Woodhouse Moor Online

It’s been announced that the city’s six annual bonfires have been cancelled this year. The reason given for the cancellation is that it’s to reduce the possibility of transmission of the Covid virus. Details of the cancellation are given in this Yorkshire Evening Post article.

Whilst we welcome the bonfires’ cancellation, we feel that it was for the wrong reason. Almost two years ago, there were unprecedented fires in Australia which killed many thousands of kangaroos, koala bears and other wildlife. More recently, temperatures in the Pacific North West have reached previously unrecorded levels, resulting in many human deaths and the destruction of redwood forests. And just a few weeks ago, there was flooding in West Germany on a scale and with devastation never before seen. It’s generally accepted that all these phenomena are the result of climate change. And so if bonfires in Leeds are to be cancelled, then it should be because they (a) contribute to said climate change, and (b) send out the wrong signal from an administration committed to achieving zero carbon emissions by 2030.

Almost 50 hectares of new public parkland including a COVID-19 memorial wood is set to be developed on the former South Leeds Golf course next to Middleton Park. The green space is to be created in partnership with the Leeds Hospitals Charity and will also be dedicated to frontline workers. 5km of walking trails, 9,000 trees and a wildflower meadow will provide space for reflection and recreation. You can learn more about the proposed plans here.

This photo was taken in the mid to late 1950s and shows a local resident sitting on the Lion and Serpent sculpture, and her brother standing in front of it. The Woodhouse Moor Methodist church can be seen in the background on the left. It was demolished in the early 1970s. A block of flats called Cumberland Court was built on the site.

The Lion and Serpent sculpture was made by Benjamin Sharp, free of charge. Mr Sharp also worked on the staircase sculptures in Leeds Central Library. It was placed on the Moor in June 1883 very close to the Adam and Eve Garden (now the location of the Victoria Memorial). After the Second World War, it was moved to a more open site between the children’s playground and the clock/water fountain. Students began to paint the sculpture from the 1980s onwards, and in the late 1990s following a hammer attack, it was removed from the park. No one seems to know if it still exists.

Thanks to the sterling efforts of Councillor Kayleigh Brooks, the toilet block is to be re-opened, albeit, not before this Summer. In the meantime, it’s likely that portaloos will be placed on the Moor, but these will only be a temporary measure.

Even though Woodhouse Moor is the most intensively used park in Leeds, it currently has no accessible toilets. By comparison, parks in more affluent areas are well provided with toilets. Information supplied by Leeds City Council shows that there are accessible toilets in other Leeds parks as follows:

Roundhay Park – 3 locations
Temple Newsam – 3 locations
Lotherton Hall – 2 locations
Golden Acre Park – 2 locations
Middleton Park – 1 location
The Arium – 1 location

Over 1,100 people have now signed a petition asking for the toilet block to be re-opened. Now at last, that goal is in sight. Hats off to Councillor Brooks!

On the 1st April, the Yorkshire Post ran a story about all the litter that’s being left behind on Woodhouse Moor when the weather is fine. Letters to the same newspaper, published on the 5th April, pointed out, amongst other things, that the charges being made for plastic bags clearly aren’t deterring some people from buying them, and then leaving them behind on the park after they’ve finished with them.

Cllr Kayleigh Brooks has reported the following:

1. She has requested portaloos in the immediate short term.
2. In the longer term LCC is costing up a refurb on the car park toilet block.
3. Her view is that the block could be re-designed, internally, to reduce upkeep/staffing costs.
4. Costing for both portaloos and the longer term staffing of toilet blocks will be sent to the universities to ask for contributions.
5. If the universities refuse to contribute she will run a crowd funder.

Recent information kindly supplied by Leeds City Council shows that there are accessible toilets in Leeds parks as follows:

Roundhay Park – 3 locations
Temple Newsam – 3 locations
Lotherton Hall – 2 locations
Golden Acre Park – 2 locations
Middleton Park – 1 location
The Arium – 1 location

Roundhay Park is the most visited park in Leeds. As can be seen, it has three sets of accessible toilets. Woodhouse Moor is the second most visited park in Leeds. Despite this, it has no accessible toilets. There are three sets of toilets on Woodhouse Moor, but all are permanently locked. One set dates back to Edwardian times. These have to be kept locked as when they used to be open, vandals repeatedly damaged their historic fixtures. Another set is located within the bowls pavilion. It wouldn’t make sense to open the bowls pavilion to give people access to these toilets, as the rest of the building could be vandalised. But at the Hyde Park Corner end of the park, there is a purpose built toilet block. Unfortunately, this is permanently locked. It doesn’t seem right or sensible for a purpose-built toilet block in such a busy park to be kept permanently locked.

Now, Jessica Melia, the founder of “Rollin’ With The Girls,” has set up an online petition asking Leeds City Council to improve and re-open the purpose-built toilets at the Hyde Park Corner end of the park. At the time of writing, her petition had over 600 signatures. If you want, you can sign the petition here.

When walking on Woodhouse Moor earlier this afternoon, a local resident was most surprised and rather concerned to witness a group of men playing football on the top bowling green. It certainly seemed to be an organised game as one side was wearing tabards and the goal posts were delineated by sets of trainers.

Have this group been given permission to play there? And iff so, by whom? Certainly in wet weather they will damage the surface.

And even if the group has been given permission, which seems unlikely, organised games of football are illegal under the current lockdown rules. Individuals who break the rules are liable for a fine of up to £10,000.

This Summer, Woodhouse Moor was covered in human faeces. Rivers of urine flowed between the former wild flower area and the allotments. Woodhouse Moor is fast becoming a public health hazard. Something needs to be done. But what?

It’s no use complaining to the people you see who are relieving themselves. It’s not their fault (well, not entirely their fault). The people to blame are the people in charge at Leeds City Council. They’re the ones who are responsible. They’re the reason there are no accessible toilets for people to use.

Roundhay Park has public toilets, and so does Temple Newsam. And yet Woodhouse Moor, the most intensively used park in Leeds, has none. This isn’t fair. It can’t be right.

And as for how toilets on the Moor could be protected from misuse – I’d say, the same way they’re protected from misuse on Roundhay Park and Temple Newsam.

Friends of Woodhouse Moor are launching a campaign for toilets on the Moor. If you think it’s wrong that such an important park has no public toilets, please email the following, and let them know what you think:

Headingley and Hyde Park councillors

Jonathan Pryor – jonathan.pryor@leeds.gov.uk
Neil Walshaw – neil.walshaw@leeds.gov.uk
Al Garthwaite – al.garthwaite@leeds.gov.uk

Little London and Woodhouse councillors

Kayleigh Brooks – kayleigh.brooks@leeds.gov.uk
Abigail Marshal Katung – abigail.marshallkatung@leeds.gov.uk
Javaid Akhtar – javaid.akhtar@leeds.gov.uk

The Executive Member for Parks

Mohammed Rafique – cllr.mohammed.rafique@leeds.gov.uk

The Executive Member for Health and Wellbeing

Rebecca Charlwood – rebecca.charlwood@leeds.gov.uk

The Officer in charge of Parks and Countryside

Sean Flesher – sean.flesher@leeds.gov.uk