[Closed] Begining of the end for Park Run's ?

Care to elaborate? Bristol City Council and it's Mayor are for this sort of thing. A parish council in South Gloucestershire are not.

I think the irony is that Wrecker is complaining about someone who actively encourages the free use of public space...

[i]set up a kiosk selling tea & coffee. [/i]

Wouldn't they have had to pay a licence fee for that, though?

If the council had been even slightly smart, they'd have asked for a donation, and sent a councillor to the events with a bucket. Even better, set up a kiosk selling tea & coffee.

Or completely fill in a grant form so all park run had to do was sign it so the funding came from the state...

Which they did and the park run bloke wouldn't sign it.

Which they did and the park run bloke wouldn't sign it.

And rightly so. As I said, best to stick to voluntary donations rather than an expectation of payment.

Or completely fill in a grant form so all park run had to do was sign it so the funding came from the state...

Which they did and the park run bloke wouldn't sign it.

So parkrun have to pay for legal advice to confirm what they're signing up to... Which in turn sets up a precedent where all authorities will want them to do the same (more legal costs).

From [url= http://www.parkrun.org.uk/littlestoke/news/2016/03/30/a-statement-on-behalf-of-little-stoke-parkrun-and-parkrun-uk/ ]one of the links [/url]on the other page where PR replied to the Parish council's points;

parkrun cannot pay for park use and therefore will not apply for grant funding for that purpose, or allow the Council or anyone else to make an application on its behalf.

[b]The Parish Council insisted for several months that they could not apply for grants but this turned out to be entirely false.

Subsequent discussion with South Gloucestershire Council confirmed that in reality there is no source of grant funding that will support routine park maintenance, whoever applies.
[/b]
parkrun has suggested ways in which its success could be harnessed to develop a potentially fundable 'project' to establish Little Stoke Park as a hub for wider community-led physical activity (possibilities include outdoor circuit training equipment; volunteer opportunities in association with the youth club and local schools; exploiting synergies with recreational running groups, Nordic walkers, seniors groups, mums groups, etc). We would happily assist the Council in making grant applications of this kind with supporting evidence from parkrun. Sadly these positive suggestions were dismissed out of hand by the Council chair.

Subsequent discussion with South Gloucestershire Council confirmed that in reality there is no source of grant funding that will support routine park maintenance, whoever applies.

Wiesel words. Yes, you can't get funding for routing maintenance, but you can get funding for infrastructure. Better paths, harder wearing car park surfacing.

At least one of these has been done.

Even if that's the case, I'd still say it's the owner of the park's responsibility to apply for such things, and not the users.

From my own experience of staging events in parks... the perfect park in the eyes of a resource strapped council is one where nobody goes.

The Parish Council don't want them there, so jog on.

Even if that's the case, I'd still say it's the owner of the park's responsibility to apply for such things, and not the users.

I thought so too but obviously not or it wouldn't have come up, and Parkrun would have said so.

I'm not slagging of Parkrun here. Parkrun is great, I love it.

I just think we have to accept that not every Park in the country wants one, and a Parish is obviously going to creak a bit under the strain of supporting a big event twice a week.

I just think we have to accept that not every Park in the country wants one, and a Parish is obviously going to creak a bit under the strain of supporting a big event twice a week.

Indeed, and it baffles me as to why it's made the news. Surely it's not the first venue to decide it can't cope with or doesn't want parkrun to take place.

Indeed, and it baffles me as to why it's made the news

Parkrun is global and this is the only instance of a council wanting to charge...

so jog on.

Very good.

I think the irony is that Wrecker is complaining about someone who actively encourages the free use of public space...

I think the irony is that there are some poor misguided souls that believe the mayors hype that he's some kind of socially responsible enlightened individual. He is in fact a rampant capitalist and member of the merchant venturers (only suspended during his term as mayor) whose old boys network has benefitted hugely during his term. Looked at the docks sale?
No doubt that SG parish are "tinpot" but better than than common thieves.

https://thebristolcable.org/2014/12/green-capital-massive-500000-conflict-of-interest/
https://thebristolcable.org/2016/01/green-capital-finances-cant-take-scrutiny/
https://thebristolcable.org/2016/04/bristol-ports-privatisation/

Anyone who supports this individual are in no position whatsoever to point any fingers at anyone for their behaviour.

so jog on.

Very good.

I'm here all week.

[img] [/img]

For anyone who thinks Bristol is some sort of promised land for events in parks, remember a couple of years back when they started asking the organisers of the local CX races to supply a £2,500 damage deposit?

http://road.cc/content/news/70533-bristol-crossgate-council-responds

The result being that my local cyclocross race series seems to have largely relocated to a motocross track in Bridgwater. 👿

It's getting the Jeremy [s]Kyle[/s] Vine treatment on R2 now

I think the irony is that there are some poor misguided souls that believe the mayors hype that he's some kind of socially responsible enlightened individual.

