Sarah Nicmanis

Member since 14 March 2023

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Sarah Nicmanis3 years ago It makes sense during a climate and biodiversity crisis to send a message to residents that the council is rewilding the areas that it can. There are grassy areas at the main entrance to Coleridge Recreation that are obvious spots for a wildflower meadow. It also looks freshly mowed (see recent photo) so perhaps this is one of the areas that council staff recently mowed destroying any original plants. It is essential that council staff responsible for the upkeep of the park do not mow down these plants essential for encouraging bees, butterflies, hoverflies, ground beetles and ladybirds - insects essential for a healthy ecosystem. There is also space for a couple of benches at the entrance which would make a useful resting point for any elderly residents or residents with mobility challenges. The closest benches to this point currently are a few minutes walk away inside the park and these benches are almost always in use.

Sarah Nicmanis3 years ago This valuable local resource for the neighbourhood of Coleridge should be protected from development. It is deeply shocking and gravely disappointing that a local greenfield space should be under threat from development during a climate and biodiversity crisis. This place of nature, leisure and play frequented by local residents, their children and dogs (it is a very popular place for local dog owners) must now be valued by its local council and energies should now turn to enhancing it, not decimating it. It is felt this area has been overlooked for improvements in recent years, perhaps purposefully. For example, there is nowhere to sit outside of the enclosed children's play area currently, apart from on the grass which is not ideal for users of the park who are elderly or who have mobility challenges. For everyone, benches mean a place to rest, take the sun, have a conversation - they make parks a good choice for a catch up with a friend or a good spot just to sit on your own chatting on the phone in private. It's odd that this park has never had more benches/picnic tables. Therefore, it is high time 3 or 4 benches/picnic tables were placed in this park (especially in the area pictured in the accompanying photograph). The park is strikingly bereft of anywhere to sit outside the actual play area at the moment. It would be great if a bench was placed in front of the play area as well so parents can watch their children playing. Note: any picnic tables should be wheelchair accessible ones. In addition, there could be a wildflowers meadow planted in the corner of the park closest to the entrance which already boasts lush green vegetation ideal for insects such as ground beetles, ladybirds and hoverflies. Butterfly/moth and bee-friendly wildflowers here would increase the variety of insects in the park. It should also be mentioned here that the well established trees in the park are home to birds, and bats have been sighted in this park also. This park was a place of restoration for wellbeing during the pandemic; during the covid pandemic, one resident with compromised immunity used it to get exercise in the late evenings when others had adjourned. It continues to be a haven for wellbeing for the many residents living around it who have dogs and regularly congregate on the grass to socialise. It is believed that with more love and attention paid to it, these positive aspects of St Thomas Square Play park could be enhanced and this is why it is deserving of investment via the Environmental Improvement Programme.

Sarah Nicmanis3 years ago There is evidence of a wildflower meadow being planted (as pictured) but it is looking inadequate as a wildflower feature. Could more wildflowers be planted here? There is an informal walk way as you can see from the photo where the grass is trodden but the rest of that grassy area would benefit from more planting. It seems that this grass has been overmowed as well - could the left part be completely rewilded and mowers asked to only mow the part which is used as a path next to the sapling?

Sarah Nicmanis3 years ago This area is a very pleasant place to look at and it could be enjoyed even more if there was a place to sit. Anyone attending an event at St Thomas Hall could have a sit down and a chat afterwards or before, and indeed anyone living in the area could meet for a chat with a neighbour or enjoy a rest after a stroll.This area of Coleridge is noticeable bereft of places to sit; there are very few benches currently.

Sarah Nicmanis3 years ago There have now been four instances of council workers destroying plant-life nurtured by local residents in Coleridge since ‘No Mow May’.Despite a visit by a council official, countless emails to councillors, and now a complaint made, there have been four occurrences of excessive mowing. In the most recent case, a noticeable tall, bright yellow verbascum was cut to the ground on Coleridge Road; a plant that is not a hazard or a nuisance and was bringing benefit to people and insects.It is asked that the grass cutting regime on grass verges along Coleridge Road is changed so that it carefully avoids cutting down these plants. It is clear that those in charge of the mowers are not fully aware of how to preserve biodiversity in our local area. We ask that training is more thorough and also followed up on so it continues to be effective.Pictured are thriving plants planted by residents on Coleridge Road that were completely eradicated by council mowers during 'No Mow May.'

Sarah Nicmanis3 years ago

Sarah Nicmanis

All input submitted by this participant

Plant wildflowers (and don't mow them down!) at entrance of Coleridge Rec

Improve a valuable green space / leisure area at St Thomas Square Play Park

Enhance wildflower meadow at entrance to the Tiverton Estate

Install bench in front of St Thomas Hall

Stop cutting back plants on Coleridge Road planted by residents

Maintain/replace swings at play area by Robert May Close