All Council, Parks, Sports Literature to include information about the bowling green where appropriate. So for example Active Westminster ‘Your Guide to Sports and Leisure in Westminster’ April-September 2009, did not – perhaps it could for next year?
Bowling Green Timetable – It was great that one was produced. However, for next year we would probably need to consider if it is good to show so many evenings and Saturdays blocked out. Did anyone ever play on a Monday evening? Did anyone ever meditate on Wednesday evening? Tuesday evening bowls started at 7:30 most evenings, so the timetable was inaccurate for most of the Summer. These blocked out periods may have prevented others playing.
Park Notice boards – These could have leaflets advertising the green as a facility available for ALL from April – September 2010. This year some boards had no leaflets and some just advertised the Open Age group.
New Notice board dedicated to bowls just outside the bowling green – This could allow the bowling fraternity to communicate with one another. It could also have a rules of the game poster - to avoid the risk of it being set alight as people tried to do in 2009.
Sign posts – These should include references to and point clearly towards the bowling green.
Making the green more visible – could the shrubbery that grows amongst the iron railings on Ashworth Road be cut back so that it is possible to see the green from the Road? It just needs to be cut down to a level so that adults can see the green, not cut away completely. Maybe to the same level as the shrubbery on Grantully Road, which lets people see the Rose Garden. This would make people aware of its existence, which many are not at the moment.
Pricing structure – This is very complicated, both for players and reception staff, they hardly ever got it right, even at the end of the Summer. It really needs to be simplified.
Event Hire – What do people get for their £20 – are any of the other charges waived?
Deposits - £20 for one person or £40 between two in cash is a lot to expect people to have on them and it may prove a barrier for some. Consideration needs to be given to either reducing this to say £10 (same as Parliament Hill) or waiving it altogether for people with free travel cards.
Equipment – There was a demand during the Summer for more childrens’ bowls, both for children and older people to use
Care should be taken to make sure that people are given jacks and not hockey balls.
Using the Green – We really need to get people playing bowls every day of the week next year. To this end it would be good if the following could be considered
- bowling activities for children both on a regular weekly basis and as part of the half-term activities
- promote/organise the Ultimate members evenings more effectively and get people playing
- promote bowling to other groups who may enjoy less strenuous exercise e.g.Muslim women
- offer coaching – lots of people have ‘had a go’ this year, they may welcome the opportunity for some proper coaching next year
Picnic tables Lots of people enjoyed picnics on the green while playing bowls this year. It might help if there could be one or two picnic tables immediately outside the pavilion.
Having the gate opened – Could the lock to be changed to one with a number pad, so that people could be given the number and not have to wait for Security to arrive? Or worse, have to trek back to Reception to remind them to call Security.
The Electronic questionnaire in the Reception area which questioned people as to why they were visiting the Rec, did not give people the option to say that they had come to play bowls. So if the information from this machine was used for anything it would have been inaccurate. Perhaps it could include references to bowling in 2010?
Feedback has included the following comments:
1 The pricing / fee structure is unnecessarily complicated - especially for the staff who have to administer it. I was charged differing amounts for exactly the same equipment and facilities on almost every occasion and the first time I asked for a Rescard discount, it created total confusion.
2 I know that there are proposals to renovate the building by the green and, although this badly needs to be done, I think that not enough thought has yet been given to the purpose for its existence. If we get it right, over time, I think a good percentage of the cost of renovation could be recovered were the building to be reconfigured to allow a number of different uses. Why not, for example, creche facilities during the day - perhaps the council could even make economic sense of employing staff for it - and hire for local groups/clubs at the weekends and in the evenings? One affect of a more regularly populated facility would be to deter the vandalism that has plagued it in the past.
3 There is a need to overcome the invisibility of the green. Parents with their children in the Rec, dog walkers or just people exercising their dogs, residents walking or running around the Rec need to be aware (a) the green is there and (b) it is open, especially as it appears to be locked and deserted when approached via the tennis courts. In fact it is only when people are playing that there is any indication the green is available. Word of mouth recommendation is the best there is. It takes only one parent to mention the green during, say St Joseph’s half-term when mums and dads are scratching their heads how to occupy their youngsters, to (a) promote its existence (b) encourage its use (c) introduce youngsters to a new sport. As there have been a number of occasions when Antipodean cricketers have played bowls while waiting to bat when playing matches, is there a way of promoting the green when teams book the cricket pitch with, say, a flyer? Certainly a sign, say laser printed, suggesting a game of bowls placed in the cricket nets would help too. The green needs to be viewed as a product which, if not advertised to remind potential users of its benefits, will decline in sales. The dubious value of the Rec’s leaflet drop suggests we cannot rely on Courtney’s for much, especially as their staff don’t appear to have a clue about the cost of playing or even the correct equipment. We’re pretty certain that if people who use the Rec know the green is there they will use it.
