Forest Drive Park is situated between Mill O Forest primary school and the Forest Park housing estate. The estate was built around 1970 by then popular house builder Wimpy and part of the planning included the addition of open green space with children’s play facilities. Originally the park had swings, a round-a-bout, monkey bars, steel climbing frame, long jump pit, balance beams, tarmac court, marked out football pitches, several picnic tables and benches. Many generations have played and enjoyed Forest Drive Park over the years and also witnessed its slow demise over the past 25 years.

The Community Asset Transfer Request

In 2022 there was a Community Asset Transfer (CAT) request submitted by one of Stonehaven’s many popular sporting clubs – The Mackie Academy FP Rugby Club, who were looking to go through the CAT process in order to obtain use of 90% of the parks green space.

Within a few weeks of notice being given to local residents, an action group was formed – Save Our Park – who established a common voice to represent the local and wider community to oppose the CAT on the basis that the green space should be available to all members of the Stonehaven community to use how they wish and not just one group.

After months of raising awareness, action planning and many meetings with local council officers, it was decided that the CAT was not to be approved and the Stonehaven community was to retain their park for all to use and enjoy.

Friends of Forest Drive Park Formation

The next logical progression was to shift the focus of ‘Save Our Park’ group, to establishing a community driven friends group to improve, maintain, develop, protect and promote the park so it can be available for many more generations to enjoy.

Forest Drive Park Area – P3 classification on Local Area Plan

Green spaces can make a huge difference to quality of life and quality of place both in terms of health and well-being, safer and stronger communities, active lifestyles and play; and several environmental benefits including air quality, green infrastructure and biodiversity.

More than 57 per cent of the UK population regularly use parks in the UK¹. They are treasured assets which are frequently central to the lives of their communities and it is estimated there are more than 27,000 parks and green spaces across the UK. These spaces are diverse, ranging from large principal parks with many facilities and amenities, to small neighbourhood or pocket parks.²

All children should have the right to play and join in other recreational activities while growing up, this is enshrined in Article 31 of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC). The UN General Comment No. 17 on the UNCRC states that measures likely to impact on children’s Article 31 rights, including those relating to the provision of parks and green spaces, must take into account the best interests of children.³

Green spaces are key to physical and mental health and wellbeing. ResPublica found in July 2015 that 61 per cent of respondents who said that they had good access to green spaces were satisfied with their physical health compared to only 44 per cent of those who had poor access. In the same survey, only 14 per cent of people with good access to green spaces were dissatisfied with their mental health, compared to 22 per cent who had poor access to green spaces.⁴

Parks also encourage physical exercise and activity, whether through organised sports such as football, running or athletics, or through informal activity such as walking or playing. They are a cost effective means of maintaining physical and psychological wellbeing.⁵ This echoed research undertaken in 2015 by Fields in Trust (formerly the National Playing Fields Association), which found that 50 per cent of people said they would be less active without their local parks and green spaces, and 48 per cent said that using their local park made them feel healthier.⁶

Parks also help break down barriers, somewhere we can all enjoy and our children can play together. Our parks and open spaces are vital in bringing our communities together and acceptance of our different ways we live, accepting the different religions and ways of others.

Parks are a vital amenity for everyone of all age groups and every community with a value which can be measured on various scales; ecology and biodiversity, health and wellbeing, leisure and recreation, quality of place and attractiveness as well as climate change adaptation and alleviation.

The Future

Where there is an active Friends Group supported by an effective local authority, parks usually become, over time, improved and better used. Our aim is to ensure adequate long-term resources for ongoing maintenance, management and improvements. Working in partnership with our local community, organisations, clubs and other groups to gain funding to facilitate this and additions to the park.

This is undoubtedly a long term plan and will need to involve ongoing input from our local residents, community councillors and Aberdeenshire Council in order to achieve the best model for the park.

Initial Plan

After our second community meeting, we compiled survey results on what the local community deemed as high priority for Forest Drive Park :-

1. Drainage – Conduct a survey of the topology of the park and highlight the areas which hold water and flood in light / moderate / heavy rainfall. Including the pathways and green space. Work on an action plan with local authorities and other bodies to improve this, secure funding and a plan to implement any works.
2. Horizon Group Facility if desired – Decide upon the best location for a Polytunnel, Secure storage for equipment / tools and an enclosed area for project work.
3. Wildlife Planting for Pollinators – In conjunction with Horizon Group and Stonehaven Gardening Club, conduct a survey of park wildlife and flora to plan where would be best for additional planting to encourage additional wildlife, insects and birds.
4. Playpark Equipment, Picnic benches and Seating Areas – Based on topology survey, suggest a suitable safe area for development of additional playpark equipment for older children and children with disabilities. A designated area for picnic benches and the addition of seating areas throughout the park.

Of course these are initial plans and all subject to approval of our local council, planning department and other related bodies and at each stage will be shared with our local community to seek advice and evaluation.

¹ – Source Heritage Lottery Fund (State of Public Parks 2016)
² – Source Urban Parks Forum Public Parks Assessment
³ – Source Play Wales (PKS185)
⁴ – ResPublica (PKS0149)
5 – Source The Parks Alliance (PKS084)
6 – Source Mr Christopher Worman MBE (PKS058)

Our First Year

We have had a busy first year and have been working hard on various projects including new funding opportunities. Since our initial meeting in April 2023 and after the formation of our community group, we gathered memberships and elected a committee of 12 members including office bearers.

In the last year we have held six regular committee meetings and formalised a constitution, completed feedback analysis from questionnaires, compiled our group aims and objectives, opened our own bank account and created a 1:1 Map of Forest Drive Park showing our ‘wish list’ of improvements and future projects.

We identified national and local associations / organisations we can join to help our cause, created 8 policy documents including – Health & Safety, Financial, Park Management & Maintenance, Environmental, Child Protection, Vulnerable Persons, Equality & Diversity and Risk Assessment. Started a managed list of funding opportunities and ear-marked suitable projects against these.

Our website was built and we applied for funding to cover all costs for the next few years (which was successful – thanks to Kincardine & Mearns Area Committee).

We planted new wild flower plugs, 11k bulbs (with help from a pool of volunteers) and new trees in conjunction with Stonehaven Horizon Group. We were formally recognised by Aberdeenshire Council as an umbrella community group for Forest Drive Park and now aim to seek a form of security of tenure.

We recently signed up to the Plastic Free Stonehaven Pledge and are happy to contribute where we can to eradicate all single use plastics. Entrance Notice Boards have been designed and built by Stonehaven Men’s Shed (thanks to the Mens Shed Team), improved anti dog fouling signs made and awaiting installation.

We have applied for funding for tools and equipment (which was successful – thanks to Aberdeen Airport Propeller Fund) and also for funding towards additional benches and a new picnic table (which was also successful – thanks to Kincardineshire Development Partnership and Auquhirie Wind Farm).

More recently we have been carrying out investigations into the drainage issues at key areas in the park, how we can improve and mitigate these. This will be ongoing while we work on how best to improve the paths so more accessible for all users in all weathers. We are also looking at a test portion of the path way to see if we can widen it to allow for easier access, removing the over grown grass at the edges (thanks to Aberdeenshire Council Landscape Services team for their assistance here).

In short it has been a busy 14 months and we would like to thank all friends who have been involved so far, those who have contributed with time and equipment; those from other local groups who have helped with several projects and finally to all of our dedicated committee members.

If you would like to join and help in any way, please sign up via our membership page or contact us and we can send out an application form for completion.