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EVENTS PAGES
For anyone concerned about local Policing issues, the Canons Safer Neighbourhood Team is responsible for the park and the surrounding area. For details of how to contact them, go to the Canons Police page.
2013:
January Bird Walk Sunday 13th January
February Bird Walk Sunday 3rd February
March Bird Walk Sunday 3rd March
April Bird Walk Sunday 7th April
May Bird Walk Sunday 5th May
Friends of Canons Park AGM Wednesday 8th May
June Bird Walk Sunday 2nd June
Open Garden Squares Event Sunday 9th June
Talk on Historic Gardens at Canons Sunday 16th June
Fun Day Sunday 1st September
Highlights of past and future events:
Below are some highlights of events that have taken place in the past year and those to come. Details of date, time and location of events are to be found on the Events Calendar page.
The Friends of Canons Park AGM was held on Wednesday 8th May, starting at 8 p.m. at the Arnold House School Activity Centre, Donnefield Avenue. As well as the formal business of the AGM, there was an illustrated talk by the chairman of the Stanmore Society, John Williams. He talked about some of the owners of the Canons Estate in the years after the Duke of Chandos, some of them wealthy, famous and reckless. There is also a connection to a famous racehorse (Eclipse) that many modern horses can trace ancestry back to.
On Sunday 9th June, we will be taking part once again in Open Garden Squares weekend, by inviting you to visit the King George V Memorial Garden between 1 p.m. and 5 p.m. This garden is open at all other times, of course, but we will be there to greet you, and you will have the opportunity to chat to the park keeper about the plants and shrubs, and meet us and maybe join the Friends of Canons Park. Entrance free.
On Sunday 16th June, Katy Myers, a historic gardens expert, will give a talk at the North London Collegiate School on "The Gardens at Canons". For more information, and how to get a ticket, click here. This promises to be a unique opportunity to learn about the Canons grounds over the years.
The Woodland Walk opening was the fruition of a project jointly undertaken by the Friends of Canons Park, Harrow Council, and voluntary environment group BTCV. For more details go to the latest projects page. The opening ceremony took place on Saturday 14th April 2012 - local MP Bob Blackman did the honours - and now the walk has information boards at each end and along the way. We will occasionally hold volunteer days to help keep the walk in good condition - look for signs around the park or watch this space.
The 2012 Family Fun Day was held on Sunday 15th July. Click here to see the post-event press release. Those who attended will know that the park turned into a sea of mud - the legacy of our exceptionally wet summer. Nevertheless a large number of people turned out and enjoyed the occasion.
The next Fun Day event will be on Sunday 1st September this year, later than usual. This is an experimental change, partly due to bad luck with the weather in recent years (expect a hot dry July this year!) but also to avoid clashes with other events. The format too will be different, with the activities moved further north to be closer to our café and storage facilities, and also the Woodland Walk. We will not be inviting stall holders this year, but there will still be children's rides, the Brass Band, dog agility displays, and refreshments. To ensure that there is "something for all" we hope to have some historical aspects to the event, to celebrate 10 years of the Friends. If anyone would like to help us with this event, if you can help with our historical activities, or simply help us set up and/or clear away on the day, please contact us via the email link at the top of the page.
See picture pages for previous years' Fun Days.
Bird watching walks are held on the first Sunday of each month, except July August and September. These months are hard for bird-spotting due to leaf cover and the reduced activity once nesting and rearing are over. Note also that the January walk will be on the second Sunday due to a clash with another RSPB event. The walks start at 10 a.m. at the Donnefield Avenue entrance to the park. They are open to all comers and are free. Walks last around two hours but you can leave anytime you wish. Although there are well-surfaced paths now, you may prefer to wear appropriate footwear in wet or muddy weather. Bring your binoculars. More details on the separate events pages, and keep a look out for notices at entrances to the park and the Friends' noticeboard at the Bothy.