Victoria Park Trust AGM overview

The Snyed Hotel in Tunstall tonight played host to an amazing group of people who have taken Tunstall Park, or to give it it's correct name, Victoria Park, and over the last 2 years worked hard to give it a much needed boost.

Tonights meeting saw the Victoria Park Trust's Chairman give a summary of a year that saw a brand new first class playing area for kids of all ages being planned and built.

Donation Delight

Peter also spoke of Patrick Johnson, the man who donated £320 to the Trust for the restoration of the park, joy and delight at opening the park and being able to witness children and parents, grandparents and careers taking so much enjoyment from the new equipment.

Dovegate

Talking about the future, a scheme which is being ran by the Victoria Park Trust, Stoke-on-Trent City Council and Dovegate prison which will see the prison see delivery of park benches from the park, and undergo a full repair and restoration project. Once repaired the benches will then be sent to the prisons Ceramic and Art department to be given a further lease of life.

Tunstall Park is being used as a guinea pig for this scheme and if successful, it will be rolled out across all parks in Stoke-on-Trent.

Pay back

Work continues in the park with the payback scheme which sees weekly visits by people carrying out community service. One of their main aims has been to paint the parks railings.

Gates
Funding will also be sort to restore the park's gates after many years of neglect has had their tool. Using shared experience of the Burslem Park restoration project the Victorian Park and have been speaking to the company involved with that project.

The aim is to not just to fix the gates, but to restore them to their former glory. For example the orate flowers on the gates have pretty much rusted away. 

Trust members old and new

• Group thanked by a Lorraine Tunnicliffe of the public for all of the hard work put in, and for the amazing sound of children playing and their laughter. 
• Bench sponsorship - where money is raised for benches to be provided in the park. Companies and people will be encouraged, with Pete Hall pledging to be one of the first to sponsor a bench in memory of his wife.
• Member of the public asked if outdoor excersie equiptment could be put in, which the trust promised they'd look at
• Mentioned that the Floral Hall not open during the right times for children to benefit from the cafe by a member of the public. Megan Ryan added that this was an issue for the Floral Hall committe not the Victoran Park Trust as they were seperate entities.
• I asked if a Grafitti wall could be considered as a outlet for youths for deface rather than the park equipment. I also asked if the trust could seek the assistance of Unity as a way to engaging the local kids.
• Megan Ryan spoke of Speight of the Art's interest in the park, so as someone whose been involved in this faboulous charity at one point am very excited to hear.
• Lee Wanger spoke about talks for CCTV to be placed in the park. We'll hear more about this when plans become more concrete.
• Interest in restoring the boat house.
• More events in the park for
  • Children
  • Teenagers
  • Adults

The outlook for Tunstall Park looks promising and is in very capable hands. But the trust would love to hear your ideas (please feel free to add them here), and can only function with support and input from the public.