On June 25, a couple of commenters on this post said the grass destroyed by Lovebox in Victoria Park would be restored within a couple of weeks. The commenter ‘You couldn’t make it up!’ suggested a post new photos of the ruined area in a fortnight’s time.
I went to the park yesterday and two men were laying strips of new turf with a spade. Hallelujah.
Here are some new photos of the site where Live Nation will soon start rigging up for the Olympics festival:
I wonder if Live Nation are getting concerned. Tomorrow night is the full council meeting: I wonder whether any councillor will raise their own concerns.
Victoria Park isn’t the only Live Nation venue in trouble: today’s Standard reports that tomorrow night’s Hit Factory gig has been cancelled due to a mudbath following the Wireless festival there at the weekend.
What a surprise! It’s still wrecked – as I thought it would be.
Not only that but that lone individual is doing something which is a complete and utter waste of money. If you lay new turf you have to:
* prepare the ground first – I can’t see much evidence of that
* fence it off after it has been laid and leave it alone for a period of time ie do NOT walk on it
* treat it very nicely for the first few weeks after that – admire it growing but avoid people walking over it – or else it will curl up its toes in disgust and die.
Here’s a BBC gardening guide to laying turf for whoever the bozo is at the Council who simply hasn’t got a clue
http://www.bbc.co.uk/gardening/basics/techniques/lawns_layingturf1.shtml
I note from the Evening Standard article that the Mayfair Residents Group are not at all optimistic about Live Nation’s event management and are very concerned about whether this company and their events will end up destroying a significant part of Hyde Park. So what chance does Victoria Park have of avoiding the same fate over the next couple of months? When do Live Nation arrive on site in Victoria Park?
Having just read the previous post about the Mayor visiting Bow maybe we should look at this issue from an electoral angle? I guess local VOTERS may well start speculating pretty soon about the chances of the Council and Live Nation doing very serious and long term damage to Victoria Park. Not a great way to win votes is it?
One final thought – who pays for all this damage?
It better not be the council tax payers of Tower Hamlets or the Council’s insurance (which taxpayers also pay for) – or else a certain Mayor’s name is going to be MUD!
No, it’s not on the ratepayer.
If a festival organizer messes it up, he has to pay for it to be cleared up to original standard.
Parks are meant to be used. So long as its all cleared up afterwards.