http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-bristol-36014525 Not sure if @Beaver has mentioned this before, but the council in question here really need to think very carefully if they think charging park runners is either feasible, or in any way fair. Most park runners use their local run, so they are from the area, and therefore, already pay for the up keep of the park through their council tax. Hopefully the council will see sense, don't want to set an extremely unnecessary precedent.
Our two local park runs both charge for parking, The one in Peterborough charges £1.50 for the first hour and the one In Huntingdon is £1.00 for two hours http://www.neneparktrust.org.uk/ferry-meadows/parking-charges http://www.huntingdon-town.info/locations/detail.asp?GetLocID=1310
So the bottom line is There is a large private organised event (300 people) happening regularly on a public park and the council would like to charge £1 each to help with the extra upkeep the event courses I don't have a problem with this as long as they charge for outher organised events
I can only speak for Bradford Park Run, but I would have no idea what extra upkeep the event causes. It's run by volunteers and there's no charge to enter. It's on a Saturday morning in Lister Park Bradford, which is a beautiful landscaped Victorian park. At the time in the morning it starts there are very few other park users there. It's well organised and leaves zero mess. The park runners cause no damage to the park that I can see. Even the grass area where people congregate post run has never been churned up.
This is the thing, whatever the event and wherever, it doesn't take long before someone see it a an opportunity, rightly or wrongly, to get us to part with a little but more of our cash. Parking is free at the Bradford one. Wonder how long for though.....
I read the BBC article with dismay before I realised that this thread had been created. Ī've done the local Park run a handful of times now and it has got me back into wanting to get fit again. Out of the 200+ participants each Saturday morning there are about 2 'tourists' therefore over 99% are local council taxpayers. Some very over weight people take part and walk it in company with the volunteers. It is an excellent community spirit. The cafe on the park which employs young adults with special needs opens up and sells teas and bacon cobs so helps with the local economy. I can't imagine the council spending every pound it takes on the upkeep of the paths. It'll be like the road tax where it was supposed to be used for pot holes but never is. Next the council will say that since no one uses the parks because of the charge, they'll sell them for housing developments. If anyone is thinking of taking part in a Park run, do it.
Im not going to dis anyones position on this but public parks are exactly that. Parking is one issue. Charging to use the park is a different matter. Once the ball starts rolling on this then it will get out of hand. Solicitors will get involved, it will cost a lot of money. The quid quoted to use the park will need to be administered, monitored someone will need to collect it, invoices will be produced etc etc. It will cost money to administrate and that also will need to be paid for. For whos benefit do the parks exist.... Those who use them, thats who! This is mean and im amazed someone had the gall to even consider it. These events happen worldwide and noone charges.
It's a run Just run away from the person trying to collect the money Or run around the park in the opposite direction to everybody else and say your not part of the event Or organise it like a rave and secretly turn up at a different park leaving the money collectors perplexed Tell the council there will be a run every morning and every night for a month so they had better send the collectors to the park. They might try and charge every dog walker and jogger to use the park Go and run around the council office corridors. It's a public building. Bet they let peopl use the parks for free after a week of that Damn council fools
It's just a way of diverting funds into Mayor *****nugget's pockets via a series of devious and convoluted ltd companies. Possibly, so a bloke down the pub said.
The film man was there again on Saturday. Keep an eye out if you're in our region, it'll be on the local news shortly Sent from my XT1072 using Tapatalk
On the radio, a council spokesman defending the charge said "it's not fair that local residents who don't use the park should pay for it". Does that mean that all local residents who never use the park are due a council tax rebate?
I didn't spot myself this time, I had a blue T-shirt and black shorts on Sent from my XT1072 using Tapatalk