Supporting local volunteers

Councillors Stephen Fenton and Paula Widdowson were out and about over the weekend supporting the hard work of local volunteers.

On Saturday Stephen joined the Friends of Acomb Wood for a litter pick, which was part of Keep Britain Tidy’s Great British Spring Clean activities, and then did a spot of graffiti removal.

A productive Acomb Wood litter pick!
Graffiti was removed from a number of locations, including here on Wharfe Drive

Then on Sunday, Paula and Stephen helped the Chapmans Pond volunteer team with some tree-planting.

Love to Eat / Chapmans Pond summer fair success

The sun shone on a successful summer fair on Sunday 11 June hosted by Love to Eat and Friends of Chapmans Pond. The Energise climbing wall was a hit with the kids, and a number of local groups and organisations ran stalls including Dringhouses Library, West Thorpe Scouts, Woodthorpe Community Group and Dementia Yorkshire.

Cllr Stephen Fenton also took the opportunity to check out the new storage container that has arrived on site, funded through a ward committee grant to the Friends of Chapmans Pond. The container will be painted green, and there are plans to create a vegetation ‘camouflage.’

Chapmans Pond car park markings refreshed

The council has re-painted the faded white lines in the Chapmans Pond car park on Moor Lane. In addition, yellow crosshatch markings have been painted in front of the entrance to the pond area, to reduce the risk of motorists blocking access.

Chapmans Pond car park

Concerns have been raised about York College students using the car park for all-day parking, which reduces the spaces available for visitors to the pond and customers at the Love to Eat café. Cllr Stephen Fenton has raised this issue with the College.

An example of ‘problem parking’ is pictured below.


 

Chapmans Pond lease agreed

At a public decision session today (Friday 23 September) Cllr Nigel Ayre (Executive Member for Leisure & Culture) agreed to transfer the management of the Chapman’s Pond site to the Friends of Chapman’s Pond on a trial basis, to improve the long-term care of the site.

Chapmans Pond Summer Fair 2016

Chapmans Pond Summer Fair 2016

The paper that was discussed at the decision session is available here.

Chapman’s Pond is a 2.6 ha site off Moor Lane in Dringhouses. The pond itself covers roughly a third of the site with other habitats including woodland and meadow. It is currently managed by the Council with the assistance of the Friends of Chapman’s Pond.

The Friends are a long running group and have over the years carried out practical maintenance tasks and conservation enhancements. They have also assisted with fund raising, in particular for the circular path in 2011/12 and, for the last three years, in partnership with Love to Eat Café, a summer fair has taken place on site.

Local Lib Dem councillors support the lease arrangement. Cllr Ann Reid commented

“The reinvigorated Friends Group has really got to grips with the management of the pond and addressed some long standing issues. It has now become a very pleasant place to visit and spend time and looks well cared for.    This helps to discourage some of the anti social behaviour and vandalism that has happened in the past.
“Granting the lease will help the Group pursue its programme to improve the area and manage the fishing more effectively. Representatives of the Friends Group attend our Ward Team meetings, are part of the community and are very supportive of other community groups.”

 

Charges likely for fishing at Chapman’s Pond

Charges are to be introduced for people wishing to fish at Chapman’s Pond on Moor Lane.

Chapmans pond children fishing 1971

Chapman’s Pond 1971

The charges will be levied when the lease of the site, to the Friends of Chapman’s pond, is concluded later in the year.

The charges are expected to be £3 per day or £15 per year for adults, £1 a day or £5 a year for 13 – 16 years olds and free for under 12s. This level of charging is comparable with the nearby Railway Pond. Fishing has previously been free at the site.

Last year the pond had to be closed to anglers following an outbreak of disease in the fishing stock. At the suggestion of the Environment Agency, and with the support of the anglers, the Council closed the pond during this year’s spawning period resulting in a huge reduction in the number of fish deaths compared to last year

An anglers group is expected to appoint volunteer bailiffs to police fishing at the pond.

The move is also expected to address anti-social behaviour problems at the pond although it is not yet clear whether the boundary will be secured.

Chapman’s Pond is a 2.6 ha site off Moor Lane in Dringhouses. The pond itself covers roughly a third of the site with other habitats including woodland and meadow. It is currently managed by the Council with the assistance of the Friends of Chapman’s Pond.

The Friends are a long running group and have over the years carried out practical maintenance tasks and conservation enhancements. They have also assisted with fund raising, in particular for the circular path in 2011/12 and, for the last three years, in partnership with Love to Eat Café, a summer fair has taken place on site.

The area will be leased to the Friends for a nominal fee initially for three years.

The plan is being discussed at a Council meeting taking place on 23rd September.