Bedford Park users have told the Borough Council “we’re watching you” while repairs to areas damaged by events are carried out.
John Copeland, who said he lives near Bedford Park, asked about the repairs to Bedford Park during last week’s Environment and Sustainable Communities Overview and Scrutiny Committee (18 July).
“If you recall, it was quite a contentious decision to site [Winter Wonderland] there,” he told the committee. “The weather was appalling, the weather immediately afterwards was appalling.
“The council put up signs saying reinstatement works would take place eventually when it dried out a bit.
“I saw somebody driving a tractor and spiking the ground months ago. And more recently some grass has grown, so it has been obviously reseeded.
“But overall, it’s still in very poor condition,” he said.
Read: Council answers questions over Winter Wonderland planning fiasco
Mr Copeland said he lodged a complaint with the council and was told the reinstatement works were completed by the beginning of June.
“Well, if you walk around now, you will clearly see that they haven’t,” he said. “When will the reinstatement works take place properly?”
Paul Pace, chief officer of environment, replied: “The grounds maintenance team are currently in the park. They are doing some repairs, mostly on the work where the Bedford concerts were.
“Because again, unfortunately, the weather played a particular key element there on the day of the breaking up of the main stage.”
Read: Winter Wonderland organisers confirm they will pay for repairs to Bedford Park
Mr Pace explained that there was a “downpour of rain” when the stage was being removed, which caused further problems to the Park.
This was despite the concert provider putting down tracking on the grass to minimise any damage.
“The crews have been on from the grounds to try and repair that as quickly as possible and as good as they can to get it back to a good condition.
“We are aware of some of the other areas that still need some further work. And that will be carried over the next few weeks as well. Ideally we would have liked to get on to the Winter Wonderland site a lot quicker than we did.
“It was many months, rather than weeks, before we could get on there. So, rest assured that it will be done,” he said.
Mr Copeland said: “Thank you for that, there are a number of people that keep a very close eye on the Park and they will be watching carefully to see if you achieve.”
by John Guinn
Local Democracy Reporter
