An extraordinary meeting of Ripon City Council will be held this evening (Monday) to ‘consider the urgent matters on the site at Quarry Moor and to agree appropriate action.’
The children’s playground at the park has been closed since March after being attacked by vandals. It has suffered vandalism and anti-social behaviour on a regular basis.
The meeting, which starts at 7pm, will be held in the council chamber at Ripon Town Hall and is open to the public, who can question, seek clarification, or make
representation to members of the council.
On June 12, councillors attending a full council voted for the playground to remain closed for the foreseeable future.
The extraordinary meeting will be held in the council chamber at Ripon Town Hall.
The decision was taken in private session and confirmed in a statement on the council’s Facebook page, which said that the council:
“regretfully resolved not to reinstate the playground at Quarry Moor at the present time”.
It added:
“Unfortunately the site is being vandalised almost daily. We are working with North Yorkshire Police who are responding to the regular reports of anti-social behaviour when they occur.
“Until we can plan a way forward with our partners that includes measures that impact on the behaviour at the site we are unable to commit funds to the playground.
“We appreciate that this is caused by a small minority and that it is affecting our residents using the site. We are actively seeking solutions to the issue (and) will provide a further update as soon as possible.”
Quarry Moor is funded with an annual grant from the city council and the budget for 2023-24 financial year is £15,000.
Read more:
Vandalism prompts closure of Ripon playground
Quarry Moor playground in Ripon has closed to the public after vandals damaged equipment and daubed graffiti.
Ripon City Council, which manages the site, said on social media it had taken the decision today “for safety reasons”.
It added:
“Unfortunately the site has been vandalised, we’ve been left with damaged equipment and really unpleasant graffiti written on site.
“We are seeking quotes for repair and will provide an update on when the repairs will be undertaken when we can.”
Signs have been put up announcing the closure.
The 24-acre Quarry Moor limestone grassland was donated by Alderman Thomas F Spence in 1945, and held in trust for the benefit of the people of Ripon.
It was designated a site of special scientific interest in 1986.
The playground previously closed for six months from September 2021 due to rats.
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Rubbish bins removed at Ripon gardens to keep rats at bay
Rubbish bins have been removed from Temple Gardens in Ripon in a bid to keep rats at bay.
Harrogate Borough Council has responsibility for the small, secluded gardens located off Allhallowgate and is following in the footsteps of Ripon City Council, which removed bins from the Quarry Moor car park after a rat infestation caused the temporary closure of the children’s playground on site.
After the vermin issue was eradicated the playground reopened in time for last year’s school holidays.
At the February full city council meeting, the council’s chief officer, Paula Benson said that there had been a problem with rats at Temple Gardens and pointed out:
“When the Quarry Moor bins were removed the rat population diminished.”
She added:
“If you have bins, you are going to have rats.”
Cllr Pauline McHardy said:
“The problem occurs when bins get full to overflowing with discarded bits of food and wrapping.
“We need to encourage people who go to Temple Gardens to have something to eat, to take their rubbish home with them or put it in more suitably-located bins.”
Councillors agreed to ask HBC to put improved signage in place asking users of the gardens to take their rubbish with them.
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Bequest could bring new recreational facilities to Quarry Moor in Ripon
A bequest of £20,000 for the benefit of Quarry Moor, could lead to new recreational facilities for young people living in Ripon.
Ripon City Council, which holds the site in trust, agreed to use the donation received from the estate of a local parishioner, as the seed funding to get a major project under way.
At Monday’s full council meeting, council leader Andrew Williams, said:
“We already have £70,000 set aside to upgrade play equipment at the site and I recommend that we use the bequest to employ consultants who can develop a plan and help us to apply for Lottery funding and other grants.”
He added:
“We need to think outside the box and look for something that is big, bold and imaginative for the young people of Ripon, such as a climbing centre or trampoline park.”
Councillor Julie Martin-Long, who chairs the Quarry Moor Committee, said:
“This is a great location, with a lot of potential and it will be extremely helpful to have professional consultants advising us.”
The Quarry Moor Activities Centre
The site, which includes a nature reserve, children’s playground, and a run-down activities centre in a poor condition, is located next to McDonald’s on the Harrogate Road,
Quarry Moor was donated to Ripon by Alderman Thomas F Spence in 1945 and has been held in trust by the city council for the use of local people ever since.
The nature reserve was designated as a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) in 1986 in recognition of its unique geology and rare, species-rich magnesian limestone grassland.
Through careful management over the years, it has become a place of nature conservation and quiet recreation, while providing a habitat for a variety of wildlife species.
A six-acre portion of the site where the activities centre, playground, picnic area and parking facilities are located, does not come within the SSSI designation.
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Ripon’s Quarry Moor play area to be upgraded for summer
One of Ripon’s favourite play areas is to be refurbished in time for summer.
New equipment will be installed in Quarry Moor park, funded by the 2021-2022 parish precept.
The park, just off the A61 on the southern approach to Ripon, was donated to the city in 1945 by Alderman Thomas Fowler Spence.
It currently includes an activities centre for children as well as outdoor play equipment.
Ripon City Council leader, councillor Andrew Williams, told the Stray Ferret:
“The play equipment, that adds to the park’s attraction for families with young children, has been in need of replacement for some time.
“With the prospect of the covid lockdown being lifted later this year, we want to ensure that the work is completed in readiness for the summer months.”
The land, which includes woodland walks, was left in trust by the former mayor on the understanding that it would be:
“Kept for Ripon children for all time.”
The 24-acre site was a limestone quarry for hundreds of years until the 1950s. It was also used for military training during the Second World War.
In 1986, after extensive conservation work by volunteers, it was designated as a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI).
Quarry Moor Activities Centre
The area includes species-rich calcareous grassland and a protected wildflower meadow.
A woodland path was added in 2019.
Ripon prides itself on being child-friendly and for many years the city council has supported free family events.
These include the St Wilfrid’s Day procession in August, the switch-on of Christmas lights and New Year’s Eve entertainment on Market Square.
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The coronavirus crisis and social distancing requirements, in place since last March, caused the cancellation of mass participation activities.
For the upcoming financial year, £100,000 is being allocated for public events from summer onwards.
It is hoped that covid will be under sufficient control to allow them to go ahead.
Ripon’s parish precept for 2021-2022 will generate £400,000. Council taxpayers in the city will pay £70 towards it, in addition to council tax paid to North Yorkshire County Council and Harrogate Borough Council.