Action over land grabs

[from Muswell Hill Journal]

nlnews@archant.co.uk
01 May 2008

OWNERS of a Muswell Hill house that allegedly had its back garden extended onto a nature reserve have been forced to remove a fence on the contested site.

This comes as Haringey Council announced a crackdown on illegal movement onto council land - known as encroachment - with 40 properties across Parkland Walk and Palace Gates nature reserves targeted.

The garden of the Cranley Gardens house - which backs onto Parkland Walk - was extended with grass laid and a new fence put up about a year ago.

Barry Darlow-Stearn, vice-chairman of the Friends of Parkland Walk, said: “This has been clocked.”

The group was due to discuss the issue at a meeting last night (Wednesday).

But Alexanders Property Consultants, Park Road, Crouch End - who own the property - say the fence was removed on April 7 and new site boundaries have been agreed with the council.

A spokesman for the company said: “We realised there was a problem. We approached the council and enquired whether it was possible to buy the land. That’s when we found out new legislation would be coming out but we were told in the meantime we would have to take the fence out.

“We would be interested in any way to assist the parkland not destroy it.”

But residents and a Parkland Walk action group fear land is being lost to creeping boundaries.

Dawn Miles, Friends of Parkland Walk committee member responsible for the northern stretch, said: “There has been encroachment over a number of years in a number of places and bits of land have been nibbled away here, there and everywhere.”

The four-mile walk runs from Finsbury Park to Alexandra Palace via Highgate, and is a designated nature reserve as well as a site of Metropolitan Importance for Nature Conservation and Metropolitan Open Land.

Councillor Bob Hare (Liberal Democrat, Highgate) has called for the council to take “firm action” and said “it should never have got to this point”.

A meeting of the council cabinet on April 22 agreed new encroachments across Haringey would not be allowed - but old cases would be treated on an individual basis.

Councillor Dhiren Basu, Labour cabinet member for leisure, culture and lifelong learning, said: “We cannot sit back and allow people to break the law by hiving off pieces of public land. Where householders have illegally extended their property onto public open space we will take enforcement action.”

A council report on the issue says “encroachment is illegal” and highlights in some cases “damage could be irreparable and could lead to the loss of priority species”.

Anger over cuts to school places

[from Islington Gazette]

nlnews@archant.co.uk
30 April 2008

A HEADTEACHER has hit out at Islington Council for slashing the school places available due to fears new city academies will lure students away.

Education chiefs agreed to cut annual intake at Islington Arts and Media School (IAMS) in Turle Road, Finsbury Park, by 30 places to 150 pupils.

IAMS headteacher Richard Ewen, who was brought in as a trouble-shooting “super-head” in 2000, opposes the changes.

He said: “This school has pulled itself up and is now in the top 10 per cent of Islington schools. What message does it send and what confidence is there in schools in Islington? It can only be seen as a vote of no confidence.”

Councillor Ursula Woolley (Liberal Democrat), executive member for children, said: “The school has been undersubscribed for three years.

“A significant number of applicants to the school, 25 per cent, are Hackney residents. It is anticipated that the planned opening of two new academies in Hackney over the next two years will impact negatively on future applications to IAMS. I don’t think it will affect parents’ perceptions. IAMS’ Ofsted report was outstanding.”

While 15 per cent more children are being transferred from Islington primaries to secondaries than five years ago, the take-up by residents is less than the number of places available.

Education chiefs also say it is also partly because Islington children are being sent to their nearest school, which could be in Camden, Haringey, Hackney or even the City.

The council report also recommended the number of places be cut at Elizabeth Garrett Anderson School in Penton Street, Islington, Ambler Primary School in Blackstock Road in Finsbury Park and Robert Blair Primary School in Brewery Road, Holloway.

Elizabeth Garrett Anderson head Jo Dibb supports the move and has asked for the cut to be made permanent.

Robert Blair School has agreed to the change on condition it is temporary.

Recycling comes to Finsbury Park

[from Haringey council]

Monday 28 April 2008

Visitors to Finsbury Park will no longer have any excuse for throwing away empty drinks cans or newspapers following the introduction of new recycling facilities by Haringey Council.

