Issue - meetings

To note the report of the Park Manager, Mark Evison updating on Park activities.

RECEIVED the Park Update report, introduced by Emma Dagnes, Interim Chief Executive, Alexandra Palace and Park (as laid out in pages 51-53 of the agenda pack).

NOTED that

a.         an update on Go Ape would be presented to the Board on 15 July 2015;

b.         re paragraph 6.2 - the Joint Committee would receive an update on the Park Vision in October (rather than in the autumn, when no meeting was scheduled);

c.         during discussion of the request from Heartlands High School to use the Park for sports activities.  The School had started discussions with Alexandra Palace Football Club but apparently no agreement was reached.  Emma Dagnes offered to investigate why 2011 proposals to use the Club’s football pitches had not progressed.

Committee members accepted that more schools were using public spaces for sports and that the Palace and Park were required by the Alexandra Palace and Park Act, 1985 to consider any requests.  In response to questions it was explained that the School would not use the Park as a playground but as a sports pitch;

d.         members gave feedback from the Park Vision Workshop held on 3 June 2015, including suggestions for a Christmas Market and an outdoor ice-rink.  A discussion followed including that:

·         a temporary ice rink would: compete with the internal ice rink; be very expensive to set up but would be investigated;

·         considerations for a Christmas market included finding the right organiser or whether it could be operated in-house during a very busy month of events at the Palace.

e.         a number of members raised concerns about the close proximity of the graffiti wall to the children’s play area and the perceived health risks due to aerosol chemicals being carried in the air.  Emma Dagnes explained that she could formally address issues, which had been previously raised, at the 15 July 2015 Board meeting. 

RESOLVED to note the Park Update report.