Sprung

A recent return to normal temperatures cannot disguise signs of the onset of Spring around Battlefield.

Slideshow here.

Work on the footpath through the wood continues. A sign that this piece of open space – so uncharacteristic in its haphazardness –  is valued? I hope so.

Winter Sun

Winter sun without discontent ... or something. A stroll around to see how the recent snow might have held back Spring, a season that follows on from Christmas without a break these days.

The imminent disappearance of this open space under tarmac or privatised playing fields is lessened. It might not last. I still have a feeling that someone in the Civic Centre might even now be drawing up a plan ...

The usual sights have been joined by welcome developments. The Star & Shadow is still something of a work in progress but the intriguing sign is illuminated and the doors are open. The great lost opportunity of the Portland Green Student Village may in time become less of one; without jeopardising security, some interaction between the spaces of the new accommodation blocks (Halls of Residence just won't do these days) and the Lower Ouseburn could be achieved here and there. One pointer are the informal paths that are being made by people's feet rather than someone with a slide ruler. Compared with where we were even a few years ago, the prospects for this fine slice of green space are a mite better.

A refurbished path leading from Stepney Bank to the railway road bridge into Byker is a sign I should like to see more of in the future.

Slideshow (off site link) here.

Wide awake?

John Urquhart (cities4people) writes:

'Dear all I enclose an email to The Journal, see below. Best wishes for 2019 John Urquhart email cities4people@environment.org.uk     ​From:  John Urquhart  <jurquhart.ou@googlemail.com> Date: Sat, 29 Dec 2018 at 14:24 Subject: 2019: Eat Sheep Wear Wool To: <jnl.letters@ncjmedia.co.uk> Dear Sir   “Extinction Rebellion” is coming to Newcastle this coming Thursday 3rd January at 6.15 pm at Brunswick Methodist Church Hall off Northumberland Street.  No doubt they will urge us to stop eating meat to reduce global warming.  But what about the millions of sheep on northern hills?  Their pastures absorb carbon dioxide from the atmosphere and when they have eaten the grass they revitalise it with fresh dung.  Eventually the sheep are eaten by humans, whose waste products then end up sequestered in the sea or encourage more marine bioactivity.  In other words, this meat cycle promotes net carbon capture from the atmosphere.   Sheep’s wool is another way of storing carbon.  It challenges the present regime of artificial fibres which slosh around in our washing machines and fragments from them sluice out into the oceans to the distress of much sea life.  Why not check out your wardrobe and chuck out all garments that are spun from oil-based products, replacing them with natural fibre clothing?  When such garments are finally worn out they can be used as external insulation on buildings under rendering, producing breathable walls.  The resilience of wool is impressive.  Some years ago, I witnessed a sheep falling off a 60-foot cliff, land on its back, get up and walk away.  And how about the Durham viaduct of the East Coast mainline?  It has stood for 150 years thanks to North East pioneers who thought outside the box and built it on bales of wool!   Have a great new year – eat sheep, wear wool.   Yours faithfully John Urquhart

Copyright © 2018 Cities 4 People, All rights reserved. You are receiving this email as you have previously shown interest in local environmental matters. Our mailing address is: Cities 4 People Bridle Path Newcastle Upon Tyne, NE3 United Kingdom

 (Re-published by kind permission)

Another year and still here

It has been a sort of mixed pleasure to see the open space I call 'Battlefield' these past years. It is still there. So am I. So I go on watching the trees develop (and blow down) hopeful, more hopeful in fact, that one day this piece of once unregarded space will be seen as more than a crossing point for pedestrians and cyclists and mere vacant possession, more of a green lung and, increasingly, wildlife haven and free space. A designation that protected it would be nice ...

Best Wishes to my lone reader for 2019

Free Parking

The tireless and extremely patient John Urquhart, founder member of Save Newcastle Wildlife and now posting as Cities 4 People sent this a few days ago:

"The following Focus newsletter item was picked up in an anti-litter drive on Armistice Day:

Row Over Park's Trust Appointments

Newcastle Lib Dems have raised serious concerns after several people with direct business interests in parks were appointed to the new Trust which will run the City's Parks - including a senior executive from an organisation which not only runs projects in our parks already but which also employs the Labour Councillor in charge of parks.  The Trust's rules will allow organisations in which Trustees have a personal interest to enter into contracts with the Trust, provided these interests are duly declared.

Local Lib Dem campaigner Ciaran Morrissey said "Many people will be concerned by this news.  While we understand that the Cabinet member recused herself from the panel which appointed her employer, several of the new Trustees have close connections with the Council.  The lack of park users, volunteers or community representatives on the board is really disappointing."

Following the board appointments, the Council is now struggling to recruit a Chief Executive.  Initial applicants were deemed to be unsuitable for the role.  "The Trust is lurching from crisis to crisis before it has even got started," added Ciaran.  "We truly fear for the future of our Parks under this pointless vanity project."


You read that correctly: Our 'Labour' local council is going to give public parks to business people to have and to hold on long leases. What could possibly go wrong? Well, I suppose compared to losing a Grade II Listed building to arson, it is no big thing ...

Meanwhile, Battlefield embraces autumn, finally. Recently I came upon a reference to the name Shieldfield Green attached to this piece of non-public space. That would make an excellent name for park, don't you think?

Link to photographic album here (off site link).