxing id be gutted to see anything put within the grounds the motor way was bad enough .
January 23rd, 2008 at 10:54 pm
I use the park almost every week. and am stronly appossed to this proposal. the fact that so many people do not want this in our park. it should show the council that this is a bad idea, after all the park was gifted to the people of glasgow by the maxwell family. the agreement was that it was never to be used for commercial development. Is this not commercial development.the council should listen to what the people want for once.
January 26th, 2008 at 4:39 pm
[...] previously blogged about the Go Ape proposal in Pollok Park (here and here). It’s currently a very hot topic in Glasgow, and the letters pages of the various newspapers [...]
February 27th, 2008 at 10:46 pm
How can you possibly improve on the best park in europe by destroying part of it, with this ludicrous GO APE proposal??????? I am disgusted that this is even being considered it is just a money making scheme for the owners of GO APE at this wonderful park’s expense.
I would like to also comment that it will destroy the park and also the wildlife that lives in that part of the beautiful north wood.
February 27th, 2008 at 11:22 pm
Thanks one and all for all the comments that are still coming in.
Just wanted to make sure you all knew the things you can do to help:
Writing to your local councillor, MSP and MP expressing your views (E-mail addresses are available at http://www.savepollokpark.com/14001.html ). It’s not too late. Nobody in the council has voted on anything yet!
Sign the petition at http://www.petitiononline.com/220848/petition.html
Join the facebook group: http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=20574082168 to stay in touch.
Stay in touch with the developments in the campaign at http://www.savepollokpark.com
Regards,
Richard.
March 26th, 2008 at 8:49 pm
Once more the city fathers are siding with the business community instead of local communities. Our natural heritage is again being reduced to a mere commodity for a quick buck and probably a few back handers too for dodgy politicians. The whittling away of our Common Good will not stop unless we vote these muppets out of the council before they do anymore damage in the name of so called “progress”. Don’t let them fool us anymore about the “economic benefits” of their regneration and devlopment initiatives, it’s all lies. Stand up for Pollok Park, stand up for the Common Good, stand up for our natural heritage and say no to Go Ape.