Welcome to North Lodge Park web page, for further information on developments email paul.crompton@darlington.gov.uk or telephone Paul on 01325 347543
Following the receipt of funding from the Big Lottery Fund and support from Darlington Borough Council, the Children's Fund, Sure Start, Friends of North Lodge Park , local residents and schools the majority of the exciting restoration work has been completed in the small Victorian Park close to Darlington's Town Centre.
The aim of the partnership was to improve all aspects of the park with a number of residents keen to see a major redevelopment of the children's play area as well as the provision of more general amenities such as improved footpaths, CCTV, improved and additional lighting,a secure bandstand, seating areas and Community Arts involvement throughout the development.
The improvements aimed at All sections of the community include specific projects such as the Inclusive play area aimed at young children and their families. The installation of the £125,000 of play equipment was completed and officially opened on 17 August 2004 by local Councillors, local residents and children.
Restoration Update, progress so far.
Since the refurbishment work started in the Park many areas have been completed. Residents have commented that they feel a lot safer and are enjoying the new inclusive play area, there certainly has been a noticeable increase in the number of children and families using the park from local residents and families from other parts of the town.
CCTV Cameras
The CCTV camera is fully installed inside the park and the area is being monitored 24 hours a day from the Town Hall, proving to be very successful.
Additional lighting
Within the last few months 15 Victorian lighting columns have been installed and given a new feel to the park.
Inclusive play area
The official opening of the inclusive play area was on 17 August 2004 and many children and families have visited the park since and enjoyed a fun and safe experience.
All Weather play surface
Over the past few months the area designated for older children has been tidied and seeded to create an area for young people to play. Tenders for the design of this area have been requested. For further developments watch this space.
Bandstand
Work has currently started on making the bandstand safe, the brick base will be made secure whilst a decorative design will be placed around the perimeter of the bandstand and will incorporate murals and poems made and written by local residents working with the Community Arts Team.
Footpaths, seating and bins
The restoration of the footpaths have been completed whilst consultation with the Friends of North Lodge Park are ongoing to ascertain the type of benches, bins and picnic tables they would like in the park. It is expected that the furniture will be installed by March 2005.
Community Arts Project
An artist has been commissioned to work on the project and contact has been made with local residents to create mosaics and poetry which will be displayed throughout the park.
Writer-in residence
Since meeting many local residents and local children at their 101st Birthday Celebrations on 3 July 2004 Maureen Almond the writer in residence has encouraged many residents and children to express their views about their park by writing them down.
Maureen has already held one writing workshop with the Friends of North Lodge Park and a selection of their poems can be found below.
Throughout January and February Maureen will be working with children from Corporation Road Junior School, whilst in March she will be working with children from Reid Street .
Talks to the lunch club members from the Pentecostal Church will be held during the forthcoming months encouraging them to write some poetry or comments about their park.
Maureen will also stage a couple of sessions at Corporation Road School as part of the Bengali week-end school project.
In December 2004 a guided tree walk was held around the park ; conducted by the Council's Tree officer Peter Sherry it was highlighted that many trees had to be taken down as they were dead or dying, because of this Maureen decided to capture some of these trees in writing so they are able to live on in the residents memories.
Maureen will be available in the park during Spring 2005 so that people can drop in and have a chat about the park and what it means to them. Dates will be published on this web site and on the parks notice board.
If you want to know more about Maureen as a writer visit Maureen Almond's web site
Darlington Borough Council are also restoring the South Park with funding received from the Heritage Lottery, view developments on South Park restoration project
North Lodge Park
We may not own this park,
'officially'
it's owned on our behalf;
it's our front garden.
It's where our children play,
where we walk our dogs
where our people sit and watch,
and pass the time of day.
It's where Social Services staff
take a 'fag break'
and mums with prams
rush through to the shops.
In this hot spot
we sit and watch for needles
by the old wall,
yet we love this place.
We sit and watch
from our new, never-empty benches,
and dream of the day
when our old people will come back.
We don't want our park
to be a hiding place from Town,
but a retreat, a Lodge, like Pease's house
from where we can simply sit and watch.
It's where people sleep rough
and children plant bulbs
and 'Friends' make tent offerings
and kids make goals from coats.
It's where Punch knocks seven bells out of Judy
and Bangladeshi children play
and home-made cakes, sell like hot cakes
while drummers beat out our parks rhythms.
We have night-club ravers and lads on bikes
and now it's illuminated;
we could all see the light.
Our park is beautiful.
(Yvonne Richardson)
Two Poplars
(Tree Numbers 221 & 222)
So you needed more space;but you two, you over-reached yourselves, got too big for your roots.
You dangled you catkins like North Sea Gold, scattered our ground with you cast-offs.
According to you, your seeds were so special that they had to be wrapped n cotton down.
You were the Mr and Mrs Polar we couldn't keep up with. You had to go.That's why you were pollarded.
We're good at that; it's what we British do. If anyone get ideas above their station we wound them past their point of decay, wait until their decorative day are done and watch, while they die slowly, from the inside.
St. George's Hall
No more squeezing past little girls in tutus
full of nervous tension.
No giggling queues
No weaving between parked cars
No scout fun days,
It's too quiet by half
No old people
on their way to tea dances,
excited as teenagers.
The last time they trod the boards
was to reduce the butter mountain.
No place to traipse the leaves
after the autumn fair.
No one changing in the wings
no clink of money in biscuit tins.
It's too quiet by half.
No standing in disorderly lines,
laughing yourself silly,
no hissing kettles
no gossip.
It's too quiet by half.
Our hall is barricaded and perspexed.
It's elegant, long windows don't look well.
Is it asleep or dead?
Whichever,
It's too quiet by half.
(Jean-Ann Clulow)