Creating A Picnic And Play Area In Bushey Manor Field

Bushey Manor Field was gifted to the Community in Bushey in 2003 and created as a Trust, managed by local Trustees. The Field is well fenced and has proved to be a magnet for dog walkers many of whom drive to the Field to walk their dogs here. The Trustees installed dog bins at each of the 3 pedestrian gates and signs requesting dog owners to pick-up and to control their dogs.

Most dog owners follow the dog walker’s code, but inevitably, a minority cannot be bothered to pick-up or to control their dogs. There have been complaints over the years of people being unable to use the field particularly with children because of the hazard of dog mess and dogs not under control.

In 2018 the Trustees made a decision to create a Picnic and Play Area by fencing off about a quarter of the field area, so that the field would be available to the whole community, not just those with dogs. A group of dog owners raised a petition to stop the partitioning of the Field, and proposed a ‘Virtual Fence’ which would be identified by mowing the area. The Trustees agreed to a trial during the Summer of 2019 to see if the ‘Virtual Fence’ idea would work. Signs were erected at all 3 gates identifying the area.

It soon became clear that dogs found the mown area to be particularly attractive, compared to the un-mown part of the field. As expected, some dog owners respected the division of the field, and some couldn’t be bothered.

The Trustees have therefore decided to proceed with their intention to erect a permanent fence. The Picnic and Play Area will be fenced and have 2 pedestrian access gates. The Trustees are unable to police the field, and if dogs are taken into the Picnic and Play area it will be because owners have decided to ignore the wish of the Trustees, who feel it necessary to represent the needs of the whole Community. A
hedge will be planted along the fence to soften its impact and the area will be mown during the growing season.