Of the 179 people who filled in the questionnaire, 113 (63%!) made comments, in response to being asked for 'any additional issues that you may have, or other comments about the area'. Some people made several points (total is 180+), and some of these could be quite long, so this is a summary with quotes. Each point made by somebody is referred to as a comment, so as not to be pedantic about it! Most of the issues referred to below particularly affect children, and also the elderly, the disabled and carers with buggies. So although there are 20 references to children, these will just be mentioned in the relevant category.

Lovely neighbourhood

Local Shops

Pavements

Traffic

Speeding Traffic

Through Traffic

Traffic Volume

Lorries and Coaches

Motorbikes and scooters

Cycling

Air Quality

Pedestrian Crossings

Parking

Rubbish and Fly-tipping

Road Repairs

Accessibility to AP Station

Specific issues for children, and the elderly and infirm

Miscellaneous

Lovely neighbourhood

Ten people took the opportunity to say what a friendly area this is to live in, and two thanked the residents' association and volunteers for their community gardening. e.g.

• We have a fantastic community and it's a wonderful place to live
• My thanks to volunteers who do so much to make the area attractive
• good community spirit

Two people noted that local shops enhance the sense of community, as do play streets and street parties (another 2) and another suggested a community vegetable garden (perhaps in the bowling green in Albert Road Rec). One person who liked the local street planting initiatives (including around pavement trees) suggested that the Council could encourage people to do more by offering a free garden refuse bin as an incentive.

There were 5 requests for trees to be replaced that have been cut down, or new ones provided, in particular to improve air quality.

Local Shops

There were 8 appreciative comments about local shops and our 'high street'

• I hugely value our local shops and the feeling of community they bring and think everything should be done to encourage local businesses.
• our little high street is very important

There were a couple of concerns about shops being empty or challenged by planning applications, a wish for more diverse shops, and a proposal to

• support measures to promote them and encourage other independent shopkeepers to set up here

There were 3 concerns about the increase in residential development in small areas like the yard of the local hardware store, and Crescent Mews.

Pavements

Moving on to more critical comments, we start with the condition of local pavements because it is clearly something that should have been included in the tick-box section of the survey! 20 people commented on this issue, several from Palace Gates Road.

Most complained that the uneven, broken paving stones are a trip hazard, particularly for the elderly and disabled, and difficult for carers to push buggies over.

• I have had 2 [electric wheelchairs] written off by vibration caused by the uneven pavements
• With small children, it is very difficult to push buggies, ride scooters and small bikes on pavements as it is so bumpy on our street and those close by. The quality of the paving is poor and this must be a problem for older / disabled people too.

Some people noted that cars and heavy vehicles parking on the pavements are a major cause of broken paving, and one respondent suggested stronger slabs.

Other obstacles on pavements making it difficult in particular for the disabled and carers with buggies to get past include binbags left in front of the shops on Crescent Road because there is no provision for rubbish bins for the flats above (9 comments), and wheelie bins (particularly in Victoria Road, where some houses have flights of steps with no provision for bins at the bottom – 5 comments).

Overhanging hedges in front gardens which in effect narrow the pavements are a particular problem for the partially sighted and blind (4 comments), and cars emerging from paved-over front gardens were also mentioned:

• cars roll across the pavement without warning, inches away from me

Parked cars and builders' lorries obstructing pavements have also been mentioned (including cars parked briefly on yellow lines in front of shops – 3 comments), as also snow in icy weather.

The inadequate provision of dropped kerbs was also mentioned (3 comments), essential for those on mobility scooters, wheelchairs and pushing buggies, and the problem of parked cars making the dropped kerbs unusable, or dangerously limiting the visibility of traffic.

Traffic

 Speeding Traffic

As in the tick-box section, the greatest number of comments was made about speeding traffic – 34, including 3 complaints about motorbikes.

