Next Sunday, the 21st of September, this stage of the process will be coming to a close. We are currently compiling a report of our findings over the past months to submit to Tower Hamlets.

Before we send it however, come and tell us what you think. Have we missed anything? Do you agree with our findings?

From 12 until 6, at the Club Row building in Rochelle School, we will be holding an exhibition of sorts of our findings. There will be food*, entertainment and activities for young and old.

Hope to see you there!

* Food will be served, but consideration will also be made for those of Muslim faith.

01:

Access to the circus was the main impediment to local elderly people with the steps proving too steep for many of them to climb.

Given the physical limitations of many of the group, and the issues with providing access, there was a desire that the base level of the circus should be made as much a part of the circus as possible, and make it a space that they can benefit from the sense of having an outdoor space to go, especially when there are events on. Provision for this might include: seating, shelter etc

02:

Opinions on seating were very clear. There needed to be more benches all around the circus, including at the bottom.

Armrests and backs were the most important features, to provide support both while sitting down and getting up and down. Wood was seen as vulnerable to vandalism, and concrete too cold, so metal was the preferred material.

03:

If it becomes possible for the group to gain access to the circus, or if the bottom level is made in some way available to them, there was a desire to use the circus as a summer/outdoor setting for many of their group sessions & classes and also that there would be music in the circus to sit and enjoy.

Suggested sessions included bingo, keep fit classes, arts & crafts and first aid courses, as well as a place to hold group discussions with tea & coffee.

Seated table-top games such as chess, dominoes and cards were also suggested, as was that the circus should be a place for reading

04:     

Crime prevention and security were important to many amongst the group. There were a number of calls for a stronger police presence around the circus, including a suggestion that patrolling mounted police be best, both for security, and also as a way to appeal to young people. It was felt that efforts should be made to speak to the youth about crime etc.

05:

Although the group felt that while the wild flowers were lovely, and loved their continuity and variety over the seasons, most felt that they lacked impact, and perhaps a scheme of planting that was neater, denser and lower to the ground would be better.

Comments were also made that local kids regularly damage the flowers.

06:

The history of the area was very important to the group, with WWII, immigration and the changing face of the area all being important as well as talking about the life of the area now. There was a sense that looking forward and looking back are equally important.

The two most popular suggestions about methods to tell this history were either through murals/billboards around the circus or through events where films are shown or stories told

01:      Of those questioned who work within 5 minutes walk of Arnold Circus, only 15% use it in any way regularly for their lunch break, despite the fact that 53% regularly spend their lunchbreak in public parks/spaces.

This was mainly put down to the fact that Arnold Circus is seen as dirty, smelly and unsafe. There are regularly people drinking and taking drugs in the circus, and their presence intimidates people. Even in their absence, the mess and smell left behind does not make it somewhere that people feel they can relax. It was also mentioned that due to the darkness and heavy planting somewhat concealing the exits, a sense that it can be difficult to “escape” from if needed added to the sense of intimidation.

Maintenance of the park was felt to be inadequate by many,

There were some requests for better security, including gates, cameras, & police patrols. A small number of people suggested the circus should be a locked at night, but this was not a view expressed by many.

02: The other main reasons for not using the circus were due to the lack of benches, access problems (stairs too steep, no way to get buggies up)

Seating was a high priority. Most people did not feel the need specify what type of seating, but those who did listed comfort, maintenance and materials as being of importance.

03:      Nearly everyone felt that a key way to improve the circus was for there to be more events and activities. These were important to people for both for pure entertainment reasons, but also to increase and encourage local community involvement and participation. One user said that that the presence of the same regular people having their lunch would be an attractor, for the same feeling of a sense of community.

The most popular suggestion was live music with people suggesting that a wide selection of music be played, including bands, open-mic nights, hip-hop, jazz, folk, soul, Bengali music etc. Dancing was also mentioned

Facilities for children’s play were also frequent suggestions, including a proposal that sculptural artwork could be introduced for children to climb on, as well as more standard suggestions of swings & slides.

Other ideas included theatre, markets, fun-fairs and a speakers corner.

Still more wanted the circus to be a quiet place to sit and relax or to read.