I'm not at all sure why you're bothered: he's the mayor of Bristol, not Stoke Gifford.

wrecker - Member

I think the irony is that Wrecker is complaining about someone who actively encourages the free use of public space...

I think the irony is that there are some poor misguided souls that believe the mayors hype that he's some kind of socially responsible enlightened individual. He is in fact a rampant capitalist and member of the merchant venturers (only suspended during his term as mayor) whose old boys network has benefitted hugely during his term. Looked at the docks sale?
No doubt that SG parish are "tinpot" but better than than common thieves.

https://thebristolcable.org/2014/12/green-capital-massive-500000-conflict-of-interest/
https://thebristolcable.org/2016/01/green-capital-finances-cant-take-scrutiny/
wrecker - Member

I think the irony is that Wrecker is complaining about someone who actively encourages the free use of public space...

I think the irony is that there are some poor misguided souls that believe the mayors hype that he's some kind of socially responsible enlightened individual. He is in fact a rampant capitalist and member of the merchant venturers (only suspended during his term as mayor) whose old boys network has benefitted hugely during his term. Looked at the docks sale?
No doubt that SG parish are "tinpot" but better than than common thieves.

https://thebristolcable.org/2014/12/green-capital-massive-500000-conflict-of-interest/
https://thebristolcable.org/2016/01/green-capital-finances-cant-take-scrutiny/
https://thebristolcable.org/2016/04/bristol-ports-privatisation/

Anyone who supports this individual are in no position whatsoever to point any fingers at anyone for their behaviour. /2016/04/bristol-ports-privatisation/

Anyone who supports this individual are in no position whatsoever to point any fingers at anyone for their behaviour.

The Mayor of Bristol, not South Glos.

It's getting the Jeremy Kyle Vine treatment on R2 now

Ernie from Stoke Gifford council is sounded very stupid for the reason he puts forward trying to make sound like anything other than a money grab.

If Park Run did pay for the use of the park could they then demand that paths were made suitable for runners i.e. that rubbery material you get at running tracks.
I also assume that any runners who fell on the paths wouldn't hesitate to put a claim into the council for injuries if they had to pay to run there.

Surely it's not the first venue to decide it can't cope with or doesn't want parkrun to take place.

Yup, our Parkrun has moved three times, and this PC have enthusiastically supported the PR for three years. They've certainly given it a fair trial.

If Park Run did pay for the use of the park could they then demand that paths were made suitable for runners i.e. that rubbery material you get at running tracks.

I suspect if they'd applied for a grant, as suggested, that's exactly what they could have requested and exactly the kind of infrastructure these grants are designed to provide.

If Park Run did pay for the use of the park could they then demand that paths were made suitable for runners i.e. that rubbery material you get at running tracks.

They could demand it, they wouldn't get it though.

Ours changes venue over the winter from a grass-surfaced park to one with hardened paths to preserve the ground. The one with hardened paths is busier and we do get some grumbles about being there.

The Mayor of Bristol, not South Glos.

there are a few parkruns near me, the nearest changed it's route over the winter as one section wasn't holding up under the rain, the rest of the path is hardpack or tarmac.

another closed completely due to path damage and relocated to another park, this new park does charge for parking and I guess this would go towards the upkeep of the park and paths within it, but that applies to everyone who parks their car there not just at 9am on a Saturday.

Oh good grief, enough of whether it's in Bristol and whether the mayor's corrupt. It's like a shiney turd competition, even if you win it's a competition between arseholes pumping out shit that no one else wants to see.

The millionaire mayor of bristol.

Who you can't vote to get rid of. Remind us why that is?

another closed completely due to path damage and relocated to another park, this new park does charge for parking and I guess this would go towards the upkeep of the park and paths within it, but that applies to everyone who parks their car there not just at 9am on a Saturday.

Ashton Court (run by Bristol City Council) charges for parking, seems fair enough to me. Parkrun use it regularly and I've never heard any complaints.

Who you can't vote to get rid of. Remind us why that is?

Ours changes venue over the winter from a grass-surfaced park to one with hardened paths to preserve the ground. The one with hardened paths is busier and we do get some grumbles about being there.

Our previous grass venue got utterly wrecked in winter - ankle deep - to the point where I was astounded the organizers didn't mix it up a bit to preserve the grass and to stop so many people going A over T. However it was an unloved park and nobody seemed to mind.

Another local one does have a problem with runners/walkers coming into contact. The problem is out of 200 people you only need 1 tosser to piss off every walker they meet.

