Save Heaton Park

Here is some of the poetry, writing and pictures sent in as a response to our creative competitions to highlight how much we love Heaton Park. Send us your writing and pictures - the deadline for competition entries has been extended to 31 January 2010.

No longer eagerly to drive
No longer now will it thrive
Gone forwever winding path
Anticipation turned to wrath
As St Margaret’s entrance closes
No longer the sweet smell of roses
Now the noisy monster bulldozers
Oh! For those those so happy hours
In the gardens, ‘mongst the flowers.
(Mrs) M Davies (age 83)

‘Mum & Andy’.

It was taken by my father, Brian Harper, on a little Box Brownie that we still have. Unfortunately Dad is no longer with us.

Its taken where the Car Park is now at the top of the hill, where the Commonwealth Games pole is, looking back towards the reservoir and the road and some of the trees that will be cut down.

The area used to have knee high grass that had wispy seedy tops to them. Thats all the fuzzy bits of the picture.

Its a throwback to the black and white days that many of us remember andconnect us to this fantastic corner of the park that I love and grew up in.
Martin Harper

Heaton Park – a Greater Manchester oasis

I bought my house next to Heaton Park
So I could go there after work and before it got dark
With a busy job, so little time for play
I often go into the park at the end of the day

To blow off the cobwebs and de-clutter my mind
Regain my sanity, leave the crazy world behind

A big part of my life and my family’s too
I feel strangely attached, as many people do
To the trees and the green and the wide open space
It’s easy to overlook the treasures in this place

With many years of memories of sunshine and of snow
Picnics with the kids and sledging, you know
We boated on the lake, named the flowers and the trees
Watched the birds and the cattle, and now the bumblebees

It’s unusually peaceful but for occasional events
Cadbury’s bonfire display was the best ever spent
Pop concerts and fairgrounds distant people come to enjoy
Brief moments of high activity justify some annoy

To enable a playspace for all ages and all types
No need for sophistication, we don’t need the hype
The Pope even visited, it was cool when he stopped
To mark the occasion they placed a giant rock

With its own stately home and golfing nearby
An animal corner with a little pigsty
And horse-riding provided
For those with additional needs
Hidden corners to explore and a café for feeds

A lot to take care of, it must cost the Council much money
But the reasons to lose bits of it, are extremely unfunny

Now a sportzone is planned – it’s a commercial venture
And footballers would pay for pitches and adventure
But the floodlights and late bar seem somewhat out of keeping
Right next to the bowling green and globally important bee-keeping

And why St Margaret’s entrance? - I have a big question
When already we experience too much traffic congestion

We don’t disagree with the need for a sportszone
But for goodness sake please find a more suitable home
And leave Heaton Park with its original spaces
For all future generations, it should remain an oasis

Manchester Council, Salford, and Bury too
Please listen to us residents, although we are few
We appreciate for financial reasons that you may have to yield
But for this particular venture please find a better field

L Doyle 31.01.09

Two beautiful paintings of Heaton Park, kindly produced by Sue Roughan.

A BREATH OF AIR
A breath of air awaits
A taste of nature greets
Beyond St Margaret’s gates
Away from city streets
Dogs appear to smile
Strain at the leash
Strollers make their way
To find some inner peace
The tranquil air of bowlers
On a rare hot sunny day
Enhances this scene of calmness
Takes nothing away
Neat lawns surround the pathways
Plants fill the beds
All has been well tended
Flowers tilt their heads
Bird lovers catch sight
Of rarely seen breeds
Even the odd deer
Is spotted midst the trees
And when winter is upon us
And snow is on the ground
Still the people come
Winter wonderland is found
Plans for a sports centre
Open after dark
Please don’t let it happen
To this corner of the Park
Janice Kynaston

In days of old we used to play on the swings or boats on the lake. Today, we are sat in front of a television or playstation, or maybe the xbox or mobile phone. At least we hear a solution somewhere to be safe and play … a sports zone … we just wish someone would listen to our view what we want … a place to play football is what we require, but yet again are we heard or are our views just disregarded as we can’t vote by the people who think they are higher? it’s often asked why today’s kids … youth don’t have respect .. . maybe when you see how disregarded what do you expect.
Callum Collins, aged 13.

People might not know that the the St Margaret’s Road corner of Heaton Park was used as a camp during the First World War.

This postcard was sent from the camp to Katie from Jack. It seemed that Katie was too busy to write back…..

This image of the kitchens in the park relates to the processing of tens of thousands of men as they completed

initial training before being shipped off to the front lines in the first World War. Despite the considerable possibility for damage to the park, the huts and facilities provided left a very light footprint and the parkland was able to recover.

The camps returned during the second World War with the following instructions given to airmen cadets:

”The people of Manchester have lost a good recreational park to us for the duration of the war. All good Mancunians are rightly proud of their park and have had to say goodbye to it for a while. So please remember that the whole of the park ..is in our hands, and it is up to all of is to see that the hard working people of Manchester who have temporarily been deprived of their fresh air are not disappointed after the last Jerry has been shot down from the sky”

(Extract from the brochure given to all cadet inductees. This the third version dated 1943.)

At the Gateway to the park…

at the gateway to the park
it is anything but stark
lovely beds of flowers
who needs those ugly lighting towers

football pitches we not need
as its fresh air we want to breathe
the largest park in the land
why youve picked ours we dont understand

a hidden gemis what weve got
we,d rather keep the whole lot
beautiful trees suround the gate
speeding cars will leave it in a state
from Sue Roughan

More Support for Heaton Park!

Bob and Janet Muncaster