• The speed at which cars race past is unbelievable. When me or my wife are trying to take our children out of their car seats and the car door is slightly ajar, they still race past, missing the door by inches! I have written to the council in the past about having some traffic calming speed bumps put in, but they wrote back essentially saying "no one has been killed on that road yet" [Crescent Road]

The roads mentioned: Crescent road 3 and Crescent Rise 1, Princes and Outram 1 each, Albert 3 and Albert and Durnsford 1, Alexandra Park Road 2 and and APR and Durnsford 1,  Durnsford 1, Palace Gates 3, Bedford road and over Alexandra Park Way 3, and Bedford road roundabout 1; 13 non-specific.

6 people commented to the effect that 'the 20mph speed limit is not enforced, so is rarely kept to', though one notes that with the police over-stretched, this is not a viable option.

Speed Humps. Most people did not have a suggestion for reducing speeds, though 6 suggested installing speed humps, or replacing those that have been removed. It was notable in the tick-box section that people had polarised opinions about speed humps, with equal proportions saying that they are a good or a bad way of reducing speed. The comments shed light on the reasons for these differences.

3 people said that speed humps don't work, at least the current type. One person complained of

• Excessively high bumps and road-calming measures which damage cars.

Two others complained about lower humps:

• The current bumps do nothing due to parked cars making the road single lane, and the single lane element means vehicles race along when a gap appears from the other direction [Albert road]
• Normal cars can speed over the speed bumps, it doesn't slow them down. It is only the buses and lorries go over them and shake the houses so there are crack on the walls, windows.

Two other people complained of negative effects from speed humps, resulting from the 184 bus shaking the houses.

Other suggestions were for a speed camera or tree gates; 2 said that narrowing roads only caused more congestion.

In conclusion, I guess most people would agree with the following comment:

• Traffic calming measures need to be considered very carefully.

Through Traffic

Much of the speeding traffic mentioned above would have been travelling through this neighbourhood to get to somewhere else. 17 people made comments about traffic using this area as a cut-through, including 3 complaints about lorries. Comments particularly focused on Crescent Road 7, but also Albert 2, Alexandra Park Road 2, Outram, Princes and Victoria (one each), and 4 non-specific.

There were 3 complaints about damage to parked cars caused by through-traffic and buses, as well as 3 mentions of aggressive behaviour and bad tempers (particularly in Crescent Road), and the 'resting stop' [?] at Bedford Road roundabout often being crashed into.

• Road rage is a huge problem as is the frequent use of the pavement by motorcycles avoiding the jams

There was one request for  tree gates to stop lorries getting through, and 2 for speed humps (one complaining about them being removed, making it more attractive to rat runners). The most frequent request (5), however, was for one or more roads to be 'filtered' – i.e. have some kind of block at one point in the road which would stop all cars, vans and lorries from travelling straight through. This would allow local drivers access to their homes, but could cause inconvenience on some journeys, because they would have to drive a longer way round.

• In a perfect world, Victoria road, Albert road and Crescent road would all be blocked off to prevent ALL rat running traffic. Placing gates that could only be opened by emergency services would improve the quality of life of the residents immeasurably

Traffic Volume

There were 9 comments about the quantity of traffic, eg

• The roads around here were clearly not designed for the level of motor traffic now using them… the current situation is massively problematic - excess traffic, too much pollution, impossible for cycling, unsafe for most, and unhealthy in most obvious ways.

Suggestions of factors which may increase the amount of traffic include commuters driving around trying to find a parking place (2 comments), and free parking in Ally Pally attracting commuters to the area. Also

• Drivers on the north circular are directed by Sat Navs to come through our neighbourhood to get to central London, so traffic is increasing here, while, as I understand it, decreasing on the surrounding main roads. 

Lorries and Coaches

Apart from the comments referred to above, there were 2 complaints about HGVs not observing restrictions, and one mentioning 'huge lorries and coaches using the [Albert road] junction to reverse from Durnsford Road'.

Motorbikes and scooters

As well as the comments referred to above, there were four complaints about noisy, speeding motorbikes, including two concerned about these as well as joy-riders speeding along Bedford road and through the park, particularly at night. Also:

• In our road some cars and motor cycles go far too fast. This happens at night too when the noise from fired up motorbikes can be extremely loud … The traffic fumes given off are really bad …
• large number of noisy speeding motorbikes driven dangerously around the area … I believe the bike riders rely on the loud noise to alert other drivers to give them the wide berth they need to zoom past other traffic, often in the face of oncoming vehicles.