I think for 99pc of parks the benefits of Parkrun far outweigh the drawbacks but it shouldn't be a surprise that for some parks they don't. Especially one funded by parish precepts!

A local parkrun near me has a winter & summer route. The winter route was designed with the help of the council with at least 90% of it on tarmac paths, so no real wear and tear on the park. Runners are reminded not to walk across the football pitches on their way to the start or back to the carpark etc, you don't have exclusive right of way blah blah.

Although the said parkrun does have a good turnout all year, other local ones have now started up to take the pressure off, but it is a nice flatish pb course.

Personally by starting with parkrun I then joined a running club, fitness improved significantly (bike is now hardly used), took up racing as well and made new friends through this.

If Park Run did pay for the use of the park could they then demand that paths were made suitable for runners i.e. that rubbery material you get at running tracks.
I also assume that any runners who fell on the paths wouldn't hesitate to put a claim into the council for injuries if they had to pay to run there.

No. You hire for use of the venue for your event, it might not even be exclusive use but just to allow you to run your event in the space the council provide for everyones use.

Ive run a CX event at an old velodrome and the council charged even though we did not get exclusive use of the venue and didn't get access to the site tea room and toilet block. We had to share the place with the running club who use it as the base for their parkrun (which they don't have to pay for) and they locked it when they left.

Our event was also run by volunteers, we only had to charge entry in order to cover the cost of the venue hire. Anyone could race, we had a 3yr old being pushed during a kids race once. Why do we have to pay but not runners? Its just grass so we dont even need them to maintain it. The group have even cut grass before to make a course.

It's very difficult to see what impact Parkrun has on anyone else: it's just a group of people running at (usually) a time when the park is deserted save for a couple of dog walkers.

I got held up at Worcs woods park run, it was raining & everyone was in the café & my home made beans on toast took 5 mins longer than normal!

Ban them I say

More important Bristolian park news...

[url= http://newsthump.com/2016/04/13/park-to-install-coin-operated-swings-a-premium-slide-and-a-members-only-roundabout/ ]http://newsthump.com/2016/04/13/park-to-install-coin-operated-swings-a-premium-slide-and-a-members-only-roundabout/[/url]

Because, happily, he's only responsible for the inner city area.

I don't live in the inner city area but I do live in Bristol. I used to live in South Glos (shudders) but I preferred Bristol so I moved there instead. It's lovely. You should come and try it sometime. (Just don't drive...George doesn't like that.)

Not keen on the traffic of the inner city ta Darce. Bit hemmed in too. I have good schools nearby, plenty of green space for jnr to play in and a modest but decent sized semi detached with a drive big enough for about 5 cars for what would get me a box with road parking in many areas of inner brizzle. Low crime rate too. Looks like I'll be working out of the centre soon but George needn't worry, I'll cycle whenever possible.
Greater Bristol is an actual thing though. It may not be a local authority but it's a commonly referenced area.

a modest but decent sized semi detached with a drive big enough for about 5 cars for what would get me a box with road parking in many areas of inner brizzle. .

Yeah it's nice. Neighbors are pleasant. No strife, quiet. Safe for kids (touch wood), little traffic. It's not for everyone, but I like it and I've been around most areas of inner and greater Bristol so it's an informed choice.

Yeah it's nice. Neighbors are pleasant. No strife, quiet. Safe for kids (touch wood), little traffic. It's not for everyone, but I like it and I've been around most areas of inner and greater Bristol so it's an informed choice.

Yep, and you have good access to the motorways and Tesco. What more could you want? It must be one of the finest parts of South Gloucestershire.

I have access to almost everything inner bristol has except for lots of shops. I don't like shopping and I don't value being able to walk to primark but I'm sure [i]some[/i] do.
I really don't know what you think you gain being central or what entitles you to look down your nose at those that aren't.

a box with road parking in many areas of inner brizzle

Yeah, you gotta pay to live somewhere nice. 🙂

You live in Southmead Darce?

Having worked previously for a local council in the parks division I've seen more damage done to parks by fairs and other council events than a group of runners could ever cause.

You live in Southmead Darce?

North Bristol?? 😯 *opens new can of worms* 😆

'arfcliffe mate.

I have a confession to make. When I lived in South Gloucestershire (not far from Stoke Gifford actually), I used to tell my friends from other towns that I lived in Bristol. I dunno, I was younger and more foolish and it sounded a lot cooler. They were a bit confused when they realised they were miles from [i]actual[/i] Bristol when they visited. It was so far, that the taxi drivers would switch their meters off and negotiate a price after a night out in town. With a few extra years and a bit of wisdom, I'd like to think I wouldn't do something like that anymore. Not that I have to worry about it anyway.