24 was the number of Park Rangers that used to take care of all the parks and green spaces in Ealing borough.  These include Horsenden Hill which used to be the place for families to have picnics and to admire the lovely views at far beyonds.   But after years of budget cuts, the rangers have been reduced to just 6 (a quarter left).  As a result, Horsenden Hill has been badly neglected.  Large swathes of ground covered by brambles and tree-saplings.  The shrubs are so tall you can’t tell if they are bushes or trees.  Overcrowding of trees has turned the hill into a dark forest and obscuring vista.   It stops being attractive to people and they stop coming.  Hence the hill became a heaven for illegal immigrants, drug dealers and other unsavoury activities.  Even the brave folks who still venture up there complain uneasiness and intimidation. To the law-abiding majority, the hill is dead.

Our objective is bring the hill back to life, by encouraging more visitors and families to come to enjoy the hill (not in its current form, but after we get it improved).  Here’s the plan:

1) Remove the brambles, cut and thin the overgrowth;

2) More benches to sit on (preferably using natural materials);

3) More bins to hold the huge quantity of rubbish and have the bins emptied regularly;

4) Improve the paths, connect the paths into to a loop and reduce quagmires;

5) Provide picnic facility with tables and seatings –  Have you ever considered that we will never be able to totally ban bonfire on the hill unless we have the manpower to patrol regularly?  Which we have not, so instead, why don’t we provide safe, designated facility for people to enjoy their BBQ?  Note: at the moment people are putting their aluminium BBQ trays on benches and leave very bad charred hole on the benches.   Worth a thought right?

6) Name Tags on Trees – to help identify the flora and to encourage engagement with nature.

7) The main car park gate to be locked at night.