Cycling

There were three comments about the dangers of cycling in this neighbourhood given the high volume of traffic, and three requesting secure cycle parking, including

• Would love to see some car parks replaced by on-road bike sheds like they have in Islington & hackney

Also, two complaints about mature people riding on pavements, which perhaps also has to do with the volume of traffic on the roads, and three requests for the neighbourhood to be more cycle-friendly in general.

Air Quality

One of the consequences of large amounts of traffic is of course pollution, and in particular the effect on the health of local children, and 6 people commented specifically on this. Three raised the need for low-emission buses, including one referring to the buses parking outside the station on Spurs home match days. One suggested that the Palace should encourage visitors to travel to events by public transport rather than driving.

Pedestrian Crossings

There were 14 comments on this topic, with a particular emphasis on the importance of safe crossings for children, including 2 general requests for

• more places to cross the road too since so many children walk to and from school.

Specific requests for crossings were varied:

At the roundabout where Bedford Road meets Palace Gates (3 requests, including one mentioning that children getting W3 bus to school have problems getting to the bus stop)

• It is very dangerous to cross especially with children and there is no alternative

and at the junctions of:

• Crescent Rise/Durnsford
• Alexandra Park Road,Talbot (for the safety of children walking to school, or catching a bus)
• Palace Gates/Crescent. A disabled resident requested that the hump by the bus stop be made into a zebra crossing, saying that they have to cross here if parked cars are blocking dropped kerbs elsewhere, and it is difficult to see if there is oncoming traffic.

Two people noted unsafe zebra crossings by the garden centre ('situated as it is on a bend at the bottom of the hill'), and another at the end of another unspecified road. One person commented that speeding cars do not stop at crossings promptly. One resident of Crescent Road noted that:

• It is also impossible for our disabled residents to cross the road safely at any point. We have 3 neighbours on mobility scooters and one using a guide dog who have to travel well out of their way every time they wish to cross. This is clearly unacceptable and must not be allowed to continue. Apart from the obvious failure of Traffic Management this is an issue of social justice.

Parking

In the tick-box section of the survey, more people said that parking was not a serious issue for them than those who said it was a serious issue. However, parking has been a contentious issue for a long time, and comments are particularly often made by those with strong opinions. There were 27 comments about parking in all.

Six people said they did not have any parking problems, and did not want a CPZ (including a couple of people who were suspicious that this survey was a 'disguised attempt to foist a CPZ on the area'!).

14 people found parking to be a problem (particularly in roads adjacent to those in the CPZ, such as Victoria and Princes Avenue), and 7 of them were non-specific with regards to what to do about it. One of them did not want a CPZ, 5 of them did want a CPZ, and 1 complained about football fans parking here during Spurs home matches, and another that since the Palace has introduced plastic barriers on the South Terrace, visitors to AP now park in roads in this neighbourhood.

More miscellaneous issues: 4 people mentioned people people parking here for a long time (e.g. living elsewhere, holidays), or abandoning their cars;  there was a complaint about staff and parents from local schools parking in Clifton Road; 3 said that people owned too many cars; a few mentioned problems with the piecemeal approach to CPZ implementation; there was 1 request for residents-only parking bays; and one complaint about arrangements for parking permits.

A more specific suggestion re: disabled parking –

• to get a disabled parking space you have to have a higher level of disability than for getting a blue badge alone, but once you get one anyone with a blue badge can park in it... It would be a good idea to make disabled parking spaces that are given to residents because of their level of disability for their use only and maybe have a few non-allocated disabled spaces in the area.

Finally, there was a suggestion to introduce a car-sharing scheme, which apart from saving its members money, would reduce the number of parked cars in the neighbourhood.  

Rubbish and Fly-tipping

There were three comments about fly-tipping, with a particular mention of the green triangle at the end of Palace Gates road, and Victoria road, and two comments about littering being a general issue in this area (see also in Pavements section re: rubbish outside the shops in Crescent Road).

