Our Founding Chairman Rob Rosenthal writes: On West Green is a novel of urban fiction based in the West Green neighbourhood of Tottenham where we lived for many years and while I hope its story lines will engage readers it also has things to say about some contemporary geographical issues.
If you enjoy it, please leave a review with Amazon as this is the best way to encourage others to read it.
(The blurb describes Downhills Park as "an urban village green, an island of calm and nature amid the concrete and frenzy of city life, a place of constancy which will out-survive all their human dramas.")
The CAFE's Facebook page with occasional updates is here.
We held Art in the Park on 28 July 2024 This year it will be on 27 July.
Minutes
of May 2023 Friends'Annual General Meeting.
AGM was held on 26 April 2025. Next
meeting: June (to be arranged), 13 September, 22 November 2025. .. We now meet on Saturday mornings, normally at 10.30 at the Cafe. Following pressure from the Friends, Haringey Council, with
the aid of the Government's Single Regeneration Budget for West
Green Learning Neighbourhood, hired consultants to draw up a
development plan for the area including the park, and a public
consultation was held. The public voted for improvements such as
better security and access, a cafe, a pedestrian link to West Green,
the restoration of the historic Conservatory, and more. the tennis courts were repaired
and upgraded and summer tennis coaching was introduced,
new notice boards and
information boards were put up,
a new footpath was built
through the recreation ground,
a wildflower zone was
introduced, and bird boxes have been built for it and
additional trees planted there pedestrian traffic lights were
installed on Downhills Park Road to provide a safe route between
the Park and Rec Ground to the south and Lordship Rec to the north,
dog bins have been
provided,
and a new rockery was
built at the West Green Road entrance.
A Park Forum was established
to involve all interested bodies in joined-up information exchange
and decision making.
a management plan for the park
was prepared, which will help to develop it the way users want, and
should be brought up to date each year by the Council in
consultation with the Friends.
Haringey
Council has obtained in 2006 and each following year the
coveted Green Flag Award for the Park.
Steps
were built down to Midnight Alley at the north side of the park. A Wildlife Pond was constructed
near the steps. A Café was
opened in 2011
New Playground: the Friends support the plan to refurbish the Playground in 2025. Check
this page of photos for 2009 improvements in the park. (before the
cuts!) The Friends have encouraged community events
in the park such as the annual Art
in the Park (23 July in 2023), and in 2003 we organized a
Centenary Celebration, attended by thousands, and contacted
present and former residents to share their reminiscences in a
commemoration video illustrating the park's history and people's
memories. CROSSRAIL 2 THREAT TO THE PARK: There is
a specimen
letter here After many years of FODP activity on a Café
project the Café
opened on 27 March 2011.
This PDF shows the installation process (thanks to Malcolm
Hawley for preparing it).If more funding becomes available, extra
modules could be added at a later date to enlarge the building.
Haringey Council have obtained a grant from an outside body to
enhance the Natural Play Area west of the Café,
as well as to improve equipment in the existing Children's Play Area
further south.
We
have been continuing the campaign to plant new bulbs and trees in
the Park. See pictures
NEW BOOK by our founder:
THE FRIENDS OF
DOWNHILLS PARK were established in 1999, developing out of
the Parks Sub-Group of the West Green Residents' Association.
Recognizing the importance of Downhills Park, Lordship
and Belmont recreation grounds to the quality of life in West Green
ward, the Friends aimed to promote the public benefit and enjoyment
of these open spaces by involving local people in planning and
decision-making affecting these areas and encouraging more local
people to use the parks and take an active interest in their future.
FODP has since spawned two very active daughter Friends
groups for Lordship and Belmont Rec, and now concentrates on
Downhills Park.
The Friends work to benefit the
inhabitants of the London Borough of Haringey in particular, but not
exclusively, in West Green. They have campaigned to reverse the
decline in the park in the 1990s, to press for improvements in its
facilities while protecting its historic character, and to enhance
public interest and awareness of the park.
MEMBERSHIP
is open to any interested member of the public over 18. To join,
contact the Secretary, or come along to our Annual General
Meeting (next on 11 May 2024).
OFFICERS
and COMMITTEE: Chairman: Jehan Shah Secretary: Clare Parry,
email: ec.parry@gmail.com.
Treasurer: Sylvia Oland email: sylviaoland@talktalk.net.
Others Christopher Currie (website).
Come and have your
say!!!
The most recent Newsletter is available here.
We
have lobbied to hold the Council to carry out these improvements.
Largely as a result of Friends' pressure:
THE VIDEO IS STILL FOR SALE!
Contact the Treasurer.
We liaise on local issues with TCV
and West Green Residents' Association, who have provided sterling
help on park issues, and we have representation on West Green
Environmental Theme Group.
We have collaborated with TCV
(formerly BTCV) in planting
new trees in the park, and in 2004 were honoured to receive an
award
under the BTCV People's Places Scheme to help restore the historic
Hornbeam
Avenue, and other areas which had suffered losses of trees.
The
Café
: thanks to
negotiations between the Friends, the Cafe Action Group and Haringey
Council the Café
has
re-opened under Neri's energetic management.
We
have campaigned against massive Council cuts See the Green
Flag ceremony
here
Art
in the Park was on 12 July in 2009- and
on 18 July in 2010 - and on
10 July in 2011, and on 15 July 2012, 2013 21 July, 2014 20
July, 2015 19 July, 2017 16 July, 2018 22 July, 2022 24 July, 2023 23 July.
We have also lobbied to raise
funds to restore the historic railings round the park.
This
site is maintained by Christopher
Currie