From 1 May the council will be installing three new recycling centres for glass, plastic bottles, papers and cans outside the café, by the track and gym, and by the Finsbury Gate entrance in Seven Sisters Road, N4.

There will also be six new recycling bins to enable visitors to recycle plastic bottles, cans and paper. They will be located at the Art Hut, Dog Club, north field, basketball court, Hope Play Space and on the softball field.

Cabinet Member for Environment and Conservation, Cllr Brian Haley, said:

“We want to enable people to recycle not only when they’re at home, but also when they’re out and about in the borough. We’ve got a large number of bring sites in streets around Haringey, but we’re now looking to extend these to parks and open spaces.

“Finsbury Park won Green Flag status for the first time last year, and it’s attracting increasing numbers of visitors. That’s great news but more people means more litter, and we want to make sure that this is recycled wherever possible rather than just thrown away.

“I hope visitors to Finsbury Park will make use of the new recycling centres and bins, and help us in our drive to increase the borough’s recycling rate to 30 per cent and beyond.”

Finsbury Park became Haringey’s eighth award-winning Green Flag park last summer following a £5million improvement programme by the council, together with the Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF) and Finsbury Park Partnership.

You can explore Finsbury Park, along with Priory Park, N8 and Bruce Castle Park, N17, online through a ‘virtual tour’ by visiting www.seeharingeyparks.org.

The site showcases the range of facilities available at the parks through 360 degree rotating photographs, along with short descriptions of each zone.

Salon Locale 2008 - gallery:space 8 May - 29 June

gallery:space

We celebrate our return to our home at the McKenzie Pavilion in Finsbury Park with the annual show Salon Locale, this year featuring fourteen emergent artists in a group show exploring issues of urbanism, domesticity and life on the edge of the city as well as three gallery:space artists on their second Salon Locale visit.

8 May - 29 June
Tuesday - Sunday 12-6
Private View 8 May 6-8pm
Admission free

Poster image and design: Reid Peppard
Full exhibition text to follow shortly.
For press enquiries please contact gallery@galleryspace.org.uk

Wilberforce Gardeners Spring Plant Sale 18th May

Dear Neighbours,

The Wilberforce Gardeners Spring Plant Sale will be on Sunday, 18th May, 11:30 to 2pm outside number 30 Wilberforce Road.

The sale will feature a variety of summer bedding plants, some perennials, some houseplants, tomato seedlings and a few herbs and the like.

There will also be tea and cakes area and a second-hand book stall.

Keep your fingers crossed for some warm weather and sun to bring on our tiny seedlings!

We welcome assistance on the day and with leafletting the week before the sale: volunteers welcome! Contributions of seedlings, perennial divisions, rooted cuttings and houseplants are always of use as are donations of home baking.

Happy gardening!

Best wishes,

Hugh White
for
Wilberforce Gardeners

Free Comic Book Day At Fantastic Realm

Date: 03/05/08

Location: Unit 3 Clifton House, 42-43 Clifton Terrace

Postcode: N4 3JP

Be part of free comic book day at the Fantastic Realm store in Finsbury Park

On the first Saturday of May, comic book lovers all over London will be treated to free comic books!!!

The Fantastic Realm store in Finsbury Park will be taking part in international comic book day that celebrates the genre and aims to recruit more comic book lovers everywhere!

On Free Comic Book Day, over two million comic books will be given away by participating stores.

“The wide array of comic books being published today ensures that readers of all ages — children, teens, and adults - can find something appropriate that will stir their imaginations,” said Tim O’Donnell, Store Manager/Owner of Fantastic Realm UK.

Now in its seventh year, Free Comic Book Day has proven to be a smashing success, spreading the word that comics are terrific reading. O’Donnell added, “Even if you have never picked up a comic book, stop into Fantastic Realm, because you never know what you will end up finding.”

The deal is this…once a year publishers and comic book stores join together to promote comic books, publishers each produce one comic that is given out free on one specified day and that day only.

