Falinge Park incident?

I went in that park once. Once was enough. Pity, looks like it was a really nice park.

I haven't heard anything Hinch but I agree with Cyfrifia, Falinge Park is lovely. I visited a couple of times last year during the summer and the flower beds were a credit to our council's gardeners. I must admit though, I didn't feel fully at home there, too many teenage gangs gathered in corners for me, it's a shame.

My daughter was telling me that there are rumours going round of a murder there this weekend

As parks go, Falinge probably is quite boring to young people, but for the old fogeys, it's a pleasant and interestingly designed park. On my famous first and last visit there, I looked in at the bowling greens. On one green was a picture of old fashioned life, with older people having a game of bowls.

Round a bench on the far green was a group of several 17-18 yr old lads, smoking great big home made cigarettes and somehow exuding an impression of anger and territorial threat. The contrast between the two 'worlds' was stark.

A walk round, and meeting another couple of similar groups of rather threatening and territorial youngsters was enough to convince me that the park was uninhabitable, a pity, as I'm sure the older folks would appreciate the place if it felt safe.

94 was my last time in the park, I remember it well because I have many shots of my daughter playing in the kids play ground, she was 3 at the time. Always meant to go back again but never got around to it, not enough hours in a day back then, work,work,work.

The Head Gardener was a friend of my family. He used to live in one of the houses facing the High School.

I recall there used to be an aquarium in one part of the Park. Just next to the main gardens. You went through the big arch to get to it.

As an occasional visitor into Rochdale, from the outer fringes, I was first impressed by Falinge Park, thought it must have been brilliant once, and was still well kept, quite a wonderland, a hidden gem.

When I realised it has become an unsafe area, I thought, if I was in charge of Rochdale, I would get the police to use it as a useful place to identify the anti-socials climbing the gang and drug dealing ladder, ( it's obviously a centre for that) probably going to be the criminals and gangsters of the future, unless there is intervention, and eventually reclaim the park for the general public and visitors to the town. It could be quite an attraction.

When I say Falinge Park could be quite an attraction, I meant after removing the rapists, violent and anti-social criminals, and drug dealers. However, am I just a dreamer? Are the public spaces set out by the Victorians for the pleasure, leisure and recreation of the citizen now 'lost territory' that can never be regained?

hinch wrote:http://www.rochdaleonline.co.uk/news-features/2/news-headlines/74467/falinge-park-rape-man-in-custody

Thanks to my sources.

Unusual to get bailed on rape.

Arrested on suspicion of, bail is not unusual.
This happened to Rochdale men convicted for rape, child grooming; bail given in addition after they were charged with the crimes.

Unfortunately cyfrifia I think you might just be a dreamer the Victorian times are now long gone and unfortunately, this is a different age we live in. Like you though, I think it's very sad because you can see that efforts are being made to keep these parks beautiful but, this will be lost on the types that seem to frequent them these days.

Yes, but, at least people can still go and sit in the cemetery to get a bit of peace and quiet.

https://rochdaletalk.forumotion.co.uk/t193-respect-for-the-dead-rochdale-style

It’s called innocent till proven guilty Hinch and it doesn’t just happen in Rochdale.

Some of the Rochdale groomers were given bail, and escaped back to Pakistan. On serious charges, giving bail can be a big mistake.

hinch wrote:Being remanded in custody isn't about either innocence or guilt Irish. It is about protecting the public in cases of serious crime and to ensure that ongoing investigations cannot be impeded as well as preventing him from absconding.

I would infer nothing from someone being remanded in this way until he had been sent for trial and a verdict brought in. It also protects the alleged offender from attack by others. Particularly important in cases involving sexual offences.

If someone who lived in my area went on the rampage with a shotgun I would expect the suspect to be remanded in custody pending trial.

Would you have given Fred West bail? A man still innocent in the eyes of the law? Or Roald Moat? Would you have bailed the accused at Nuremberg?

If he was caught with the shotgun yes I would agree and generally murder suspects don't get bail as you know Hinch, so Fred West would not have been given bail on the basis his home was full of bodies. I also agree that many people that are given bail shouldn't but I'm afraid we don't have that many prisons at the moment and those we have are spilling over. It's a difficult one and I suspect it will get worse, worse being Murderers getting bail.

As for Nuremberg, I would have great difficulty giving them bail since I wasn't born. I never said it was right Hinch but it is the system of law we having at the moment and I really can't see a better one about.

It is the Friends groups of the Parks of Rochdale I feel sorry for. Trying their best to take them back to the former glory and scum who try to ruin it.

[quote="Poppyanna555"]Unfortunately cyfrifia I think you might just be a dreamer the Victorian times are now long gone and unfortunately, this is a different age we live in. Like you though, I think it's very sad because you can see that efforts are being made to keep these parks beautiful but, this will be lost on the types that seem to frequent them these days.[/quote

Thankfully the Victorian times are over, but politicians are doing their best to get us back to those awful times, of extreme poverty, disease, etc. For ordinary people Victorian times were worse than now.

Very true UTD but I think the Coalition would like to take us back to some of those times they way they are going at the moment.

The only thing is they do not seem to see it and very frightening.

Falinge Park has medieval origins. The present site developed from an 18th century house with a garden and small park.

The estate was donated to Rochdale Corporation in 1902 by Alderman Samuel Turner, together with funds towards the laying out of the grounds, which were designed by Thomas Mawson, a Lancashire landscape gardener and author of the books 'The Art and Craft of Garden Making' (1900) and 'Civic Art' (1911).

The park was opened to the public in 1906. A further 5 acres were donated in 1911 on the coronation of George V, which allowed the park to be extended to the north and east.