Skatepark and inflatable ‘arena’ sessions have been organised for youngsters in Foxwood, Dringhouses and Woodthorpe over the Easter holidays.
The sessions, at Foxwood Community Centre, Foxwood Park and Moor Lane Youth Centre, are being run by the York City Knights Foundation and are being funded by the Westfield and Dringhouses & Woodthorpe Ward Committees.
Further activity sessions are booked in for the May/June half term and the summer holidays, including arena sessions at Woodthorpe Green.
The installation of a new accessible roundabout at the Woodthorpe Green play area is underway. The roundabout is designed in such a way as to easily accommodate wheelchairs, and has been funded by a £12,000 grant secured by the Woodthorpe York Community Group.
Accessible roundabout
The wider playground revamp at Woodthorpe should be finally completed when snagging issues have been resolved. These are:
Meanwhile at the revamped Nelsons Lane playground, outstanding issues are:
When all of these tasks have been completed and signed off as safe, the playgrounds will re-open.
Pupils in York are being asked ‘should you sack your chauffeur?’ as part of a drive to improve pedestrian safety at school gates.
Dringhouses primary is one of a number of schools that are piloting the scheme and are holding short assemblies to launch it this week (w/c 26 February).
The children will be shown examples of poor driving habits, illustrated in a lighthearted way, but with the intention that they will help to encourage their parents to drive and park more considerately.
Currently, the council receives frequent and numerous complaints about unsafe driving and parking outside schools. This partnership approach with schools aims to involve young passengers to encourage their drivers to behave in a more responsible way around the school, making it safer and more pleasant for everyone.
In addition, parking awareness road sign characters will be loaned to the schools and located to best influence driver behaviour. The campaign will be supported by monitoring and enforcement against illegal and inconsiderate parking.
If the pilot proves successful, it will be rolled out to other primary schools areas where inconsiderate driving and parking have been identified as a particular concern.
Gill Williams, headteacher of Dringhouses Primary School, said: “Inconsiderate and dangerous parking and driving during morning drop-off and afternoon pick-up times is a constant problem for our school. There are road markings outside school to deter cars from parking close to the school gates, however a small minority of parents still choose to park on these lines or use the entrance to the school gates to drop off or do a U-turn. It is only a matter of time before someone is seriously injured.
“We very much welcome this new safety initiative and hope that, by engaging the children in a fun and creative way, the importance of road safety awareness will be raised.”
The £62k scheme to improve play areas at Nelsons Lane and Woodthorpe Green got started during the week commencing 8 January. The improvements are part-funded by the Dringhouses & Woodthorpe Ward Committee.
Initial work has focused on removing the equipment that isn’t to be retained and start the preparatory work for the new equipment to be installed.
Nelsons Lane – all existing play equipment removed
Woodthorpe Green – toddler play equipment retained (and to be re-painted when the weather is a bit warmer)
Nelsons Lane Play area
The Council has accepted tenders submitted by Wicksteed to replace equipment on two playgrounds
The refurbishment of the playground on Nelsons Lane will cost £32,000.
Similar work on Woodthorpe Green will cost £30,000
The work is expected to be completed by the end of the month
A number of schemes funded from the Dringhouses & Woodthorpe ward budget are coming to fruition.
The installation of tarmac runovers on the corners of Nidd Grove and Don Avenue has been completed, with tactile paving also installed at the crossing points.
The installation of new play equipment in the Woodthorpe Green playground is due to begin on Monday 8th January and should last one week. The playground will be closed whilst the work is undertaken. The installation team is then due to move on to the Nelsons Lane playground on 15 January.
And finally, a new streetlight is being installed to illuminate the snicket that connects Moor Lane with the old Askham Bar Park & Ride site. This is a busy route for both cyclists and pedestrians, and a number of residents had complained about the complete lack of illumination.
New lamp post being installed
The Liberal Democrat motion on funding for Children and Young People was passed at last night’s meeting of full Council.
The motion, proposed by Cllr Ashley Mason, asked Council to officially recognise the abysmal funding situation of schools in York, both historically and under the incoming schools National Funding Formula.
As a result of the successful motion, the Council will now make contact with the Secretary of State to insist she reconsider York’s position. In the meantime, the Council will do everything it can to support schools during the difficult implantation period of the National funding Formula.
Furthermore, the motion also recognised the outstanding work of the City’s Youth Council and a commitment was given to explore further funding for the Youth Council.
The motion was passed, with amendments, by every City of York Councillor in attendance, apart from Conservative Councillors, who abstained from the vote and refused to support the sentiments of the motion.
Cllr Ashley Mason said:
“I am delighted that our motion received such enormous support last night, both from Councillors and members of the public. The Council can begin in it’s efforts to lobby central Government and stand up for the City’s schools.
Schools are facing considerable financial challenges and under the new National Funding Formula, York will remain the worst funded local authority area in the Country. This simply is not acceptable and more funding is needed to provide an inclusive education across the City.
It was also excellent to see the efforts staff and Youth Councillors formally recognised by Council. I very much look forward to working with the Executive in identifying financial opportunities to support the Youth Council further
It was extremely disappointing to see that the Conservative Party refused to vote and support this extremely important motion, but nonetheless, the Liberal Democrats will continue to make the case for York and for the City’s schools.
Following a ballot organised by the Chase Residents Association, the winning design for the £32,000 renovation of the Nelsons Lane playground has been revealed.
The favoured design is the one put forward by play equipment company Wicksteed, who also won the contract to renovate the Woodthorpe Green playground.
The winning design is on display at Dringhouses Library
The plan is for work on the Nelsons Lane playground to get underway in February.
Dringhouses Library :
Fri 3 Nov :
3.00pm – 5.00pm :
£2 per child/£5 family ticket
Artist Anna Harding will help you make a mural of the wonderful York Minster, to help decorate Dringhouses Library. Make the Minster, and then make a picture of yourself to go in the mural! Sponsored by York Evening Decorative and Fine Art Society (YEDFAS).
Booking advisable to avoid disappointment.
This event is aimed at 4-12 year old.
For further information please call Dringhouses Library on (01904) 552674 or email dringhouses@exploreyork.org.uk.
