Our first two months of managing the park have been busy, and we’ve made some great starts in addressing many of the issues we know matter most to our park users. Read on to find out more about what we've been doing.
Our long-term regeneration plans for the Park
As well as the ongoing maintenance of the Park and the basic improvements listed here, Crystal Palace Park Trust has a major role in the Park's regeneration. Find out more about our community led vision for the Park on this page.
Penge public toilet block:
The refurbishment of the Penge toilet block began in September, and work is on track to be complete around early December. The new block will provide a much-improved experience for users, including ambulant accessible cubicles, baby changing units in both male and female sides, and high and low level positions for sinks. The red cedar shingle cladding will reflect the look of the café opposite, creating a visible link between the visitor facilities in this part of the park.
Enhanced litter collection:
Litter clearance was one of the most frequently mentioned issues we picked up from our ‘Have Your Say’ survey conducted in 2022. From this valued feedback we were able to focus on this issue in putting together our new maintenance contract, and as a result our Grounds Maintenance team are now working to an improved schedule for litter picking and bin clearance. Thanks to everyone who has let us know about the positive difference this has made so far.
Security Patrols:
Our new security team are onsite on weekends and at intervals during the week. They are responsible for keeping park users and the park safe, making people aware of park byelaws and policies, and providing a visible presence to dissuade antisocial behaviour. If you see them around, please do say hello and let them know of any immediate concerns.
Pest control:
We are working with a new pest management provider to address long-standing pest control issues – work began on this in October and will be ongoing. Pest control is closely linked to waste-management, and so this issue should also improve with the enhanced litter collection now in place.
Tree surveys and tree works:
Our tree surveyors have completed condition surveys on a third of the trees in the park, giving us information on what needs to be done to keep these trees healthy, and protect them for the future. We’ll be aiming to carry out tree surveys on a third of the park trees every six months, meaning that after a few years we’ll have a report on each tree in each season!
Improving sightlines at Vicar’s Oak:
As winter draws in, we’re aware that the corner of the park by Vicar’s Oak becomes particularly dark and shaded, and has low visibility due to tall trees and border plants. We’ve worked with our gardeners to find ways to alleviate this, and they’ve already begun reducing the height of some hedges and pruning back some trees to improve light and sightlines in this area.
Electrical works in the Concert Platform:
We’ve installed electrical sockets into the stage of the Concert Platform, so that performers can enjoy an easier setup and put on the best show possible for our visitors – as seen over the last five weekends at our autumn Sunday Sounds events.
We’re also reacting quickly to park maintenance issues that come up day-to-day, including clearing storm-damaged trees, dealing with blocked surface water drains, and repairing frayed safety ropes on the Concert Platform. We’ll be busy through winter working to protect and improve the park – watch this space!
