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Public engagement activities in the summer and autumn of 2023 highlighted the need for Spring Gardens open space to offer more for the community. Nearly 100 of you responded, coming along to pop up events and answering an online survey! You told us you want more facilities and opportunities for play, physical activity, relaxation, connection with nature and a space for community activities. The attached engagement report outlines the detailed results of this engagement.
As a green open space of just under one hectare in a densely populated area of town, with low levels of green open space, the park has so much potential and needs to do a lot more to serve the needs of the diverse local community- essential for health and well-being and community cohesion.
We currently have a small pot of money that we are hoping to increase by applying for grant funding. The plan is to phase works as further funding becomes available, working to an overall plan that we will develop further with residents this autumn.
Works to improve the grass surface to make it more level and smooth were successfully undertaken in the spring. A new path and some benches are currently being installed; and some hedge, blossom tree and wildflower planting is planned for the edges of the park (autumn 2024).
Spring Gardens open space is still owned by SBC but is currently managed by South Swindon Parish Council who we are liaising with on this project. It is hoped that they will take on the management of the park once we have delivered the improvements.
Public engagement activities in the summer and autumn of 2023 highlighted the need for Spring Gardens open space to offer more for the community. Nearly 100 of you responded, coming along to pop up events and answering an online survey! You told us you want more facilities and opportunities for play, physical activity, relaxation, connection with nature and a space for community activities. The attached engagement report outlines the detailed results of this engagement.
As a green open space of just under one hectare in a densely populated area of town, with low levels of green open space, the park has so much potential and needs to do a lot more to serve the needs of the diverse local community- essential for health and well-being and community cohesion.
We currently have a small pot of money that we are hoping to increase by applying for grant funding. The plan is to phase works as further funding becomes available, working to an overall plan that we will develop further with residents this autumn.
Works to improve the grass surface to make it more level and smooth were successfully undertaken in the spring. A new path and some benches are currently being installed; and some hedge, blossom tree and wildflower planting is planned for the edges of the park (autumn 2024).
Spring Gardens open space is still owned by SBC but is currently managed by South Swindon Parish Council who we are liaising with on this project. It is hoped that they will take on the management of the park once we have delivered the improvements.
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A new path with two seating areas and benches is currently being installed in Spring Gardens open space. This will run up the southern side of the park and around the eastern side, linking in with the existing cycle/ footpath. This will provide an accessible route around the park for residents to walk around, particularly in the colder months when the route across the park gets muddy. A large space is left in the middle of the park to allow for the large informal games of football and volley ball residents have been enjoying again since the grass was made more level. The location of the path also allows space for future improvements and additions of play areas etc.
Other autumn plans for the park are the addition of native hedges around the boundaries of the park, some additional tree planting (including blossom trees), some bulb planting and creation of wildflower areas between the path and park boundaries.
A new path with two seating areas and benches is currently being installed in Spring Gardens open space. This will run up the southern side of the park and around the eastern side, linking in with the existing cycle/ footpath. This will provide an accessible route around the park for residents to walk around, particularly in the colder months when the route across the park gets muddy. A large space is left in the middle of the park to allow for the large informal games of football and volley ball residents have been enjoying again since the grass was made more level. The location of the path also allows space for future improvements and additions of play areas etc.
Other autumn plans for the park are the addition of native hedges around the boundaries of the park, some additional tree planting (including blossom trees), some bulb planting and creation of wildflower areas between the path and park boundaries.
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Landscape Contractor RF Gardiner will be starting grass improvement works on Monday 13th May 2024 and part of the park will be fenced off for three weeks while they do this, to keep the public safe.
In the public engagement we undertook in summer and autumn last year, many of you told us that after the contamination remediation works the surface of the park was too rough and bumpy for informal sports or even safe for some older residents to walk on.
The contractor will be scarifying the surface, reseeding any gappy areas and covering with a lawn top dressing. South Swindon Parish Council who manage the grass will be keeping it cut after this and over time the surface will improve and be suitable for informal sports again. This is just one step we are taking in improving this open space for your use.
Landscape Contractor RF Gardiner will be starting grass improvement works on Monday 13th May 2024 and part of the park will be fenced off for three weeks while they do this, to keep the public safe.
In the public engagement we undertook in summer and autumn last year, many of you told us that after the contamination remediation works the surface of the park was too rough and bumpy for informal sports or even safe for some older residents to walk on.
The contractor will be scarifying the surface, reseeding any gappy areas and covering with a lawn top dressing. South Swindon Parish Council who manage the grass will be keeping it cut after this and over time the surface will improve and be suitable for informal sports again. This is just one step we are taking in improving this open space for your use.
Stage 1 - Discover: Site analysis and listening to the community
Future Spring Gardens has finished this stage
This stage was in summer 2023 and consisted of desk based research of the site and surroundings and initial 'pop-up' engagement event at Spring Gardens. We then reflection on our findings, along with the analysis of the site and surrounds to help shape the parameters of the project.
Stage 2 - Define: Making sense of the data, planning a way forward
Future Spring Gardens is currently at this stage
Carry out further 'pop-up' engagement events at Spring Gardens, along with online digital surveys. Make sense of what has been learnt and delivery some collaborative workshops with the community, with particular interest in forming a 'friends of' group. Continue to research and apply for funding.
Stage 3: Develop - Co-creation workshops, design, feedback and iteration
this is an upcoming stage for Future Spring Gardens
Carry out a series of design workshops with residents to co-create a vision for the park, conduct focus group meeting with people often excluded from the space or have specific support needs. Take all the learning and co-creation and create a illustrative masterplan to present back to community for feedback. Iterate the design process to reach a satisfactory conclusion for the community. Continue to research and apply for funding.
Stage 4: Deliver - Bring the vision to life
this is an upcoming stage for Future Spring Gardens
Produce technical drawings and cost estimates, whilst the community design on priorities of phasing the delivery of the site. The works will the go out to tender and a contractor will be selected. The aim is to have an initial phase of Spring Garden improvements to be completed, then further phases built as funds become available.