Resurfacing work is underway in Finsbury Park following this year’s Wireless Festival, which saw litter patrols, noise teams and enforcement officers out in force.
Pathways which were damaged during the three day event are being repaired following a clean-up operation. While there was a short delay to some of the organisers equipment being removed, parks staff worked hard to ensure the park continued to be a clean, safe and welcoming place for people to visit.
Grass, which has been affected by the recent hot weather, will be re-seeded after the next period of significant rainfall.
During the festival, the council received less than half the number of calls from residents than during last year’s event. Both the organisers and council staff cleared rubbish from the site and surrounding streets and the council’s enforcement team also worked hard to crack down on any nuisance behaviour. As a result:
- Thirty-one tickets which were being illegally sold were seized. Some were selling for up to £200.
- 15 alleged ticket touts now face court action.
- Seven fixed penalty notices of £150 were issued for unlicensed street trading.
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- Fifteen dispersals orders were issued by the police banning people from returning to the area when they had been causing a nuisance
- One man was arrested for breaching the dispersal order
- Hundreds of nitrous oxide capsules or “laughing gas” were seized.
Work is also underway elsewhere in Finsbury Park to refurbish and extend the ball court area – improvements which have been funded by income from park events, including Wireless.
The revamped area, which is expected to open later this summer, will include new and improved surface and fencing for the basketball area in addition to eight new state-of-the-art hoops, two outdoor table tennis tables, as well as three volleyball courts, a new badminton court and a much-improved netball court.
Haringey Council cabinet member for environment Cllr Stuart McNamara said:
“I’m pleased that we have been able to start work on restoring the park’s pathways and hope to have this work completed as soon as possible. The vast majority of this year’s Wireless Festival was well managed, with tens of thousands of people enjoying themselves safely and a minimal amount of damage to the park. Where issues did arise, we will be discussing these with Live Nation.
“All income from park events is reinvested back into our parks – ensuring they remain in the best shape and offer plenty of modern facilities that are enjoyed by thousands of local residents.”