Hartfield Walk Update: June 2021
Every week Hartfield Walk continues to develop. The plants are starting to give added structure and colour, the wildflower roof has buds that are beginning to burst. The stallholders are meeting and greeting many locals, feeling the real benefit of switching to electricity from generators, as well as the insulation with the green roofs and cooling on a hot day.
New stainless-steel plaques have been placed around the space, with QR codes to scan, allowing you to use your phone to learn more. The bee-eautiful ‘Bee in the garden’ bike racks have returned and we are looking at other places within the town to increase bike rack numbers.
As with many new and innovative projects there have been some teething problems, and through ongoing snagging these are being addressed. We’ve had a few questions about these, so to give some answers:
- The use of repurposed wooden lock gates for seating and wooden trim has caused some unsightly leeching onto the painted surfaces. The contractors have been cleaning this weekly and it is likely to settle over the next few weeks, this is being actively managed.
- The bespoke bike racks had an issue with chipping, this has been remedied by the suppliers and have now been reinstalled.
- The flaking paint on parts of the floor maze was caused by unexpected rain during installation, which we were hoping would not affect the finish. This will be repainted but requires better weather to ensure the issue is resolved.
- We have received a report from an independent arboriculturist who confirmed the design of the seating around the trees is not detrimental. However, to be absolutely sure they recommended some remedial work to increase air circulation, which has been undertaken. We will commission annual reports on these trees.
The space is designed primarily for seating and stalls, with planting softening the spaces and messaging helping us all consider what we can do to be more eco. We would encourage people to visit the space, admire the green roofs which are starting to flower, say hello to the local businesses who have an improved space to work from and take a moment to sit down and enjoy a place which before was a soulless cut through.
As with any new landscaping, patience is key, so in time the area will continue to settle and develop, and the planting will have a positive contribution to our air quality, in addition to making the area look more attractive.
Love Wimbledon has published a comprehensive FAQ webpage to learn more about the background of the project and decisions made, and there are further webpages about how the project focussed on having a positive environmental impact during design and construction.
If you have any specific questions about Hartfield Walk please email the Love Wimbledon team, who will be sure to reply within a few days.
