Old Farm Park COVID Memorial
There are approximately 4000 parks and green spaces in Greater London. Bexley Borough alone has over 100. Public parks and green spaces are vital to modern cities, providing essential health, environmental and social benefits. They boost physical and mental wellbeing by reducing stress and providing a place for exercise. Furthermore they enhance urban sustainability, mitigate heat, and provide a sustainable environment for a wildlife. Parks are often a venue for social activities and events and as such are an important part of the local community. Going to the park has always been a part of my life. I live next to Old Farm Park in Sidcup and have made use of this recreational space throughout my life. I used visit with my parents in the seventies, when I was a child. Thirty years later my son, father in-law and I would fly kites there. Now I take my grandchildren to Old Farm Park as it now has a playground.
There are approximately 4000 parks and green spaces in Greater London. Bexley Borough alone has over 100. Public parks and green spaces are vital to modern cities, providing essential health, environmental and social benefits. They boost physical and mental wellbeing by reducing stress and providing a place for exercise. Furthermore they enhance urban sustainability, mitigate heat, and provide a sustainable environment for a wildlife. Parks are often a venue for social activities and events and as such are an important part of the local community. Going to the park has always been a part of my life. I live next to Old Farm Park in Sidcup and have made use of this recreational space throughout my life. I used visit with my parents in the seventies, when I was a child. Thirty years later my son, father in-law and I would fly kites there. Now I take my grandchildren to Old Farm Park as it now has a playground.
Because there is an abundance of parks in the UK, they can sometimes be taken for granted. They’re often seen as local resources that you use and you don’t really think about beyond the fact that it is there. However, as these green spaces are frequently in prime locations in urban areas they are often targetted by property developers. In 2019 Bexley Council decided to resolve its financial issues by selling off one of its parks. It was a controversial decision and it was strongly reisted by residents of the borough. Even the local MP at the time, thought it unwise policy. Despite concerns, the council decision was final and Old Farm Park was selected to be sold. Fortunately, due to an access road running behind some of the houses that back onto the park, only half of the land was bought by property developers. Hence in early 2020 Old Farm Park was partitioned and building began on sixty homes in the eastern half.
Up until 2020, Old Farm Park was effectively just a field with trees around the edges Some areas were specifically left unmaintained to accommodate “rewilding”. When the park was partitioned it was decided to landscape the remaining area and build a path to circumnavigate it. Exercise areas and a children’s playground were also added. Areas of rewilding were kept and a pond was built with decking looking out over it. No doubt this redevelopment of the park was undertaken to increase the desirability and marketability of the new housing estate. Residents opinions on this makeover were mixed. The quality of some of the work was questionable and as a result, the paths have been repaired several times already. The pond was not correctly constructed and as such, has never maintained a body of water for more than a few day. Yet despite these short comings, Old Farm Park is a pleasant and safe environment.
The pandemic and the accompanying lockdown was certainly made more manageable by numerous parks in this borough. The provided a degree of freedom from the confines of our own homes and a means to meet family and friends in a safe fashion. Therefore I was both surprised and pleased to see that a decision was made by the council to redevelop the failed pond in Old Farm Park and repurpose it into a rock garden and COVID memorial. The work was carried out towards the end of February and the memorial was officially opened on Sunday 8th March. During 2020-21 over 720 people died COVID-19 in Bexley Borough. My father passed away in hospital in September 2020, although not from COVID. However, due to the lockdown, I only visited him once. Hence this is a matter close to my heart and I am pleased that there is now a place of remembrance locally. It is important that the pandemic is not quickly forgotten, so this is a welcome addition to Old Farm Park, which is itself an invaluable community asset.
Where I Live
I have lived in Sidcup, in South East London, for most of my life. The first two schools that I went to were local and within 15 minutes walking distance. My Doctor’s Surgery and Dentist are only a few streets away, as is the barbershop that I’ve frequented since 1970. I now have my haircut by the son of the original barber. My point being that Sidcup has everything that residents immediately need. There’s a local hospital, good public transport networks and a broad range of shopping and restaurant facilities. It also has several parks with lakes, sport facilities and children’s play areas. It is a microcosm of the concept of suburbia with its residents commuting into Central London or out into Kent for work. People move here to raise families and end up staying. My parents lived here for 62 years.
I have lived in Sidcup, in South East London, for most of my life. The first two schools that I went to were local and within 15 minutes walking distance. My Doctor’s Surgery and Dentist are only a few streets away, as is the barbershop that I’ve frequented since 1970. I now have my haircut by the son of the original barber. My point being that Sidcup has everything that residents immediately need. There’s a local hospital, good public transport networks and a broad range of shopping and restaurant facilities. It also has several parks with lakes, sport facilities and children’s play areas. It is a microcosm of the concept of suburbia with its residents commuting into Central London or out into Kent for work. People move here to raise families and end up staying. My parents lived here for 62 years.
Because Sidcup is a relatively affluent area, it enjoys the associated benefits. It has a low crime rate and is considered safe by its residents. The schools are well rated and an important factor in people moving here. Healthcare provision, especially in light of an ageing population, is good. Public services such as policing, local government and sanitation are broadly well run. Council tax (IE local taxation) is not excessively high by national standards and competently managed. Politically Sidcup is right leaning, as is the Borough that it is part of. The local MP is a member of the Conservative party. No surprises there. Politics is often linked to the socioeconomic nature of an area. Setting aside the political landscape of the area, Sidcup is considered a desirable area to live. I make no bones about the fact that I like living here and think myself fortunate to do so.
Sidcup originated as a tiny hamlet on the road from Maidstone to London. The name is thought to be derived from Cetecopp meaning “seat-shaped or flat-topped hill”. The name first appears in records around 1254. According to the antiquarian Edward Hasted, “Thomas de Sedcopp was owner of this estate in the 35th year of king Henry VI. (circa 1450s). Today Sidcup has a population of 15,500 and has become part of the wider urban sprawl of Greater London. However, it hasn’t lost its character. Many of the public buildings date back to the 18th century. My local pub, Ye Olde Black Horse, has been at its present location in one form or another since 1692. Moving on to more recent times, there are several blocks of flats in the area that were built in the 1920s in an Art Deco style. Sidcup can also claim to have some notable residents. Musicians John Paul Jones and Kate Bush both were born and raised locally. The author Neville Shute also resided here for many years.
Although I am broadly content to live here, Sidcup does suffer from a growing issue that impacts upon all parts of London. During the course of my lifetime things have become increasingly more busy. The population has grown steadily, yet the resources and facilities to accommodate such change have not kept pace. Many homes in the area have replaced their front gardens with drives for off street parking, as most households now own at least two vehicles. Road repair is poor, with the local Council struggling to deal with potholes and maintain trees and grass verges. Street lighting is another issue, with the illuminations being notably dimmer due to cost. These are minor things but they’re all symptomatic of London’s journey to becoming a megacity. As a result the streets are continuously busy late into the night and there is little respite from the ambient noise.
With this in mind, I am once again thinking about whether it is time to move out of the capital and relocate to somewhere more sedate. Noise and nuisance are things that distress me, however I have to temper such feelings against the benefits of living somewhere like Sidcup, which I enjoy. Can a comparable location be found elsewhere? Plus the fact that my immediate family lives here is also a major factor in any decision. So moving is not something we would do rashly. Yet the New Year seems to be a time when this subject rears its head, so I will ponder such things over the next few weeks. It remains to be seen if anything tangible will come of such musings. There is often a marked difference between where you would like to live and where they can afford to so. Also there is that old adage to consider, “better the devil you know”.
