News

The Watford (Cassiobury) Croquet Club are running a four week introductory course on Saturdays from 12.45pm to about 2.30pm, starting on Saturday 6th April. Everyone is welcome.

Why not find out more about this fascinating game?

Croquet is playable by all ages, and from absolute beginner to World Championship level.

All equipment will be provided. Participants are requested to wear flat soled shoes or trainers to avoid damage to the lawns.

The fee for the course is £15 payable in advance. For anyone who decides to join the club the course fee is deductible against the annual membership subscription of £53 (£30 for those in full time education).

See the club’s website for details

Last Tues night (25 July) thieves tried to break into the snack kiosk near the paddling pools. For at least the second time in as many years they tried to get in via the roof. There is no money kept on-site and apparently nothing was stolen. However, the attempted burglary caused a lot of disruption on a very hot Wed morning, with crowds of families waiting to use the pools at 9am but police investigations sealing off the area meant the pools and toilets were also out of use. After temporary repairs the pools opened again at 1pm after some families had waited four hours and had to use the old toilets in the little black hut! A lot of frustration and disppointment for many caused by the selfish actions of some petty criminals. Roll on the new facilities……

Plans for a £6m plus rejuvenation of Cassiobury Park have moved a step closer to securing lottery funding. The Heritage Lottery Fund and the Lottery Fund have given initial support to proposals drawn up by Watford Borough Council for the park. The move means the council can take its bid to secure a windfall for the park onto the next stage of the application process. Development funding of £418,600 has also been awarded to help the council apply for the full lottery grant.

If successful, the lottery money will fund a £6.6m project, which aims to rejuvenate this historic park with a raft of improvements and upgrades. Among the enhancements proposed are a new park centre with café, community room, education facilities, new toilets and changing rooms. There are also plans to revamp the pools and return the bandstand to the park.

Chair of Friends of Cassiobury Park, John Cox adds:

”The Friends of Cassiobury Park are delighted that the council has been successful in this initial quest for lottery funding as this is a wonderful opportunity to restore and preserve aspects of the park. We look forward to being part of future consultations regarding the specific plans and will work to ensure that the nature and environment of the park will remain protected.”

A large blue tent was recently occupied in the wood near Crowfoot Bridge and quite close to the river. It was quite well hidden but was nevertheless seen by a number of people, some of whom contacted Watford Council. The Park Rangers were alerted and investigated. They then called in the police who gave the occupants 24 hours to leave the site, which they then did. However, they left behind a lot of litter, which council staff had to clear up. Under the byelaws, camping in Cassiobury Park is not permitted.

AGM AGENDA 2012

Water running down the edge of the northern section of the Local Nature Reserve from the Coningesby Drive area looks and smells polluted with ‘non-rain water’. This is then running into the Gade river just upstream of the rustic bridge and is flowing back into the ‘dry’ stream area of the reserve. The Environment Agency have been informed and are investigating.

Lesser Spotted Woodpecker (once called the Barred Woodpecker) have not been reported in the park this year . Until quite recently this was a notable species for the area and although never an easy bird to record, we seem to have joined the general national decline of this species, which is becoming increasingly scarce in the UK.

According to today’s BBC R4 Nature progamme the decline has been 90% since a peak in 1980 based on Dutch Elm disease. The species is now on the UK rare birds list. The reason for this decline is not fully understood but climate change, their (relatively) late breeding season and single bird (male) feeding strategy are clearly factors. By comparison, Greater Spotted have increased by 250% in a similar period. That’s nature for you!