Following a very successful public meeting at the end of 2015, the three RAs who would benefit most from the use of The Brewery (Henty) Field formed a steering committee to launch a Friends’ group at the request of the City Council. The City and County Councils had made it clear that if this resource was not used sufficiently then it would be taken back by the County Council and perhaps built upon.
Calling all dog walkers
One of the intrepid St Bartholomew’s Close residents very kindly started cleaning up the rubbish in the field. She collected 7 bags! The Field is accessed via the car park at the back of the County Archives office in Orchard St. This is ideal terrain for dog walkers. Use it or lose it.
Steering Committee
A steering committee was set up at the 2015 meeting but due to family difficulties had not been able to meet with the council officers concerned. The Committee agreed some Articles of Association to found the Friends of Community Field and talked to the Councils about such items as the site name (plain Community Field has been adopted), signage from Orchard St to guide people in, litter and disposal (rota for picking, CDC for emptying), dog waste and litter bins, an anonymous grit bin for storage of litter pickers etc, a grass cutting schedule, goalposts, Waitrose recycled benches, Parklands-style plastic picnic tables, CCTV and the role of a Community Warden.
Summer 2016 Activities
The steering committee was considering a more than adequate list of possibilities for Summer activities, such as:
- An official opening in the Spring
- The July Gala
- A wildlife day (birds or insects)
- Collaborating with Central School Friends for after school use
- Junior Football
- A Bierfest
- Offering it as a venue for the Festival of Chichester
- A sports day, possibly as an annual charity fundraiser
- Open air theatre performance
- Outdoor Music
- Folk Festival
- Annual Summer Family Picnic
- Storytelling
- Tai Chi
- A dog (or pet) day
Access was a real problem
The fact that there was only one access and from Orchard Street, risked making it difficult if not impossible for residents of Westgate and Parklands to really benefit from the Field, unless access points could be opened up from Henty Gardens and Hawthorn Close.
A lot of residents wanted to see the field decently equipped with a proper sign to clearly indicate how to get into the field.
Equipping the Field
Others with small children or grandchildren wanted to see a safe play area, others a family picnic area, yet others a football pitch. There was no shortage of suggestions.
To be continued…