Residents in Bedford road have particular problems with littering after events in Alexandra Palace, in particular in the lay-by there, but also a mention of bottles being thrown into a front garden.

Road Repairs

Three complaints about badly managed street repairs – roads being frequently re-dug up, one saying this was because they were badly done the first time, another complaining about lack of notice of roadworks. Another commented

• The road surface on Bedford Rd is always in a poor way, which means the buses that pass shake the house when they pass.

Accessibility to AP Station

There were three complaints about accessibility to the station for the elderly, disabled or those with a pram, one referring in particular to the pedestrian bridge. Another comment about the bridge:

• The bridge over the train station is unsafe and needs re surfacing

And more generally

• … access to the train station from Bedford Road must be improved and is surely long overdue. Given the further redevelopment of Alexandra Palace and the increase in passenger traffic, this access is wholly inadequate.

Specific issues for children, and the elderly and infirm

Children:

• Muggings are a big worry especially of children. There have been many around Alexandra Park and Muswell Hill. A safe and secure area where teenagers can enjoy themselves without fearing being mugged would be ideal.

Elderly and infirm:

• More public seating as walking in this hilly area is very tiring for elderly, disabled and frail people.
• Need a seat at exit /entrance to park where the bins are
• Make the bus stop seats flat so that elderly, disabled and frail people have somewhere to sit down
• [need] public toilets … or by educating and obliging all commercial property owners to give access to their toilets [for those with] medical conditions which cause them to need urgent access to a toilet.

Miscellaneous

Drowning hazard from flooding of parts of the playground in Albert Road Rec, prostitution in a car parked in Alexandra Palace Way, obscured street names, better street lighting, no local boundary changes, damaging effects of Go Ape and lack of lighting in Alexandra Park, installing bee hotels, car alarms going off, responsibility for access paths at the backs of houses, the Council not making sure that local businesses keep to health and safety guidelines, initiatives to reduce household plastics/against Heathrow expansion/initiate a local no-fly movement …

We have some interesting responses to our street survey, on a wide variety of topics (see this earlier post for info on why we ran the survey). A total of 179 people filled in the questionnaire, online or on paper - many more than the 100 or so that the Council consider adequate for a consultation, according to Tony Hopkins of the Palace Gates Residents Association. As well as publicising the survey on APN and the PGRA websites, we leafleted all residents in the triangle of roads shown below - apart from those blocks of flats which do not have mail boxes. If you did not know about the survey and would like to be involved, despair not, we will be having further meetings about it which you are welcome to attend. You can comment on it on this website, or email areastudy@alexandraparkneighbours2.org.uk .

A powerpoint presentation of the results was given by Kevin Stanfield, chair of the PGRA, at their AGM on 30 October. He did most of the questionnaire design, and analysed the results - thanks Kevin! (heading substanceqi at the top of the slides below is the name of his market research company). The slides can be seen in larger format in Kevin's PDF document.

Here are the number of responses (i.e. questionnaires filled in) per road. Not surprisingly, the longest roads have the most responses, though the area around the Triangle is particularly well-represented (including Crescent Road, Outram and Princes Avenue), and also Albert Road.

12 of the respondents are not resident within the triangle of roads that is the focus of this study.

How do residents get around, and use the facilities in the neighbourhood?

Almost everyone uses local shops on a regular basis!

Transport: Fully 85% walk to a local station at least weekly, while two-thirds use buses. 70% have a car - slightly less than the national average of 73%, but much higher than the Haringey average of 46%. Only a quarter of respondents cycle regularly - perhaps only the brave, given the problems of London traffic and our hilly terrain.

Exercise - fully 84% of the sample 'go for a walk' at least weekly, while a quarter run/jog regularly. Smaller proportions 'walk to school with my children', or 'take dog for a walk'.

5 or 6 people use mobility assistance (e.g. a Guide Dog or mobility scooter), and street issues are clearly particularly important for them.

Neighbourhood issues that respondents personally believe need to be addressed are topped by speeding traffic, about which 90% of residents are at least slightly concerned, with 65% strongly concerned. Almost equally important, however, is promoting the success of local shops (great that the positive aspects of the neighbourhood are emphasised, as well as the negative!).

