People opposed to the building of a new community centre in Broadstairs'> Pierremont Park are planning "emergency action" to stop the development
> going ahead. This may include occupying the site and people tying
> themselves to trees.
>
>
>
> A demonstration against the plan, on Sunday (March 6th) drew around 200
> people, far more than organisers expected.
>
>
>
> Norman Thomas of local residents organisation, the Thanet Action Group,
> said
> the meeting demonstrated the strength of feeling against plans to build in
> the centre.
>
>
>
> He said: "People don't want this new development. They believe it will
> damage a much-loved park. Thanet Council's planning officer has stated 20
> trees will be cut down, but the speakers at the demonstration felt that
> not
> one tree should go."
>
>
>
> The new centre will be owned and run by a trust - but it will be funded to
> the tune of £1.4 million by Broadstairs Town Council, Thanet District
> Council and Kent County Council.
>
>
>
> "People at the demonstration were especially angry that this controversial
> project is being paid for by public money at a time of unprecedented cuts
> in
> public services," Mr Thomas
>
> .
>
> "The demonstration showed that this isn't just an issue for Broadstairs,"
> Mr
> Thomas added. "Residents from Ramsgate and Margate came and spoke. It's
> clear that people across the isle feel their green spaces are under threat
> and that councillors are not representing their true interests."
>
>
>
> The action group has called a meeting for Friday March 18th in the Park
> Hut,
> in the Park at 7.30pm to discuss what to do next.
>
>
>
> "This is a crisis situation," said Mr Thomas, "Planning consent has been
> obtained to proceed with the building, so the builders could start work at
> any time. People who don't want this to happen may have no choice by to
> take
> emergency action."
>
>
>
> "People are already talking about occupying the site and tying themselves
> to
> trees. This is how strongly feel people about the threat to their park.
> Anyone who feels strongly about the future of the park should ring me on
> 01843 604 253, or email inmeds@yahoo.co.uk or come to the meeting on
> Friday
> March 18th" Mr Thomas said.
According to BBC South East news just 80 people turned up for this demonstration, and several of those were not even from Broadstairs, out of a town population in excess of 24,000. So much for TAG's claim of massive support.
ReplyDeleteAs I commented on an earlier post on this subject, they are but a vociferour minority.
See the exaggeration of support by this group continues. Mr. Thomas claims 200, the BBC news said 80 and, from the photgraphs, if looks more like 40.
ReplyDeleteWhat kind of democracy do these people think they represent. Protest yes, but consultations have already been held on this issue and many groups and organisations support the plan. The town council is democratically elected, with another opportunity to make changes this May if people wish, and have approved this replacement of the current dilapidated centre with public support.
What gives this minority the right, do they think, to attempt to disrupt the work and, very probably, escalate costs in the process. Presumably their idea of democracy is simply doing what they want and ignoring the wishes of everybody else.
What gives Mr. Thomas the right to say in a BBC interview that the people of Broadstairs do not want this new community centre. I am a Broadstairs resident and I want it as do most people I know.
ReplyDeleteMr. Thomas gets a bunch of people out with folk included from Ramsgate and Cliftonville totally between 30 and 40 (look at the photos) and then claims he speaks for the people of the town. Well he certainly does not speak for me.
Or me for that matter.
ReplyDeleteNo-one could be against a new community centre. But in the park? Losing trees? and at a huge public cost - at a time when so many public services are under threat? How is that a good thing? It was a much larger number than 80 in the park on Sunday - 137 signed a petition that was there - and many didn't sign because they fear to object openly if their work depends on the council. There is still a lot of worry about this project - so why push ahead?
ReplyDeleteChristine
Christine, I came along to have a look and there were nothing like a hundred plus people there. Take a good hard look at the photos, which are taken from both sides of the gathering with little or nowhere for another huge number to hide, and one can barely count forty.
ReplyDeleteThe centre is already in the park, a dilapidated old hut, and the new centre will take up less space giving more parkland not less. The trees are mainly self seeded saplings of the same variety and are to be replaced with a mix of trees giving a far better selection and properly planned and spaced.
Yes, some people may still have worries about the new centre but a lot more of us support it, which is why it is going ahead. It is called democracy. The financing has been well covered by the trust in their press release and I do not propose to repeat what has already been said.
Mainly this is protest for protest sake and, with elections in May, probably politically motivated mischief making as well.
A petition that there at the time was signed by 137 people and many did not get round to signing, or were afraid to go public as they work for the council. I don't think anyone "protests for protests' sake" - why would they want to do that? Why would so many park users turn up at a demonstration - called in just a few days - if they weren't angry at what was being proposed? Why does the Town Council need to plunge Broadstairs into debt with a £500,000 loan from the Public Works Loans Board, at a rate of more than 5%? No-one has yet explained how we can afford such a huge expense when cuts are being made everywhere else. What's wrong with more consultation about where money should be spent - or saved?
ReplyDeleteChristine
Come to a public meeting to discuss the future of the park on Sunday April 17th at 12 noon in the Park Hut, Pierremont Park. All welcome.
ReplyDelete