I promised a few weeks ago that I wouldn’t make this into a community newsletter, but there are so many things to report on that we’re getting perilously close. However, I hope you find something useful here. It would also be remiss of me not to wish all of you a very enjoyable Christmas and a happy new year, so here’s my chance…
Friends of Nightingale Park group launches
Nightingale Park is a lovely facility, but maintaining and improving it needs residents to push things on. A new “Friends of Nightingale Park” group is being formed and there’s a meeting with City Council officers, to discuss our roles in making plans for the Park. What would local residents and park users like to happen? What is good now, and what could be better? What funding might be available to re-build the pavilion and develop the bowling green? Full details here.
The next generation at South Area Committee
Cambridge City Council?s last South Area Committee meeting (8th December) had 20-30 members of the public in attendance; this was good, but the fact that half of them were under voting age made it even better. Maybe it was just be a one-off, but we should credit those who have been spreading the word ? to parents as much as young people ? that we can all have a say in how our community is run. I wrote up the evening’s events for the “A dragon’s best friend” blog, as that seemed an even more appropriate place than here. Thanks to Antony Carpen for accommodating me.
Extension to 20mph consultation response
If you want to have a say about the vastly extended 20mph zones being proposed by the council for this area, there’s still time. The council are taking opinions until 9am on Monday 5 January. All residents should have had information packs from the council, but everything is clearly laid out online too. For those of us who believe in evidence-based policy making, this article from Cambridge blogger Phil Rodgers will be of interest. It would appear that in the north of the city, where 20mph restrictions are already in place, the drop in average speeds even on faster roads is only 1.1 mph, which is hardly a massive change.
Bollards at the end of Worts Causeway
Worts Causeway resident Simon Humphreys has been asking council officers about the bollards there having been out of action for several months now. Our local Queen Edith’s councillors have also taken up the chase, and a response has (finally) come from the Andy Fisher of the County Council’s Local Infrastructure and Street Management department. Mr Fisher says: “The Remote Monitoring System installation was held up by issues within the on-street cabinet but will be completed week commencing 5th January. The CCTV procurement process has been completed and Officers will be meeting on-site on the 9th January to action installation, which is envisaged to be quick. I share your concerns over traffic volumes and speeds but hopefully a system will be in place very early in the new year to finally resolve the matter.”
Landscaping at the EF Language School
Councillor Pippas helpfully visited the EF Language School to take a look at what has taken place. He says: “I have asked the EF School to give us their reasons as to why they cut the branches so drastically and why they cut down the two trees, one at the front and one on the side. I was told that the two trees were dead and had to be removed. The bushes were taken away because they wanted to make room to create “beautiful” flower beds for students and passers by to enjoy. They said they have trimmed the trees down to the trunk to allow fresh growth. The apologised for not keeping the wooden fence! They decided the metal one will enhance the enjoyment of the new flower gardens both by the students and passers by. I am still waiting for the Planning Department to give us their response.”
Networking lunch for Queen Edith’s
Caroline Biggs, Community Development Officer for the south of the city, tells me that there will be a “Networking Lunch” on Wednesday 14 January, from 12.30 ? 1.45pm at Queen Edith’s Chapel. She says: “This is an informal gathering of people who live and/or work in the Queen Ediths area who would like to meet other people sharing a passion for making Queen Edith’s a thriving and exciting place to live. This gathering will allow people to share information and ideas so we can all work together to benefit Queen Ediths. There will be a light buffet lunch and people are welcome to drop in at any time.” This is a great idea, and deserves our support – I will do my best to get there, and look forward to seeing you.
New community website for the south of the city
Last – but very much not least – there’s a whole new website for the south of the city, run by local resident Rebecca Jones. SouthCambridge.org.uk covers happenings in the wards of Trumpington, Queen Edith’s and Cherry Hinton “and nearby areas, if we like what they are doing!”. The site includes a page for the Nightingale Park social walk, the Friends of Nightingale Park and the Nightingale Park itself, “in case there is a consultation or two this year.” Rebecca also intends to use the site to promote Rock Road library events. We’ll pass on any interesting news from the site.
When the building development at the Bell site was originally proposed, the fact that the playing field would vanish beneath houses , permission was passed by the planners which is rather unusual, since the loss of playing fields and the increase of obesity, leading to more NH expenses makes this a somewhat negative action. the facilities at Nightingale Park would be used by the students in the future. To sweeten this fact, an offer was made to improve the pavilion there. Has this offer now been withdrawn?
I am sorry but I submitted the above comment in error, when it was not completely finished but despite that, I hope that the message in it reads correctly. The loss of one playing field and the heavier use of the other was to be compensated for by a new pavilion. Knowing what a mudbath the Nightingale field can turn into, over use would surely make it difficult to maintain the football pitches so they can be regularly used but I don’t think that this fact was mentioned in the scheme.