Over half are strongly concerned about air quality, with nearly as many citing safety of children and volume of traffic.

Slightly less than half are strongly concerned about pedestrian safety and littering or fly tipping.

For all the issues specified above, 20% or fewer of respondents were not concerned at all.

Respondents strongly concerned about Noise and vibration of traffic constitute 38% of the sample, with a similar proportion regarding pavements in icy/snowy conditions, and Crime. 

About a third are strongly concerned about Safety for the elderly/disabled, and accessibility for the latter, (26-29% are not concerned about this issue), with a similar proportion regarding pedestrian crossings (and a third not concerned about these).

Ease of parking is of strong concern to just under a third of the sample, but over a third are not concerned about this issue. Similar proportions regarding cycling safety.

Of least concern are the issue of More seating/play/grass areas (though these are of strong concern to 18% of the sample), and secure cycle parking is of no concern to over a half of the sample, though of strong concern to 16%.

Respondents' opinons of the success of current traffic calming measures are varied. Just over half disagree that the 20mph speed limit has reduced traffic speed in their road, including 30% strongly disagreeing. A quarter think that it had made at least some difference.

Opinions are much more varied as regards the ban on HGVs, split roughly into a third each agreeing that it had reduced the number in their road, disagreeing, or with no opinion.

Opinions are just as varied but also more polarised with regard to speed humps. An equal proportion think that they are a good or bad way to calm traffic in the neighbourhood (44%), with only 12% having no opinion.

The variation in responses may relate in part to what road somebody lives on - I will check this out.

Respondents were asked what future traffic calming measures they would like to see considered in their area and/or in their road. They could choose any number of them, or none.

136 people (76% of the sample) like the idea of having One way traffic to ease traffic flow, with just under half of these wanting it in their road.

128 (72%) like the idea of having Tree build-outs to slow down traffic, with again just under half wanting this in their road. Much the same proportions favour Large planters to narrow road and help to slow traffic.

The next most popular measure is Closure of road to through traffic (to prevent rat running) - 105 people (59%) chose this, with 40% wanting it in their road.

89 people (50%) think that Road narrowing to slow down traffic is a good idea, but less than a third of these favour having it in their own road.

61 people (34%) think that No left or right turn in order to change traffic flow is a good idea, with 41% favouring having it in their own road.

34 people (19%) think that Pavement parking to ease traffic flow is a good idea, but not much more than a quarter want this in their own road.

Respondents were asked if they would like to see their road closed for a street party one day a year, and over three-quarters of them said they would!

An amazing 114 respondents (64% of the sample) made comments about issues that they would like to see addressed (and some about other things too, such as what a lovely neighbourhood it is to live in!). One issue mentioned in these comments that we clearly ought to have asked everyone about in the tick-box section is broken paving stones. See Kevin's PDF document for a quantitative summary of the comments, and I will discuss them in more detail in a later post.

Nearly a third of the sample said that they would like to be involved in taking this project forward, so we will be in touch with these people by email. If you would like to be added to the number, please let us know on areastudy@alexandraparkneighbours2.org.uk .

The slope in front of the Palace was full of people on Saturday, including lots and lots of babies !

Lots of Kids' activities under the trees; making ladybird crowns:

Re-designing the Park (see Stephen's picture in the Gallery of the designs drying in the wind!):

 What's going on here?    

Music on the main stage  

Yemalla drummers on the People's stage

Creative writing workshop, to be followed by Art workshop 

 Not so easy matching old photos with current locations in the Park:

Apologies to Susan Bennett - she has pointed out that this lovely pic is of her garden and plant sale at 5 St. Regis Close, and not Yew Tree Close ! Well, this is the silly season ...

*** STOP PRESS ***  Here's a very short informative film of the Haringey street event produced by realmedia, together with a (written) explanation of the thinking behind using roadblocks and other methods of nonviolent direct action by Extinction Rebellion. Thanks realmedia.

The sun shone (thanks, global warming!) on the Crouch End street party last Sunday afternoon, when the local Extinction Rebellion (XR) group took over part of the green in front of Hornsey Town Hall for kids' activities, banner making and an impromptu People's Assembly. The latter focused in particular on air pollution in the neighbourhood (some radical suggestions were suggested by both adults and children).