04:      A number of people suggested that a café/snack-shop would be useful. This need not necessarily be a permanent building either – suggestions were primarily for a mobile-van or a stall in the bandstand. Foodstuffs included coffee, ice-cream, sandwiches & toffee apples!

05:            Toilets and shelter from rain were requested by a number of people. Shelter was particularly important to parents of young children and those who wanted to be able to read quietly.

06:       Views on the planting were generally very positive, and these were consistently given as one of the nice things about the circus. However there was again a feeling thatmaintenance was inadequate and that the flowers needed more watering.

We’ve been out and about yesterday, canvassing opinion from local workers & residents on how they spend their lunchbreak and what Arnold Circus does and could offer them.

Again, lots of interesting comments and suggestions were made, and we’ll be posting details of what you told us here shortly. Until then, please do leave any comments you may have here with us.

01: The majority of people voiced a desire for there being lots of light in and around the Circus, although there were many who also wanted it to be subtle, romantic & atmospheric.

Issues of clearer sight and safety were the main reasons that people felt the need for lighting at the circus, with other reasons such as extending winter evenings and creating a pleasant/romantic atmosphere also cited.

02: There is a wide variety of different ideas about how the Circus should be lit, with some looking for lighting all around the circus, and others wanting it in specific areas. Again, these ideas seem mostly motivated by desires either for safety or atmosphere, which with careful design and planning, both requirements could be provided for.

03: Solar-powered, energy efficient lighting is a high-priority for a significant number of people

KEY IDEAS

01: Locals feel that at the moment, the circus is under-used, run-down and not very pleasant. In order to make it into a place where people want to go, they feel the most important thing is to clean and repair it, turning it into a much more inviting space.

People really enjoy coming to the events held by Friends of Arnold Circus, and feel that these bring to the circus the sense of life and activity that it is currently lacking. Everyone was very keen for more activities, facilities and events, to encourage people to use it more and more, and thus help return it to being the centre of the community that it used to be.

02: Live-music was the most popular suggestion. The desired time for these events was varied, although the most popular time seemed to be WEEKDAY EVENINGS.

In order not to disturb local residents, especially the elderly & young children, these would need to be timed so that they finish at a reasonable hour. Provision of electricity for microphones, amplifiers, dj-decks etc would be very desirable, and secure storage would also be very welcome.

A variety of different genres would be required to cater for the sometimes clashing tastes of the various groups around the community, but with adequate provision of services, these could perhaps be organised by the community groups themselves.

03: Also very popular were picnics & barbeques, with the WEEKEND being the most popular time for these.

The primary requirement to have picnics is seen as seating, as the hard tarmac is unwelcoming as a surface to sit on, and proper picnic benches with tables were also a popular suggestion.

While allowing individual barbeques could obviously create litter problems and fire risks, perhaps it would be possible to provide facilities so that community groups could hold organised barbeques (perhaps a mobile grill that could be stored off-site, or a fixed one that could be locked up?)

Water fountains were also requested, and other suggestions included ice-cream/ coffee/ sandwich kiosks

04: Games were suggested by both adults and children alike – swings and slides, carrom and chess – and not just for the children! Adults want to be able to play such games also.

05: Gardening was also equally popular between adults and children, with food & flowers both featuring as possible plants to be grown.

01:       It was clear that only a limited number of people knew much about the local history. Mainly those who did know were from the newer (younger artistic) members of the community. Most of the adults from the Bengali community were not aware of the history of the area.

Some of the children had done projects about the area in school and so had a basic understanding of it – although one child seemed to be under the impression that it was the remains of the people of the Old Nichol rather than the rubble that made up the circus!!

02:      Of those that did know the history, it became clear that what was required was not only the story of the local area and it’s historic and social importance, but also that it should document the lives of the people who lived and are living in the area, (some also felt this should include the famous people)

Attitudes to documenting life in the circus now focussed on a number of areas:

-         the circus as a calm, green and safe oasis in the city

-         the circus as the centre of a growing, changing community, and the diversity of that community.

-         this was also seen as an opportunity to indicate the aspirations for the place – saying how the area should be, not just how it is.