4 I think that the rules poster needs to be larger and very prominent.
People on the front desk really need to be briefed. They do not know the equipment well, they don't seem to know the pricing well etc - and I have ended up with hockey balls on several occasions because they said the jacks had been stolen or lost - why are they not checking off the equipment when it is returned then - before giving the deposit back?
The staff need to be better briefed as to where all the proper equipment is kept - it often takes at least 20 minutes to get the equipment together, pay/deposit etc - before you even have to start hiking over and then praying that the security guard has been given the message!
One of my biggest frustrations was putting down a deposit of £60 - who has that kind of cash on them?! and then having to hike sets of bowls by myself. Perhaps a wheelie bag could be supplied (as per the over 50's) - or ideally, the new hut should have a code on it and a storage place where bowls are already in situ. It is really hard if I am organising children to play - to walk over with so many bowls, matts etc.
Many mums were put off by the palava in hiking kids, bowls etc over to the green.
Another of my gripes is the fact that they only have 2 complete sets of childrens bowls - I could therefore not get the team of 6 children as I wanted to - for a course of 6 weeks.
Why can't they hold a res card as a deposit if people don't have the large deposit?
I believe that some of the tennis coaching for children at the end of the summer used the bowling green for a while - was this marked down in our numbers?
We do have to be careful if they use the hut for a creche - as the children would then have access to run around the green and that could damage the lawn. I think a painting class or something may be more appropriate?5 One thing that I thought of - the repair/renewal of the small concrete retaining walls around the edge of the bowling green. We can't play on some pitches because these walls have collapsed and therefore no white markings are possible.
6 Or even replacement of concrete with Astroturf - but that may be more aspirational
7 From the Open Age Group
I agree with what you have already written – this is add on from us.
We look forward to the group returning to bowls outside next spring but older people would also love to be able to use the Bowling Green Pavillion as a centre of activity if it is renovated. It would be a useful addition to community in area.
Suggestions regarding possible renovation of pavillion
Exterior
Vandal proof
Make attractive with Information Board outside – timetable, posters etc..
Interior
Light & Airy
Cleaned regularly
Easy and safe surrounds and access
Disabled accessible loo – 1 or more.
Comfortable chairs and tables (foldable – flexible for room set up)
Kitchen facilities, and drinking water available to make a cuppa
Crockery /cutlery for same
Secure building /vandal proofed, to avoid difficulties re equipment use and storage
Telephone linked to park office for help in emergencies.
Adequate secure storage spaces for different groups using space, very important in community venues.
Central Heating – effective as important for both older people and young children
Possible Sociable Activities:
Relaxing activities such as relaxation, massage, chair exercise, meditation, yoga,
Indoor bowls / table tennis / board games/bingo
Social & Interest Groups, If light is good perhaps art or creative writing could be one of these.
(People like the idea of it being ‘their place’.)
8 Further Suggestion
8.1 Was the name of ‘Maida Vale Bowls Club’ in the timetable too exclusive?...can it be made more open, to encourage people to turn up and join in? e.g. “Social Bowls”
8.2 Sign posts are needed all around the park, added to the existing signs for other park facilities.
8.3 A more ‘user friendly’ way of playing needs to be found to reduce all obstacles to playing. Deposit wise, can a different method be found? Ideas: leave credit or debit card deposit; leave residents’ card or sports member card; in Belgium, I heard of a bar that got fed up with patrons walking away with Belgian beer glasses, so they requested one shoe be left behind the bar, in exchange for a glass….can we find something along the same lines?...house keys, car keys, res cards?
8.4 Can a bowls competition evening be organised and promoted along the same lines as the cricket? I don’t know if Pad Rec organise the cricket, but if they do, can they promote it in the same way? I’m sure the cricket pitch would not get so much use without this event. The same effort put into the bowling green could also yield good results.
8.5 Can a bowls competition evening be organised and promoted along the same lines as the cricket? I don’t know if Pad Rec organise the cricket, but if they do, can they promote it in the same way? I’m sure the cricket pitch would not get so much use without this event. The same effort put into the bowling green could also yield good results.
8.6 The general wish is that the gate is open, by the time players arrive at the green, having paid at reception.
8.7 Other suggestions:
8.7.1 please can an effort be made to remove gangs loitering at the entrance to the green?;
8.7.2 can the staff be better trained in the provision of bowling equipment and its pricing, to enable a speedy engagement at reception?;
8.7.3 is there any mileage to be gained from liaising with Paddington Sports Club? This may secure greater use; sharing of costs / expertise to manage the green upkeep.
8.7.4 repair/renewal of the small concrete retaining walls around the edge of the bowling green. We can't play on some pitches because these walls have collapsed and therefore no white markings are possible.
8.7.5 Treasure the green, make this rare feature one of the highlights of the parks diverse facilities and promote it.
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