Meanwhile a continuous program of singers, speakers, poets and a band inspired by African music performed in front of the still-being-refurbished Midgey's restaurant (beside the green),

with cakes from the cake stall keeping everyone going.

There were positive responses from many people on Crouch End Broadway, some of whom took part in discussions about the climate emergency, and over 100 signed up to receive more information about the local group and the demands and actions planned by Extinction Rebellion (which do not necessarily involve getting arrested!) – in particular, the International Rebellion taking place in the second half of April.Three very brief roadblocks were included in the afternoon's program. All in all, it was a very successful event.

The Rebellion will start with huge numbers of people descending on central London, with a view to bringing parts of it to a standstill with festive and artistic activities, among others. XR consider that such acts of non-violent civil disobedience are necessary to force the Government to address the fact that "Climate Breakdown and ecological collapse are a direct existential threat to us all"; to tell their citizens the truth about them; and to act to reduce our carbon emissions to zero within the 12 years that the recent IPCC report says is all we have before feedback effects will cause cascading climate breakdown. They demand that a citizens' assembly be convened to set out appropriate measures to tackle it (as has been done in Ireland, for example). 

To find out more:

• Come to a talk – the next local one is on 11^th April at 7.30pm in the Friends Meeting House, Muswell Hill.
• Come to a meeting of the XR Haringey group - details on their Facebook page, and their email is xr.haringey@gmail.com
• Check out national XR events and the International Rebellion – on their website or Facebook page

Just north of the lovely Broomfield Park in Palmers Green, there is an apparently quiet neighbourhood of substantial houses, mostly located on roads opening onto Aldermans Hill and parallel to Green Lanes. This is a very convenient route, however, for drivers wishing to avoid the congestion of Bourne Hill and Green Lanes, and a quick way to get to the North Circular. Enfield Council is trying to tackle the consequent rat-running, as part of the ongoing Mini-Holland scheme (for which they received funds from TfL). Last Friday I went to have a look at what they have been doing, thinking that it might be of interest to some residents in our neighbourhood who suffer from rat-running. Any Palmers Green residents who are members of this site might like to correct anything I get wrong!

The scheme – named Fox Lane Quieter Neighbourhood – is gradually being rolled out at the moment (one of several 'quieter neighbourhoods' being introduced by the Council). Its neighbourhood-wide strategy is simple (there are also other location-specific measures), using very large planters as a means of blocking one lane at the start and end of some of the roads. The idea being that residents should only be slightly inconvenienced, but hopefully drivers who want to cut through the neighbourhood to get to somewhere else will be deterred, or at least have to slow down. The intention is to have planters on most of the roads, but for the moment only a few roads are being trialled.

    The pairs of smaller planters have gaps between them to allow bikes through. Cars do slow down to check if anything is coming the other way, and I guess this should be still more effective if tall plants are grown in the planters.

A very large planter has been placed on a built-out section of pavement near the start of Old Park Road, rather than on the road itself. At the very start of the road the pavement and road are continuous. This tactic perhaps gives drivers a gentle hint that they should slow down.

I look forward to seeing how the scheme develops. There is a lively on-going discussion about it on the Palmers Green Community website. Contributors seem to be fairly postive about the proposals (after lots of consultation), although with doubts about particular aspects of the placing, colur and shape of the containers, and complaints about there not being enough of them! (Searching for Fox Lane Quieter Neighbourhood on the site displays links to many other discussions, documents and consultations about it).

At least, the scheme doesn't seem to be fostering the loud opposition generated by the new cycle lanes along Green Lanes – but in spite of the noise over these, most of the opposition seems to have come from people outside the area rather than residents. I'm not a cyclist myself (though might have been if the area were not so hilly, and the traffic so dangerous), and would be interested in how local cyclists around here view this cycling strategy.

I must admit to straying onto the brown cycle lane without realising it – there were few cyclists at that time of day, and the pavement is quite narrow for the many shoppers and others going to local cafes and such (Palmers Green has become so much livelier since I was last there!).

