Agenda item
Provision of Outdoor Gym and site location
- Meeting of Barham Park Trust Committee, Wednesday 28 January 2015 2.30 pm (Item 6.)
- View the background to item 6.
The report details a proposal for the provision of an outdoor gym at Barham Park for the Trust’s consideration. The funding is available from S106 monies and by a grant from Wembley National Stadium Trust and would therefore be at no cost to Barham Park Trust.
Decision:
RESOLVED:
i) That it be agreed that an outdoor gym be installed at Barham Park;
ii) That officers review the timeline for the installation of the Gym as determined by the funding arrangements and if possible, undertake community consultation regarding the preferred location of the outdoor Gym in relation to locations A, B and D detailed in the report from the Director of Environment and Neighbourhoods;
iii) that if it is not possible to undertake community consultation regarding the location of the outdoor Gym whilst complying with the required timeframe for installation, or if the outcome of the consultation was inconclusive, location B as detailed in the report from the Director of Environment and Neighbourhoods be agreed as the preferred location of the outdoor gym.
Minutes:
Tom Jeffrey (Operational Director Neighbourhood Services) presented a report to committee regarding the provision and location of an outdoor gym at Barham Park. Members were advised that the council had made a successful application to the Wembley National Stadium Trust on behalf of the Barham Park Trust for external funding to create an outdoor gym in the park. The funds provided by WNST would meet approximately half of the total costs for the supply and installation of the gym with the remaining money allocated from S106 funding. Though the outdoor gym would be provided at no cost to the Trust, there would be ongoing inspection and maintenance costs. Members attention was drawn to the list of proposed locations for the gym and the corresponding diagram of the Park. Location B had been identified as most suitable for the site of the gym. Tom Jeffrey advised that members had been provided with the opportunity to view potential locations for the gym during a tour of the park.
Members commended officers for their work in developing the proposal before the committee and welcomed the prospect of an outdoor gym at Barham Park. Councillor Hirani (Lead Member, Adults, Heath and Wellbeing) advised that outdoor gyms had achieved greater usage when sited where they could be viewed from the road and therefore expressed the view that locations C and D were not optimal. Members acknowledged that option B had been viewed as preferential to A as the later was the traditional site occupied by the annual fun fair.
The Chair invited comments from the audience. Members of the public suggested an alternative location for consideration, close to option B but sited on top of pre-existing foundations and which would benefit from the shade of trees whilst remaining visible from the road. Councillor Daly suggested that siting the Gym at location D, close to the building complex might encourage complimentary use of the facilities. Mr Lorber suggested that a public consultation should be held regarding the location for the outdoor gym.
Gerry Kiefer (Head of Sports and Parks) advised that the tarmac area suggested by members of the public had been considered as a potential location for the outdoor gym; however, officers had not considered it a viable option as visibility from the road was significantly lessened and there were additional risks associated with leaf fall from the trees. It was a requirement of the funding from WNST that the outdoor gym be installed by July and due to the restricted timeline it might not be possible to conduct public consultation on the preferred location of the gym.
RESOLVED:
i) That it be agreed that an outdoor gym be installed at Barham Park;
ii) That officers review the timeline for the installation of the Gym as determined by the funding arrangements and if possible, undertake community consultation regarding the preferred location of the outdoor Gym in relation to locations A, B and D detailed in the report from the Director of Environment and Neighbourhoods;
iii) that if it is not possible to undertake community consultation regarding the location of the outdoor Gym whilst complying with the required timeframe for installation, or if the outcome of the consultation was inconclusive, location B as detailed in the report from the Director of Environment and Neighbourhoods be agreed as the preferred location of the outdoor gym.
Supporting documents: