READ ABOUT THE COMMUNITY LIBRARIES SUCCESS STORIES:
________________________________________________________
SOCIETY SUPPORTS TBC HAZ FUNDING APPLICATION
Altrincham and Bowdon Civic Society is very pleased to be able to support Trafford Council’s Heritage Action Zone Funding application for George Street Conservation Area which will include proposals for public realm improvements and the Grafton Centre. The Council is much to be commended for its up to date conservation area appraisals and management plans where we were a major consultee.
________________________________________________________
GOVERNMENT HIGH STREET INITIATIVE
The new High Street initiative launched by government means there is much interest in Altrincham’s success. Our parent organisation Civic Voice has asked us to take a large party around the town centre. They have also asked our Vice Chair Paulina Lewis to present at an autumn meeting to look at high quality building design.
________________________________________________________
VISTORIAN SOCIETY Buildings at risk
Altrincham and Bowdon Civic Society has been contacted by Victorian Society about their annual Buildings at Risk project. Watling Gate in Timperley given by Colonel Newton and situated in Newton Park, would be an obvious candidate. It is very poorly maintained and hard work by local residents has yet to save it. It is listed as Arts and Crafts.
________________________________________________________
COMMEMORATIVE BLUE PLAQUE FOR
Captain Sir John William “Jack” Alcock KBE DSC
Following a request from Altrincham and Bowdon Civic Society a blue plaque has been agreed for
Captain Sir John William Alcock on the centenary of the first Atlantic flight. He was born at Basford House on the old Stretford Memorial site. This follows the successful request for Bill Speakman VC.
Many thanks to Sara Curran Head of Customer Service TBC and Trafford Council.
Captain Sir John William “Jack” Alcock KBE DSC was a Royal Navy and later Royal Air Force officer who, with navigator Lieutenant Arthur Whitten Brown, piloted the first non-stop transatlantic flight from St. John’s, Newfoundland to Clifden, Connemara, Ireland in June 1919.
________________________________________________________
MEDICAL CENTRES ANNOUNCE MOVE
The St Johns and Barrington Road medical centres have now confirmed to all their patients that their move to the Altrincham Hub will take place in the Autumn.
________________________________________________________
BILL SPEAKMAN COMMEMORATIVE BLUE PLAQUE UNVEILED
The Blue Plaque for Bill Speakman VC was unveiled at Altrincham Interchange on Thursday 20th June 2019. Family and friends attended with members of the public together with Cllr Rob Chilton Mayor of Trafford and Sir Graham Brady MP. David Eastwood’s article in the last newsletter was distributed. A memorial service was held at Wellington School in Timperley, where Chair Judie spoke of her personal recollections at the school. Afterwards a memorial garden specially created was officially opened.
_________________________________________________________
TRAFFORD LOCAL STUDIES
We were very sorry to lose Karen Cliff from Trafford Local Studies but have welcomed her successor Meghan MacGabhann who we hope to work with on the Bravest Little Street rebuild of the Regent Road car park.
_________________________________________________________
ALTRINCHAM INTERCHANGE
For the first time Altrincham Interchange in its entirety will be considered for the Cheshire Best Kept Station awards and it is looking very splendid florally. We recently had Martyn Hett’s family and Rumpus PR to look at his planter installed after his untimely death in the Manchester Arena explosion. The Interchange continues to have important visitors with Danny Vaughan Head of Metrolink and Aline Franzen head of Keolis Amey and local resident.
Trafford’s new Chief Executive as well as speaking at our AGM on November 20th will meet with us during the summer to discuss issues such as the lack of a parking strategy.
_________________________________________________________
WOODSTOCK PARK BROADHEATH
Woodstock Park in Broadheath is in need of more support and help. The park, sited in the middle of a popular housing estate, is very well designed for typical park users and caters for most age groups. It has an all weather multi-sports pitch, a youth adventure play space, seating and picnic space, and 24 hour access. However the Park has a serious problem with vandalism including a newly installed Trio Bin being destroyed within weeks, a zip wire being stolen and trees uprooted. This is a park in need a supportive Friends group to look after the park now Trafford no longer has the funds to do more than just the basics.
The saddest part of Woodstock Park is the Kiddies Play Area, which is the semi circle with the two green patches in the aerial view of the Park. It is so drab and desperately in need of a repaint. More than half the original equipment has been removed as damaged or unsafe. It is not a place small children would be attracted to play. Given the constraints on budgets there is not the money to invest in replacing play equipment. We need a Friends of Woodstock Park to spearhead campaigns to raise money and obtain grants to completely remake this area. If you feel you are up to the challenge then let us know. The Civic Society will provide as much assistance as we possibly can.
_________________________________________________________
TACKLING AIR POLLUTION
The A56 passing North-South through our town has a very poor record for air quality. Air pollution has been linked to a range of serious health problems. The Greater Manchester Clean Air Plan aims to tackle nitrogen oxide emissions from the most polluting vehicles.
The GM Clean Air Plan seeks to upgrade the region’s buses, HGVs. Taxis, and van fleets. There will be an expected £116 million behind the upgrade.
More information can be found at cleanairgm.com.
_________________________________________________________
FRIENDS OF MOOR NOOK PARK
Moor Nook Park is in Sale Moor opposite Sale Moor High School. In two years a neglected park has become a cherished community asset and a focus for community events.
Find out more about how local people decided to make their local green spaces into something they are justifiably proud of https://www.facebook.com/moornookpark/
If you have any comments or suggestions about any of the above, please get in touch via the
CONTACT US page, we would be pleased to hear from you. Or contact your local councillor directly and copy us in.
Follow Altrincham & Bowdon Civic Society