 At some points there is no room for a separate cycle lane, so the space has be shared with pedestrians, which could be a particular problem when the space is at a bus stop. Here the paving is a different colour, but I did find all the changes in paving-colour confusing.

In the Netherlands, pedestrians and all the different types of traffic have to watch out for each other – so maybe here it's a problem of transition, and people getting used to new sets of desirable behaviours - ?

There were also attractive flowerbeds at the corners of some side-roads, with tall plants, perhaps intended to slow down traffic turning into or out of them.

Finally, I noticed this lovely sign for Hazelwood School's Walking Bus.

Fantastic event at Ally Pally.

Music at St Andrew's 2018

A one hour (approx.) programme - tea served afterwards

Further events in 2018 include:

Saturday 30 June 7.30pm - Fortismere Community Symphony Orchestra

Please note:

Saturday 23 June 7.00pm - Alexandra Chorus (with Veronica Chacon & Jerome Royet)
Saturday 14 July 7.00pm - Hannah Gardiner, Jared Bennett, Robert Smith & others

Both of these concerts have been postponed - revised dates to follow

www.alexandrapark.org

@alexparkparish

Music at St Andrew's 2018

A one hour (approx.) programme - tea served afterwards

Further events in 2018 include:

Sunday Afternoon Recitals 4.00-5.00pm

3 June - Recital by Jennifer Lee (piano)

Also:

Saturday 12 May 7.30pm - Fortismere Community Choir

Saturday 23 June 7.00pm - Alexandra Chorus (with Veronica Chacon & Jerome Royet)

Saturday 30 June 7.30pm - Fortismere Community Symphony Orchestra

Saturday 14 July 7.00pm - Hannah Gardiner, Jared Bennett, Robert Smith & others
(programme inc. newly-commissioned works & Beethoven Septet - details tbc)

Details of a programme of concerts/recitals for the second half of 2018 and in 2019 is awaiting confirmation

www.alexandrapark.org

@alexparkparish

Music at St Andrew's 2018

A one hour (approx.) programme - tea served afterwards

Further events in 2018 include:

Sunday Afternoon Recitals 4.00-5.00pm

6 May - Recital by Sebastian Mueller (violin) & Yukiko Shinohara (piano)

3 June - Recital by Jennifer Lee (piano)

Also:

Saturday 12 May 7.30pm - Fortismere Community Choir

Saturday 23 June 7.00pm - Alexandra Chorus (with Veronica Chacon & Jerome Royet)

Saturday 30 June 7.30pm - Fortismere Community Symphony Orchestra

Saturday 14 July 7.00pm - Hannah Gardiner, Jared Bennett, Robert Smith & others
(programme inc. newly-commissioned works & Beethoven Septet - details tbc)

Details of a programme of concerts/recitals for the second half of 2018 and in 2019 is awaiting confirmation

www.alexandrapark.org

@alexparkparish

My son is in year 7 at APS and is really fascinated by trains and is very knowledgeable about them! He thinks he is the only person his age (12) who likes watching trains, but I thought perhaps there is someone else out there of a similar age (and local) who would enjoy trainspotting with him. 

By trainspotting, I don't mean standing with a notebook noting down the number on the same type of train as they pass by. He likes taking photos and making videos and looking out for more unusual trains. He has done this at Alexandra Palace station and has also travelled into London to Euston, Paddington etc.

Please reply to this blog if you might know someone who would be interested in joining him.

Thanks, 

Mollie

This is what happened after the heavy rains over Easter. Almost our entire garden under water. It’s often got waterlogged but this was far worse than usual. It also doesn’t help that the soil in our garden is pretty poor and composed largely of clay.

If anyone can recommend garden drainage experts, I’d be very grateful. 

Holy Week & Easter at St Andrew's

Palm Sunday 25 March - Easter Day 1 April

www.alexandrapark.org

@alexparkparish

Hello from a new member, the Friends of Alexandra Palace Theatre.  As you may know, the Palace's Victorian theatre, tucked away behind the Ice Rink, is being restored.  In the next year, it will reopen. For the theatre's history and the latest news on the restoration, the Friends have a YouTube page - www.youtube.com/channel/UCaJybyAEYU0hr_cRiLBvW9A. New videos are being added every so often, so plese take a look and enable the 'subscribe' function so you'll know when there's something new.

