Cherry Hinton Hall Bulletin – November 2010

The Cherry Hinton Hall Bulletin is designed to keep visitors to the park informed of any recent, current and up and coming works, any events which may be happening as well as other interesting information about the park.

During 2010 a public consultation has been undertaken on the draft masterplan which is anticipated to deliver see some interesting and exciting changes in the hall grounds during the forthcoming weeks, months and years.

At the Community Services Scrutiny Committee on 14^th October the recommendations relating to the masterplan for the grounds were as follows;

• To approve the components of the masterplan set out in the committee report.
• To instruct officers to undertake a project appraisal of the masterplan for future consideration by Community Services Scrutiny Committee.
• Authorise officers to deliver the Big Lottery funded elements of the plan around the pond area.
• Accept the principle of a City Farm and to instruct officers to work with the City Farm Project to prepare a feasibility study for the hall and to consider other possible sites across the city that may be suitable to site a City Farm.
• Instruct officers to liase with the Folk Festival project team to mitigate the impact of the proposed masterplan on the operation of the Folk Festival.

The Community Services Scrutiny members approved these recommendations.

The future will be exciting at the hall as we look to delivery the masterplan with some of the smaller projects underway already.

The following summarises the completed, current and forthcoming projects;

Work recently completed

• During early November long awaited works to the brook leading from the bridge at the lake has been carried out. The clearance of vegetation which had fallen across the brook and some which was likely to cause future problems was cleared and will increase natural flow and light levels along this stretch.
• New fitness equipment near the tennis court has recently been introduced, to complete this work matting is to be installed in the area surrounding the equipment to take the wear but also leave as natural finish as possible.

Work currently in progress

• Installation of a pond dipping platform in the pond area. Funded by the Big Lottery grant the installation of this platform is the first element of the masterplan to be delivered. The platform is a valuable educational resource which can be used by all and by next spring/summer with the introduction of aquatic plans close to the platform there should be a chance to catch and identify various water invertebrates.
• There is still work to be completed to compliment this installation including planting in and out of the water and improvement in the bank to enable better access.
• Installation of a chain link fence along the weir section of the channel running along the rear of Forest Road boundaries.

Forthcoming work:

• A series of interpretation panels are due to be installed around the pond area these will give information on the various flora and fauna which can be seen in and around the pond and natural area behind. A special pond dipping board and tray holders will be installed near the new platform to enable dipping trays to be placed and the invertebrates identified using the interpretation panel incorporated. These are still in proof stage at present with anticipated installation before the end of March 2011, this again funded by the Big Lottery grant.
• The final part of the Big Lottery grant is to locate a wildflower meadow area with wildlife themed bespoke benches. This will involve creating a small area of space near to the pond (see map) clearing some Hawthorns, some of which have fallen of there own accord, some which have been suffocated by ivy.       One of the fore mentioned interpretation boards will be tailored to the species you may be able to see in the meadow area.
• The City Council and Cherry Hinton Hall Friends Group (a key stakeholder in the masterplan process) are intending to have a community day in which the public will be invited to help plant and sow. Work to create the area will take place in the next few weeks dependant on weather conditions and the community day in March 2011.
• A new piece of play equipment ‘The Explorer Dome with a double slide’ (see accompanying picture) is currently on order and due for delivery before Christmas. This innovative piece of play equipment is to replace the old tower play piece which was vandalised and as far as possible will occupy the same footprint. Installation will be as soon as the ground conditions permit in the new year.
• A Beech tree will be planted as a replacement for the one which was removed near the pedestrian crossing entrance on Cherry Hinton Road.       This will be planted during the winter period.

Anthony French
Green Space Officer
Cambridge City Council
(01223 457000)
22/11/10