Between 2007 and 2011, much of CPUG’s work focused on the plans for the major restoration of Clissold Park and House.

We brought park users together to discuss the proposals, contributed to consultation, scrutinised plans and represented concerns about how the park would work during and after the project. Alongside the restoration, we continued to raise issues about playgrounds, the paddling pool, cycling, dogs, trees, events, access and the everyday management of the park.

By the end of this period, the restoration works were under way and CPUG was continuing to represent park users as the project moved towards completion.

Developing the restoration plans

Plans for a major restoration of Clissold Park and House had been developing for several years, with CPUG already involved through the Project Reference Group.

Following the successful first stage of the funding process, the restoration became an increasingly important focus of our work in 2007.

We argued for consultation that involved the different communities and groups using the park and for decisions to be informed by evidence about how people actually used it. We also raised questions about the long-term sustainability of the park, including its trees and water features.

For CPUG, the restoration was not simply about repairing buildings and landscapes. We were concerned with how the proposals would affect the experience of people using the park and how the restored park would operate in the future.

Bringing park users into the discussion

On 18 April 2007, we held a special evening meeting about the restoration attended by more than 60 park users.

The meeting provided an opportunity to discuss the developing proposals and raise priorities for the park.

Public discussion continued as the plans developed. In May 2008, another special CPUG meeting brought more than 50 people together with members of the restoration team to discuss proposals for Clissold House and the park.

We continued to question aspects of the consultation process and the emerging designs rather than giving the project unconditional support.

Playground improvements

In 2008, CPUG challenged the suitability of replacement equipment installed in the playground and pressed for the problems to be addressed.

Consultation about the equipment followed. By November, new replacement equipment had been installed.

Play facilities were also part of our scrutiny of the wider restoration proposals, including questions about the layout of the playground and how the different areas would work together.

Scrutinising the restoration proposals

As the restoration plans developed during 2008, our discussions covered subjects including the New River, play areas, buildings, landscape design and the way the restored park would be managed.

CPUG did not simply endorse the emerging scheme. We withheld formal support while waiting to review the proposals being submitted and continued to raise concerns about aspects of the design and consultation.

This reflected our role as an independent user group. We supported the principle of restoring Clissold Park and House while retaining the ability to question individual proposals and represent concerns raised by park users.

Supporting the restoration bid

In 2009, CPUG sent a letter giving conditional support to the restoration bid.

Later that year, the successful funding bid for the restoration of Clissold Park and House was announced.

The project was led by Hackney Council and funded through the Heritage Lottery Fund, Big Lottery Fund and Hackney Council. CPUG’s role was not to deliver the construction project, but to represent park users and contribute to its development and scrutiny.

As the project moved from planning towards delivery, the arrangements for community involvement also changed.

Representing park users during delivery

A Stakeholder Forum was established in autumn 2009 as the restoration project moved into its delivery stage.

CPUG participated alongside other local organisations and continued to raise questions and concerns about the project.

We also used the CPUG website to provide information about the restoration and report on discussions taking place through the Stakeholder Forum.

Our involvement during this period covered both the major project and the practical consequences of carrying out extensive building and landscape works in a heavily used public park.

The paddling pool

One particularly important issue concerned the paddling pool.

During 2009, plans indicated that the pool would close for the summer of 2010 because of the restoration works. CPUG challenged the proposed closure and raised the importance of keeping the facility available during the summer.

By January 2010, the plan had been revised so that the paddling pool could remain open that summer. The change was explicitly attributed to concerns raised by CPUG.

It provides a clear example of our representative role influencing a decision affecting park users during the restoration planning process.

The café and Clissold House

The future of Clissold House and the café remained important throughout the development of the restoration project.

We discussed arrangements for temporary café provision as the works approached and raised questions about how the House would operate after restoration.

More broadly, CPUG had consistently argued that the restoration of the building and the park needed to be considered together, including how Clissold House would function as a public building within Clissold Park.

These questions would continue after the House reopened in 2012.

Trees, water and the park landscape

CPUG also continued its longstanding interest in the park’s trees and landscape.

During the restoration discussions we raised questions about sustainable tree management and the future treatment of water in the park, including the New River.

The New River proposals were of particular interest because the restoration offered an opportunity to reconsider the surviving landscape feature beside Clissold House.

We continued to scrutinise these proposals as the designs developed.

Everyday issues continued

Although the restoration dominated much of this period, CPUG continued its wider role as a forum for issues affecting the park.

Our meetings and representations covered subjects including dogs, cycling, tennis, ranger staffing, access, events, the café and park management.

In 2007, for example, we discussed the positioning of vehicle-control bollards and agreed a revised position with the park manager.

We also scrutinised the scale and management of large events in the park and raised concerns relating to nearby development where it could affect Clissold Park.

This wider work continued alongside the increasingly demanding task of following the restoration project.

From plans to construction

By 2010 and 2011, the restoration had moved from consultation and design into major works across the park and Clissold House.

CPUG continued to scrutinise the project as construction progressed. This included concerns about access and the practical effects of the works as well as questions about the eventual operation and management of the restored park.

Representatives continued to participate in the arrangements established for stakeholder involvement and to bring issues back to CPUG meetings.

The scale of the works meant that parts of the park changed considerably during this period, making communication with park users particularly important.

Dogs and park management

In 2011, CPUG was also involved in discussions about dogs and the way the park should be managed.

Consultation with park users led us to revise our own proposed approach to dogs in the park.

During the same period, Hackney Council reported changes intended to provide a stronger combined management role for the park following consultation with CPUG.

These discussions reflected a recurring concern throughout the restoration process: physical improvements to the park needed to be accompanied by arrangements capable of managing and maintaining it effectively.

Changes within CPUG

There was also an important change in CPUG itself during 2011.

After many years as Chair, Ken Worpole stepped down and Caroline Millar became Chair in March 2011.

Ken subsequently became CPUG’s first Honorary President.

A revised CPUG constitution was approved in May 2011.

The change in leadership came as the restoration project approached its final stages, after a period in which CPUG had devoted considerable time to campaigning for the restoration, participating in its development and representing park users as the proposals became reality.

Approaching the end of the restoration

By the end of 2011, the transformation of Clissold Park and House was nearing completion.

The restoration represented the culmination of many years of campaigning and planning involving CPUG, Hackney Council, funding bodies and other organisations and individuals.

CPUG had supported the case for restoring the park and House while also maintaining an independent role throughout the development of the project: bringing park users into the discussion, questioning proposals, raising concerns and participating in the structures created for community involvement.

Our attention would increasingly turn from the building project itself to how the restored park and House would operate for the people using them.