We're also on Facebook (www.facebook.com/aptheatre) and have a webpage, too (fapt.org.uk). If you want to join us as a Friend, it's not expensive - fapt.org.uk/w/membership. As a Friend, you will be kept bang up to date on what's going on and will be contributing to the fundraising still needed to complete the restoration work. 

In the meantime, we'll use this site to keep you informed as well, if you're happy for us to do that.  When the theatre eventually re-opens, we'll all have something to be really proud of on our doorsteps!

I'm Richard Smith and I'd be happy to answer any questions you have - and even happier if you are able to share the videos and messages with your friends and contacts.

I’m Kaire and I am designer and dressmaker working from the studio nearby Alexandra Palace. I make custom made clothing and alter all types of clothing.

As a child I spent lot of my time in my aunts atelier. It is where I got my interest for dressmaking. I went on studying fashion design in Estonian Academy of Arts and continued with design technology degree in Denmark. In 2009 I moved to London and been working in Muswell Hill for many years now. Something that began with few dresses for friends has now grown into small business that creates made-to-measure clothing for women and also offers alteration services. 

Here is something I am working on at the moment.

If you like to get in touch please look up Kaire Dressmaking, visit www.kaire.co.uk

From the Muswell Hill and Fortis Green Association

Local resident and famed gum painter, Ben Wilson, was born in Cambridge and grew up in Barnet. He has lived in Muswell Hill for 25 years and is a familiar face in the area. His tiny paintings on the discarded gum which litters our streets are his way of working with the environment and transforming it in a delightful way. Ben attended an Arts Foundation course at Middlesex University and was offered places at various art colleges but preferred to develop his skills in his own individual style. The university supported him to work in its grounds. He began with wood sculpture, using fallen wood, and then moved on to gum painting. As he paints on existing ‘litter’ he is not technically inflicting criminal damage but transforming a negative action into a positive result. Ben has a huge portfolio of requests from passers-by who may ask for dedications, declarations of love, and a variety of messages personal to them. He tries to fulfil them all. This is the main impetus for his work, the fact that he is relating both to people and his environment and providing social commentary. His art attracts a lot of interest locally, nationally and internationally – his work can be seen all over the world. His fondness for Muswell Hill lies in the village atmosphere, the variety of people he meets on the street, the individual shops, the nearby woodlands and the panoramic views over London, a city he loves. There is a wealth of information about Ben, including images and videos, on the internet – just search for Ben Wilson chewing gum man! But also look carefully next time you are rushing around shopping or visiting the bank. Take a moment to absorb and enjoy the miniature world that Ben has created for us all.

Thanks to John Rogers of Muswell Hill & Friends for this picture of the first new windows to be fitted in the Victorian Theatre. So lovely to see the beginnings of positive changes to the exterior of the building.

Music at St Andrew's 2018

A one hour (approx.) programme,

previously performed at St Clement Danes Church

Further events in 2018 include

Sunday Afternoon Recitals 4.00-5.00pm

29 April - Recital by Yukiko Shinohara (piano)

3 June - Recital by Jennifer Lee (piano)

also

Saturday 17 March - Fortismere Community Symphony Orchestra

Saturday 12 May - Fortismere Community Choir

Saturday 30 June - Fortismere Community Symphony Orchestra

www.alexandrapark.org

@alexparkparish

Music at St Andrew's 2018

Further events in 2018 include

Sunday Afternoon Recitals 4.00-5.00pm

18 February - Recital by Jaivin Raj (baritone) & Sina Lari (piano)

29 April - Recital by Yukiko Shinohara (piano)

3 June - Recital by Jennifer Lee (piano)

also

Saturday 17 March - Fortismere Community Symphony Orchestra

Saturday 12 May - Fortismere Community Choir

Saturday 30 June - Fortismere Community Symphony Orchestra

www.alexandrapark.org

@alexparkparish