Stoke Gifford Park Run decision

[srw]

I got a good idea, most of us cycle on the road and I think we should all start paying for it.

We do.

 

[screenman]

We do.

10p per mile

 

[deptfordmarmoset]

The BBC just covered the story that over 500 people went out and ran through the park today. As parkrun had cancelled the run, it's nothing directly to do with them. They'd normally expect around 300. Meanwhile the petition has reached over 50,000.

 

[summerdays]

The BBC just covered the story that over 500 people went out and ran through the park today. As parkrun had cancelled the run, it's nothing directly to do with them. They'd normally expect around 300. Meanwhile the petition has reached over 50,000.

The 500 ran at Ashton a Court which normally holds a Park Run too but there were more than normal there!

 

[deptfordmarmoset]

The 500 ran at Ashton a Court which normally holds a Park Run too but there were more than normal there!

Ok, thanks, my error.

 

[Stephenite]

While this thread is back up, I took a look at their statement the other day:

The Parish Council has only recently paid out £55,000 from public funds for resurfacing the car park and with the additional 300+ runners per week, will shortly need to replace / repair the path at an estimated cost of £60,000, so as Parkrun are significant users of the path on a regular basis they should contribute towards the upkeep.
​

So, there we have it - they've spent their money on the car park. Priorities, eh?

£60,000 is a sheet load of money to pay to replace/repair that footpath. I should know I used to contract for local councils for this very kind of work. Either someone is raking it in, or someone's telling porkies.

 

[Fab Foodie]

While this thread is back up, I took a look at their statement the other day:

The Parish Council has only recently paid out £55,000 from public funds for resurfacing the car park and with the additional 300+ runners per week, will shortly need to replace / repair the path at an estimated cost of £60,000, so as Parkrun are significant users of the path on a regular basis they should contribute towards the upkeep.
​

So, there we have it - they've spent their money on the car park. Priorities, eh?

Are there parking spaces for 300?
What's the point of parking spaces if nobody uses them?

 

[Stephenite]

This three hundred?!!!

Coming to a Parkrun near you...

 

[growingvegetables]

Since the vote, on the 12th of April, by Stoke Gifford Parish Council to introduce a charge for Little Stoke parkrun, we have made attempts to engage with the council to offer alternative ways of contributing to the sustainability of the park. Every parkrun is a partnership between the landowner, the volunteer team and the local community, and unfortunately we were unable to convince Stoke Gifford Parish Council of the true value of the event. Our intention has never been to force parkrun onto the Council, but instead to demonstrate the benefits that weekly, free, fun, physical activity provides to their community.

Therefore, as the Council has now revoked our permission to run in Little Stoke Park for free, we have taken the difficult decision to bring things to a conclusion and, for the first time, permanently close one of our free, weekly, timed runs.

Tom Williams, Chief Operating Officer for parkrun, said:
"Over the past 12 years parkrun has grown from 13 runners in one park to 150,000 runners at 900 locations around the world, every week. Key to this success has been our determination to remove as many barriers to participation as possible, with cost being one of the most critical. Stoke Gifford Parish Council's initial request for us to charge our runners £1 per week went completely against our most fundamental principles and, as a free event, their subsequently revised requirement for parkrun to contribute financially to the maintenance of the park is also something we are unable to do. From the outset, and despite significant efforts from many people inside and outside of parkrun, we were unable to convince them of the true value that a parkrun event provides to its local community.

Petition update - 2/6/16

 

[AndyRM]

Proper dick move by the council IMO. A friend of ours has been heavily involved in setting one up in The Rising Sun Park near us. It's mostly hard pack trails so sadly I can see complaints being made in the future.

 

[User33236]

Forgot about this thread....

I received the following from them a few weeks ago:-

"I can confirm that maintenance costs associated with foot/cycle path within Little Stoke Park over the last 3 years amounted to £140,000.00.
A large section of the path was reconstructed during 2013 and only covered one third of the park perimeter."

Assuming the number that run would drop from the typical 300 to, say, 200* with the remainder thinking 'sod that I am not paying £1' the council would collect £10,800 from the 54 park runs per annum.

On that basis Park Run would be contributing alomost a quarter of the funds to cover maintenance costs of the footpath. Not a wholly unreasonable request on the face of it but, considering the backlash on their decision I am surprised they have not backed down. As the organisers had said it would set a dangerous precedent if Park Run had cowed down and agree to the charge.

*although in real terms I think most would talk with their feet and attned another, free, park run in their locality.

 

[deptfordmarmoset]

Proper dick move by the council IMO. A friend of ours has been heavily involved in setting one up in The Rising Sun Park near us. It's mostly hard pack trails so sadly I can see complaints being made in the future.

I'd guess your local council won't want to get sent to the park of shame along with Stoke Gifford.

 

[AndyRM]

I'd guess your local council won't want to get sent to the park of shame along with Stoke Gifford.

Thinking about it, they allowed a bloody great ASDA to be built on a corner of the park a few years ago. I'd imagine that any opposition to a few hundred runners would be countered with that.