This unique event is taking place on Saturday May 3rd; the Fantastic Realm store will be giving away a maximum of 3 comics per person from 10am; they have a good amount of stock in store so visitors can be sure of finding something they like!

Regular updates, information about comic books, and a list of participating publishers and their free comics are all online at the official free comic book day website.

Find out more about the Fantastic Realm comic book store or call 020 2727 4277.

How to get there

The closest tube and over ground stations are located at Finsbury Park.

If travelling by bus the 4, 19, 29, 106, 153, 210, 236, 253, 254, 259, W3 and W7 all serve the area.

Finsbury Park on Foot

[from London Is Free]

Date: Every Wednesday, 23/04/08 - 17/12/08

Location: Hornsey Road, Islington

Postcode: N7 7NY

Enjoy a stroll through Finsbury Park with Islington Health Walks

Islington Health Walks are inviting people form the area to take part in weekly walks around the borough designed to improve your health.

Walking is a great way to exercise and Islington Health Walks provide local residents with an opportunity to walk regularly in a relaxed friendly environment and enjoy some beautiful green spaces.

Finsbury Park on Foot takes place every Wednesday fron 10.30am to 11.45am. Everyone is free to participate, particularly older people and anyone new to exercise.

The meeting point will be at the Sobell Leisure Centre Reception on Hornsey Road.

Find out more about free events in Islington.

How to get there

The closest tube stations are at Holloway Road, Arsenal and Finsbury Park.

If travelling by bus the 4, 17, 29, 43, 91, 153, 253, 254, 259, 271 and 393 all serve the nearby Holloway.

Summer Festival in Wray Crescent park on Saturday 21st June

The Friends of Wray Crescent Open Space are organising a Summer Festival in Wray Crescent park on Saturday 21st June 2pm – 5pm. There will be music, stalls, a community picnic and food to purchase, a bouncy castle, face painting, animals from a local city farm, the fire brigade and an under-12s 5-aside football competition. It is free to enter, but any monies raised from activities will go to support future activities in Wray Crescent and / or a local charity. It would be great to see you, so put in your diary!

Daniel

DO YOU KNOW THESE MEN?

[from Hackney Gazette]

hg.editorial@archant.co.uk
17 April 2008

CCTV image

POLICE have issued CCTV images of a group of people they want to speak to in connection with a vicious assault on a bus in Manor House.

Cops believe the four may have vital information on the attack on two brothers on the N29 bus in Green Lanes.

One of the victims, 22, suffered a fractured cheekbone after he was kicked in the head during the attack at 2.30am on December 15 last year.

Detectives believe the attack may have started with a dispute inside Rowan’s Bowling Alley in Finsbury Park.

Anyone who recognises the potential witnesses should call Det Con Moira Edon-Ronan on 020 7275 3136.

CUBA JAUNT FOR PUNCH AND JUDY MAN

[from Hackney Gazette]

hg.editorial@archant.co.uk 18 April 2008

Konrad Fredericks

Punch and Judy have packed their bags and are off to Cuba.

Finsbury Park puppeteer Konrad Fredericks is taking them to an international festival in one of the few remaining communist nations in the world.

Mr Fredericks, otherwise known as Mr Punch, told the Gazette: “I want to go while it is still there before the Americans dismantle it.”

He didn’t think there would be a problem in the Spanish-speaking country as there are only five lines of dialogue in the show, which also features old favourites, the crocodile and the policeman.

The puppeteer, 65, added that he would be thrilled if Fidel Castro turned up to watch his act, but that was unlikely as the former head of state is unwell.

The trip to the International Puppet Workshop in Matanzas has been funded partly by the Cuban government - but it is not the most unusual place Mr Fredericks has taken his show.

He once took his tent theatre to frontier towns in Peshawar, Pakistan.

“The crowds there are the Mujahideen”, he said, “but I never had a problem there.

Mr Fredericks, of Wilberforce Road, decided to take his show around the world after finding that Covent Garden crowds were no longer interested after 12 years.

He was due to fly out yesterday (Thursday).

By ELEANORE ROBINSON