Around Ealing Autumn 2015 | Page 7

UP FRONT Councillor Mahfouz with council leader Julian Bell on the new equipment Photos: Animal magic This photo was one of six winners of a photographic competition run by Brent Lodge Animal Centre in Hanwell. The winners were all awarded a ‘meet the meerkat’ experience at the council-owned small zoo (often referred to as the Bunny Park). The competition was open to all visitors to commemorate the centre being recognised as a zoo for 40 years. All six images are now on show at the entrance of the centre. This one was by Louise Morgan, others (including of prairie dogs, a peacock and a chicken) were by Chris Slow, Francis Thomas, Lisa Edington, Rachael Webb and Sue Holmes. To view the other winning pictures, and find out more about the centre and its animal experiences and events, visit www.facebook.com/ BrentLodgePark or follow @BrentLodgePark on Twitter – or alternatively email [email protected] or call 07956 362 341. Roaring good time This cheeky chap is just one of the dozens of fantastic moments we captured from this year’s Ealing Summer Festivals over the past three months. He was at the Greenford Carnival. Go online to view a gallery of photos from the festivals on the official Facebook page at www.facebook.com/ ealingsummer and on the website of Ealing Summer at www. ealingsummerfestivals.com – and look out there for a competition for the best photo submitted by a resident. Time to play Rope bridges, balancing blocks and beams, twisted tubular slide, a crawling tunnel and sensory games. This is the exciting new play area opening soon at Northala Fields. Ealing Council’s parks team worked with designers to create something special at the Northolt landmark open space, using responsibly sourced materials. Councillor Bassam Mahfouz, cabinet member for transport, environment and leisure, said: “This is an exciting new attraction in an already popular park. Northala Fields has always had an emphasis on sustainability and contributing to the biodiversity in the area. We didn’t want to stray away from this when planning the new playground.” On easy street Ealing is the first west London borough to trial a ‘parklet’. An idea started in San Francisco in 2010, they temporarily take up one parking space, creating a little pocket of public space. They provide a place to relax, meet and enjoy the street. Ealing Council worked with HB Designs to adapt the American concept to suit a British street – namely Bond Street, in central Ealing, in August. It has seating, planting, protection from the traffic and space to park your bike. At some point in September the parklet will move to the Avenue in West Ealing. To hire the parklet later this year email [email protected] around ealing Autumn 2015 7