Haringey has a total of 19 Green Flag awards for its parks – Priory Park and Russell Park included.
Under the criteria, Green Flag parks are judged to be welcoming, safe and well managed, with active community involvement. It also means that they should be some of the best parks in the country.
But – I continue to hear reports of excess rubbish, broken glass, dog mess and damaged or missing equipment in the children’s play areas in these parks. This is not my idea of a welcoming or well managed environment!
I have been pressing Labour-run Haringey Council for repairs and maintenance to Russell Park for quite some time, and will continue to do so. Here’s a video taken from my recent visit there:
Over the summer, the children’s playground at Priory Park has also fallen into disrepair and many parents now consider it to be dangerous. The climbing frame, zip wire, sandpit and sandpit equipment are all broken, and it hasn’t been repaired or cordoned off to prevent children trying to play. Residents don’t think its good enough – and neither do I.
Haringey Council are clearly not doing a very good job of maintaining standards. Once again I have written to them, highlighting this and calling on them to take immediate action to repair the equipment and cordon it off in the meantime to protect children using the park.
They have replied tell me that work does need to be done, especially on the sandpit which ‘is past its expected life span’ – but they still suggest that all park equipment is ‘safe to use’. Local people disagree – and I will carry on campaigning for change!
Lynne Featherstone 
Our Parks are rightfully recognised as welcoming, safe and well managed.
A great achievement with such deep government cuts afoot, under which I’d imagine Parks&Leisure are now having to push equipment to the limit of its useful life.
We’re also now at the end of the summer – the parks busiest period so said kit will look well used.
Why the council would undergo a programme of renewal now at the ahead of winter and the weathering that creates would be madness.
This reads like yet another LF post which is needlessly and negatively bashing our local council and the hard work it’s employees and councillors put in. Yes, we’re not living in a perfect borough but step up our councillors to look at local issues.
Lynne – please talk about Central Govt issues or are these a bit too tricky for you? Will you speaking our put at risk your perks, benefits and advance ‘up the coalition pole’?
You used to be thought of as a good constituency MP, I hear a different message nowadays.
Perhaps just as with the sandpit which has reached the end of it’s useful life you too now need replacing?
I have been going to priory park since I was a child…. and that was 45 yrs ago…and It is an important issue… health and safety…. are the key points…. all children need is a safe and clean park to go to…. As there seems to be not much else offered to our future generation…..What is always….. stressed to all children is keep fit and get plenty of exercise ….. well supply the right equipment… other countries have plenty workout equipment.. in all there parks…. that is suitable for all ages…. As we do have a problem with health issues … in this country……. So if we want people to take care of their health…. Improve out dated …. Parks !
Hi Lynne,
Thanks for acknowledging the issues with Russell Park. I feel that it is pointless to spend more money repairing the park, for the simple reason that improvements will only be destroyed by the antisocial behaviour that exists (occasionally) in this area.
While the police fail to manage this level of crime I feel that we just need constant litter picks.
I was involved with the last community engagement to get involved with a revamp of the park. It angers me to see my efforts being destroyed. This issue needs policing. Not money thrown at it. Please.
Am happy to liaise with Safer Neighbourhood team on this – good idea. If you contact me officially (via lynnefeatherstone.org/contact) my team will keep you updated on any progress made.