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.
CHAIR & DEPUTY CHAIR ATTEND CIVIC VOICE WORKSHOP
Our Chair Judie and Deputy Chair Paulina attended a Civic Voice workshop in Wigan. They discussed with Ian Harvey and Sophie Miles of Civic Voice, the future outlook for Civic Societies.
BROOKS DRIVE Hale Barns
There has been a query about the possible illegal complete blocking off of the Hale Barns end of Brooks Drive. Queries are in with the relevant ward councillors. We understand it is a public right of way and there are covenants.
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.
GREATER MANCHESTER TRANSPORT STRATEGY
Andy Burnham has launched the Greater Manchester Transport Strategy. This will involve a franchise plan for buses returning them to local control and GM Rail replacing Northern on local trains.
MID CHESHIRE RAIL LINE INTRODUCE PENALTY FARES
From Sunday 30th June the Mid Cheshire line from Altrincham will introduce penalty fares. This means you must buy a ticket from the machines on platform 4 before you travel. If you can’t pay by card or phone there will be promissory notes to print out and present on the train. There will be revenue protection staff at stations and hopefully if you are struggling staff at Altrincham will be able to advise. Fines start at £20. For more CLICK HERE
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.
LATEST NEWSLETTER FROM SIR GRAHAM BRADY MP
To read it CLICK HERE
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.
NATIONAL TRUST DUNHAM FORUM EVENT
The National trust at Dunham is holding a series of events to look at how they can work with the local community.
They will be at Axe and Cleaver in Dunham on 25th July 12pm – 2pm where they’ll be happy to discuss issues, suggestions.
HS2
There will be a further consultation event on changes to HS2 route at St Peters Assembly Rooms in Hale on 12th July 2-8pm
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.
TONY COLLIER BEM
Altrincham and Bowdon Civic Society would like to congratulate Tony Collier on his British Empire Medal in the Queen’s Birthday Honour List. As a recipient of our own Don Bayliss Award for Civic Excellence we look upon him as one of our own.
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.
CYCLING RACE ‘TOUR OF BRITAIN’ WILL BE STARTING ITS FINAL STAGE IN ALTRINCHAM THIS YEAR.
On Saturday 14th September 2019 Britain’s largest professional cycling race will be starting its final stage in Altrincham. What a coup for the town!
The 103 mile final stage will probably start in the Oakfield Road car park or Stamford Park heading South towards Ashley. The Civic Society will provide marshals for the event similar to what we did to support the Manchester Marathon. If you are able to lend a hand as a marshal, or just as an Altrincham Host, then please contact the Civic Society using the Contact link on this website. Join in if you can as it promises to great occasion.
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/
RIBA NORTH WEST AWARD WINNERS 2019
The RIBA awards have just been announced. Alder Hey Children’s Hospital Liverpool was visited by us for a day’s workshop and is a truly amazing building. Interesting to compare with Manchester’s. Our Chair Judie is a Civic Trust judge and two of the sites visited won RIBA awards-Ordsall Chord for Network Rail and Mustard Tree which helps the homeless in Manchester. Let’s hope Altrincham wins something soon.
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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.
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