Haringey Opposition launches Finsbury Park petition
Following months of neglect and destruction, Haringey Liberal Democrats are calling for management of Finsbury Park to be taken out of Haringey Council’s hands, and control given to an Independent Community Trust.
The park has been in the news several times already this year, with large areas of the park destroyed by the Tough Mudder event in April, and damage caused to green areas and trees by other events such as Wireless Festival and, most recently, the Krankbrother event.
Haringey Council also decided to lease out the park to Festival Republic / Live Nation for a further five years in a meeting held behind closed doors with no opportunity to question senior councillors, despite resident opposition.
Haringey Liberal Democrats are asking residents to back their call for an Independent Community Trust to take over park management by supporting a newly launched petition directed at Haringey Council proposing:
- That Finsbury Park is taken out of the hands of Haringey Council and given to an independent community trust, with neighbourhood and political representation from all areas surrounding the park.
- A moratorium on all large events until proper public consultation can happen.
- A local referendum to confirm any decisions made on the structure of how the Park is run.
Tom Hemsley, Lib Dem campaigner for Stroud Green, said:
“Events in Finsbury Park are often fantastic, bringing together wonderful community and cultural groups from around Haringey. However, this is first and foremost a public park, and the ongoing environmental damage and loss of public space for residents is unacceptable. Lib Dems are clear: it’s time to take Finsbury Park out of the hands of Haringey Council. They mismanage it, they don’t value it as public space, and they don’t care about the concerns of the local community which uses it.”
Cllr Alessandra Rossetti (LD-Alexandra Park), Opposition Spokesperson for Parks, said:
“The council’s mission should be to preserve the park for future generations and allowing this sort of environmental vandalism is senseless - especially after declaring a Climate Emergency.”