Forum Topic

Why are they digging up EALING Common??

Bulldozers & scrapers hard at work on the S Common. What are they doing??  Sports facilities/ car parks??

N Robinson ● 3175d17 Comments

Since this is a thread full of people who clearly care about Ealing Common, why not come along to the Ealing Common Society AGM on Friday April 7th at 7.30 pm? It's a great chance to find out about what's been happening and is planned for the Common. You can hear about the bees that are coming and how we can help them thrive, how we've planted 'food' trees, you can even buy Ealing Common cards. It only costs £5 to join and you'll be doing your bit to support efforts to keep the Common a place for everyone to enjoy. Hope to see you there!

Christine Gratus ● 3156d

Since this is a thread full of people who clearly care about Ealing Common, why not come along to the Ealing Common Society AGM on Friday April 7th at 7.30 pm? It's a great chance to find out about what's been happening and is planned for the Common. You can hear about the bees that are coming and how we can help them thrive, how we've planted 'food' trees, you can even buy Ealing Common cards. It only costs £5 to join and you'll be doing your bit to support efforts to keep the Common a place for everyone to enjoy. Hope to see you there!

Christine Gratus ● 3156d

Just a couple of things I have noted of late:http://ealingcommon.yourcllr.com/2017/02/28/muddy-patch/http://ealingcommon.yourcllr.com/2017/03/01/ec-meadow/

Joanna Dabrowska ● 3162d

There's a notice attached to a tree at one end that explains they are re-seeding the wild meadow that grows every late summer there. It will attract more bugs and bees, hopefully. As I understand it, such works are not very expensive. It may be a year before we see the results but it is worth it. So cheer up folks, they are not paving over the meadow!

Terry Jones ● 3162d

Everybody should make themselves more aware of Lyme Disease including those in the medical profession as it can go unidentified and untreated for too long. Several butterflies lay their eggs on nettle plants and one only on them - the small tortoiseshell I think.There is a noticeable decline in butterflies.  Too much garden tidying and decking is removing food and habitat for wildlife.I see that there is a Be Nice to Nettles Week!http://www.nettles.org.uk/nettles/wildlife/butterflies.asp

Philippa Bond ● 3166d

There are some health issues with long grass, in particular ticks (which can carry Lyme Disease) which is why grass in public areas tends to be cut short regularly.

Douglas Connor ● 3168d

I have noticed a positive cost saving over recent years. The council is leaving the grass longer between cuts in our parks. As a daily dog walker I noticed this and thought why wasn't this done previously? More flowers like clovers grow and it is nicer to have a sit down on to eat a packed lunch. So I can see it is frustrating that there are cuts but public spaces bring allot of joy to those in the borough who do not have a garden. Personally I would be happy to have had regular increases in council tax as opposed to the freeze we have had over the years.

Jamie Fuller ● 3169d

Having said that I still think that it is a good idea to be improving that part of the Common. We are so trapped in survival mode financially in this Borough that I guess anything that is breaking new ground is a good thing.P.s. Just think, if Julian Bell's council-salaried political assistant (Yes, such things exist) was removed we could probably afford to have the rest of the Common 'meadowed' with wild flowers.

Douglas Connor ● 3169d

Strange priority in these times! Library downsizing, closing of care for the ill, disabled, etc., etc., forget the people - look after the worms!

Douglas Connor ● 3169d

They are making a wildflower meadow similar to what they have done in Walpole park. Apparently removing the top layer of soil allows the wildflowers to germinate.It should look a lot nicer then the long grass on that part of the common with the benefit of being a great new habitat for wildlife. They have also moved the benches for a better view and finally pruned the trees.

Jamie Fuller ● 3170d

I suspect that most of the part of the Common that is used for circuses and fairs is very compacted and needs to be taken out of use for a year, deep ploughed, levelled, and then re-grassed. Alternatively it could be de-compacted with some very expensive technology used nitrogen 'blown' into the ground to de-compact it.I suppose we should be grateful that anything progressive is being done on the Common, however, it does beg many questions as one encounters endless dumped rubbish, broken pavements and potholed roads.

Douglas Connor ● 3172d

the section under excavation is South of Warwick Rd - never used by the fair!!the work on the North side appeared to be confined to a reinforced grassed access area off the Uxbridge Rd.

N Robinson ● 3172d

Thank you for the clarification Nick. It never occured to me that it might not have something to do with rejuvenating the compacted soil and turf that has resulted from the constant use of the Common as a fairground and circus venue. No doubt the prosaic nature of maintaining the used bit of the Common pales before potential 'wildlife'-related virtue signalling.

Douglas Connor ● 3172d

But the bit of the Common being dug up is not the area that hosts the fairgrounds and circuses.The sign by the works says something about improvising the wildlife in the nature area, but does not really seem to set out how this will happen.It seems that it wail take a couple of years to get back to normal.

Nick Goodliffe ● 3172d

God helps us if its the same contractors who are botching the repairs on Ealing's roads and pavements. It'll be worse than it was before once they have finished (if they finish).

Douglas Connor ● 3174d

It works like this, fairgrounds, circuses, etc. use Ealing Common, destroy the topsoil and grass, the council charges them for the privilige, however, these charges in no way cover what it costs to fix it. A long term problem like the festivals in Walpole Park. Meanwhile, the facility of Ealing Common as an open space for residents is severely downgraded.

Douglas Connor ● 3174d

I think it may be drainage works. They were doing similar on the North Common bit some months ago.

Terry Freestone ● 3174d