Management Plan for Firth Park - MP4-Interreg

Fig 23 Boiler Technology First Start
Fig 24 Park maintenance Vehicle
We have introduced clean Petrol for all small machinery items using Aspen Alkylate Petrol
which is free from Aromatic hydrocarbons such as benzene and toluene as well as Sulphur
and olefins which minimises the health risk associated with exposure to petrol exhaust
fumes for Gardeners who may be using the machinery over long period
A5.7 TO MAXIMISE COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT IN THE MANAGEMENT OF THE
SITE
AIM 5.7.1:
To involve the community in the management of the park and to
facilitate community use of the park and its facilities
Community involvement and public participation is essential to the long term success of
Firth Heritage Park the staff who work in the park actively encourage the involvement of
users and visitors in recreational and conservation issues and in the management and
development of the park.
The Friends group have been very successful since its formation in the late 1990s and
have driven forward a number of improvements in the park, which has resulted in greater
community participation and a sense of local pride within the area.
The management plan has acknowledged the level of public consultation which has taken
place in the park over the years in order to ensure that we have an understanding of local
need. A survey of users has taken place in the First Start building and café during 2006 to
ensure that we can amend the service delivery to meet the local community expectations.
5.7.2 Evidence of Community Involvement
The Friends of Firth Park meet each month with the First Start Facility manager and Parks
Supervisor and the meeting is attended by many of the user groups who use facilities
within the park. The Friends group also organise a range of events and activities within the
park and since they have been given access to use part of the bowling pavilion an number
of small scale events and activities have taken place over the school holiday periods
Regular meetings are held with the bowling club and the park caretakers attend daily to
collect fees. It is the long-term aim to further develop the bowling facilities including the
installation of automatic irrigation scheme.
The first start nursery also uses the park as part of the early year’s national curriculum
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