Burn Valley

[Lord Elpus]

You could not make it up.

I saw this on Facebook today from Cllr. Dave Hunter (Lab);

'Had a visit to the Burn Valley today with my camera, very sad to see the degree of neglect, abuse, litter, broken swings etc genuinely looks like the Gardens that time forgot. Such A shame as it could be a stunning recreational area for Families and such.

......... a much bigger task than I ever envisaged, and more than ever we need the support of Volunteers from Hartlepool to help with a full litter pick and tidy in the near future.

Going from that point there is loads we can do and it only takes a little time, weeding planting etc.

Lets make the Gardens something to be proud of, come and support the Friends of Burn Valley group.

Am hoping to meet a few people form support groups and from the Council, but we urgently need passionate 'Poolies' to step up'.

I warned HBC this would happen, various grants were obtained to create a so called more natural environment.   The reality is HBC seems to think that you can just leave such environments to look after themselves.  A failure to invest in a basic management program has left the upper Burn Valley a total mess and now a Labour Councillor wants people to volunteer and sort HBC's mess for them.

What a waste of grant money and a desecration of a once glorious park.

[Land Phil]

Ditto what was the flower beds on Seaton front.

[fred c]

It's a case of, if it ain't broke why f**ing fix it...... pointless in both cases.

[Inspector Knacker]

Doubtless someone will tell me I' m wrong , but what is the point of the so called Burn Valley wood?
It's hardly accessible and while I love trees cannot see the point of this. I sometimes suspect the whole natural environment tosh is just an excuse to save money.

[steveL]

I quite like the Burn Valley Wood or 'Family Wood'. If memory serves me well, it's actually been there for a long time but existed as a largely overgrown and neglected bit of woodland that wasn't very accessible. Most of the trees on the West side are of the old, mature type but the wood was extended eastward with a variety of newly planted trees. Unfortunately, the grand plan has been spoilt a bit and for the usual reasons: litter from kids and the habit HBC normally has when the money for 'the scheme' is exhausted' - it walked away. So it's now showing the common signs of neglect.


The same could be said for the re-modelling of the upper part of Burn Valley were the burn was diverted and reshaped. You can see where the money has been spent but the neglect which followed 'the scheme' is there for all to see. To be honest, it was much better with its original Victorian layout when the Parks Department actually planted flowers. It was quite a showpiece not that many years ago - now you'd be lucky to spot an actual flower head even at the height of Spring.


The litter consists chiefly of crisp packets, alco-pops bottles and empty lager cans. I've picked quite a few empty cans up in my time but you have to walk a long, long way to find a litter bin.

[mk1]

None of it was there in 1995 and even a few years back  it was not as big

[steveL]

That's interesting. The top bit (in blue) is obviously not as old as I thought. Must have been part of some previous planting effort. Interesting too that the paths in the lower bit (in red) seem to have remained intact. The two together still make for a pleasant enough walk. I just wish the litter louts and fly-tippers would grow up.

[steveL]

Just reading the Bishop Auckland Councillor's views on Burn Valley made me wonder if he gets out around Hartlepool much given that he makes a visit to Burn Valley sound like a day-trip. Perhaps as part of his 'familiarisation with Hartlepool' efforts he should pay a visit to Stranton Green, Marine Drive or the famous Linear Park in Thornton Street where he will find similar examples of HBC spending Government and Lottery grants on various schemes only to then promptly walk away from them when the money runs out leaving no planned maintenance in place.

The town is littered with examples of similar past schemes. Labour have always liked spending money; it's the maintenance of what we already have that they find such a chore - after all, where's the photo-opportunity in that?. 

[Lord Elpus]

The part that 'boils my pish' is down from the 'snaky path' as far as the path that cuts through from Eldon Grove to BV allotments.  Corporate neglect, plain and simple, it would have been better if they had just left it and spent that money elsewhere.  Ironically it could have worked if only HBC had spent a few years managing the area instead of walking away.

The land outside of the BV boundary walls, (the family wood) has managed to mature and be self sustaining.

I also have a few grips about Summerhill wood, the economic possiblities have been totally ignored.  Small scale seasonal economic use of woodland increases biodiversity and public enjoyment, plus creates employment.

This needs people who understand woodland management and know what they are doing, not some crazy idea from the Cranney school of 'we could get some funny money for this'.

Ofca so called farm is yet another example of a failed project that had so much potential if it had been managed by someone with the right skill set and motivation.  As a well managed City Farm it could have been a flag ship scheme that could have changed so many peoples lives.  All it needed was a person in charge with vision and basic agricultural skill.  Another missed opportunity.

Hartlepool so deserves better.

[steveL]

I've no idea what the OFCA farm is supposed to be. If the cast of Shameless  had 'a place in the country', it would look like the OFCA farm.

[Lord Elpus]

OFCA farm I think is still a member of the Federation Of City Farms & Community Gardens.  There's no shortage of advice and help available to improve the situation just a lack of willingness.

[fred c]

It's a collection of 4 or 5 delapilated shipping containers, old horse boxes & not much else, how on earth the councils HSE department having taken a closer interest in the place is a mystery.
The OFCA Community Farm website is in the main years out of date, photographs from 2013 are I think the most recent, I went up there to take some photographs of the state of the place, it looks like a tantobe camp site.

[Land Phil]

I went to a family day at the farm, they had painted a horse to look like a zebra, the poor thing.

No, I haven't made that up.

[steveL]

    . . plz tell me you're lying 

[Land Phil]

I swear, it was the only time I have been to the place and I was shocked at the state of the place.
It could do with an official inspection.

A young lad had painted a black/dark horse with white paint.
It really was like something out of Phoenix Nights.