Hedgemead Park “neglected”

Parks are under pressure as local authorities everywhere look for means of saving money as central government cuts the amount of money its prepared to contribute to their annual budgets.

Maybe its time to consider some form of ‘adopt a park’ within local communities.

In the meantime,  there seems to be some concern about how things are looking at the city’s Hedgemead Park.

While there is a new children’s play area and the grass is cut – l am told – it still seems to have a feeling of neglect with many trees needing attention and a fountain and gazebo in great need of repair.

This is how the park is described on the official website of Bath and North East Somerset Council:

“This attractive 2 hectare (5 acre) park owes its existence to a great misfortune which occurred when the houses that originally covered the site were destroyed by a landslide in the 1870’s. The land lay derelict for many years and the corporation eventually purchased this desolate area of the city and transformed it into today’s pleasant park with its beautiful views.

The layout of the paths and terrain on this park was engineered to prevent the possibility of future landslides, it was formally opened in 1889.

The park contains many beautiful trees and shrubs, some fine rose displays and a small children’s play area.

Steep gradients and steps in this park make it unsuitable for wheelchair users.”  http://www.bathnes.gov.uk/services/sport-leisure-and-parks/parks-opening-times-and-locations/hedgemead-park

A little extra bit of information – as August draws to a close – archaeologists are planning a ‘geophysics survey’ in the park during October.

I hear Hedgemead is to the south west of recent excavation work along Bathwick Street which yielded evidence for a Roman road and a range of buildings.

This project is to investigate if geophysics techniques – a sort of ground radar – can provide any evidence for this road or any other developments being extended into the park area.