04:       There was great diversity in the ideas put forward as to how and where the history/story of the area should be told, from plaques & murals to oral history over tea & cake. Suggestions were also made that the history be told in the trees – this could allow for an imaginative and unique design for communicating the story (was this perhaps inspired by the paper birds & flowers being tied to the trees at the top of the circus?)

01:          Several people indicated that the type of seat was not so important as the just the need for more seats. It is clear that people’s ability to enjoy the park is severely restricted by the lack of seating.

02:          Swings were frequently suggested, by children and adults alike – some also suggesting tyre swings and/or swings in the trees, along with climbing frames or bars to swing on.

03:          Children/Young teens repeatedly suggested that seats and/or surfaces be colourful and interactive – where they can write their names, where there would be pictures. Younger children and parents wanted games on the ground. Suggestions were made by adults (parents and others alike) for patterned and colourful surfaces that would jog children’s imaginations into making games up.

04:     A number of people suggested that local artists/children/youth should be involved in the design of the seating, giving them a sense of ownership and pride. There is perhaps an opportunity here to cater to the wishes of the young people above (03), giving them the opportunity to design the ground surface and/or the seating, making it “cool” and “wonderful” for themselves. While their request to be able to write their names might lead to concerns about ‘tagging’ by including them in the design process, their names could be incorporated/featured in the design and on the seats/surfaces permanently.

05:     There seemed to be a preference for natural or recycled/reclaimed materials, particularly solid wood/trees. Reasons cited for this were:

-         attractiveness of carved wood,

-         robustness of the materials

-         price and ease of replacement if they are damaged or worn

-         environmental sustainability

06:     Water features, water provision and water drainage were all issues raised, both for practical and attractiveness reasons.

07:     A wish for the bottom tier to be more car-free was expressed frequently by parents of young children, most often with reference to children riding their bikes. While present traffic-calming efforts are seen as an improvement, there is still a strong wish that the circus would be closed to cars (perhaps this could be something that happens at regular intervals, rather than permanently)

08:     Anticipated users of seating in the circus was mainly parents and children, and lunchtime, picnics and barbeques were all talked about as times that people would want to sit down.

01:       The issue of the trees brought out diverse and contrasting opinions. The key issues however seemed to be the trees impact on the light and safety of the circus.

The majority of people said that they would like to see the trees kept much as they are now, due to the attractiveness, historical importance and environmental benefits of their size and maturity. A possiblity to improve them was to keep trimming them so the area is safer and lets more light into the circus.

Some did however want them to be removed, which was also primarily due to issues of light and safety. There was also a suggestion of removing just some of the large trees and replacing them with young ones. Others suggested that the tall, mature trees should remain, but that smaller trees and bushes should be removed.

02:      Nearly everyone certainly wanted bright and colourful flowers to brighten up the circus; some were specific about wanting native wild flowers, while others were content as long as there were attractive flowers to brighten up the atmosphere of the Circus. Generally people were fond of the wild flowers although there were others who wanted the areas more neat and tidy.

A number of suggestions were made that nice smelling plants should be introduced, as well as that their should be seasonal variety.

03:      Many suggestions were made to introduce edible plants, vegetables & fruit trees into planting around the circus.

04:      Dogs & dog faeces caused problems for many of those questioned. The dogs have also been known to damage the delicate wild flowers.

05:      Many people said they would like the circus to have birds & butterflies – choices of plants could encourage this. Some people suggesting bird boxes to encourage their presence. Beehives were also suggested

06:            Although there were some outlandish and humorous suggestions of animals that might use the circus, with many people suggesting bats, mice, rabbits, foxes, badgers etc, it seems clear that there is an overall feeling that the circus should be a little haven of nature sheltered from the hustle and bustle. Although the reality is that some of these animals are highly unlikely to live in the circus, it would seem appropriate that the planting and development of the circus should attempt to create a diverse ecosystem that will encourage/support as many small creatures as possible,

07:      There was also a desire for a community gardening scheme, which many people seemed keen to get involved in.

08:       Other suggestions that were made included:

-         grass to sit on

-         lighting – oriental lanterns, soft white light on the trees

-         fountains

-       coffee/fruit/ice-cream/cocktail kiosks – perhaps in a treehouse?!