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Dear Friends of Pittville,
It has been a while since I
published an eNewletter, having concentrated on the printed
version. I have also been busy with the camera and the results are posted on the website. Best wishes.
Ron Pattinson Local people asked for views as council unveils Master Plan for Pittville Detailed proposals to improve Pittville Park & Estate have now been unveiled by Cheltenham Borough Council and local people are being encouraged to comment on the plans. The council is making a £4 million bid to the Heritage Lottery Fund which, if successful, will bring dramatic improvements to the park.
Rosemary Mansbridge, project management officer for Cheltenham Borough Council, said: “This is a really important stage of our bid preparation, as we need to know what local people really think about some of the proposals. Between now and the end of July we will be using every opportunity - through our website, the regional media and face-to-face contact with community groups and local residents - to gather opinion. This will shape our stage one application to the Heritage Lottery Fund which has to be submitted in September.” Rosemary added: “This is our one and only opportunity to bid for money through the Parks for People programme, which draws to a close in the autumn. We’re in an extremely competitive situation, and will be up against some keen bids from many other towns in the country. I can’t stress enough how much we value the views and comments of local people, as the strength of their support could swing the success of our bid one way or the other.”
The proposals include: restoring the external stonework of the Grade 1 listed pump room and much of the historic garden; extending and refurbishing the existing children’s play areas with modern play equipment; creating a new ‘hang out’ space for older children and teenagers; and relocating the skate park to the current disused cricket hall, creating an all-weather facility (this would be a covered structure but without walls). The local community will be asked for their input on designs for a proposed new community gardens along the southern boundary of the Agg Gardner recreation ground, a bridge across the lower lake, and the new entrance from St Paul's into Pittville Park. At the same time, a detailed plan will be prepared as part of the bid to ensure that resources are available to maintain and manage the park’s historical landscape, character and setting following the restoration. Cllr. Paul Massey, cabinet member for sustainability, says: "This is an exciting scheme. Not only will these plans improve the park’s facilities, they will significantly improve access at the St Paul’s end of the park and give older children and teenagers more things to do. I’m pleased that the other parties on the council have joined us in backing this bid.” Friends Chairman Tony Mason adds: “We are absolutely delighted that the Heritage Lottery Fund project has successfully reached this final stage of defining the areas of development in Pittville Park. We like to think that our contributions in both working groups and on the Project Board over the last year has had a positive influence in identifying the areas, which our members’ survey highlighted as priorities; many of these now appear in this final draft master plan. We look forward to continuing our active support for this project until its successful conclusion.” To see the master plan, visit www.friendsofpittville.org/news.aspx to link to the document, or www.cheltenham.gov.uk. You can send your comments directly to rosemary.mansbridge@cheltenham.gov.uk We will have a tent with a display board in the Park on the weekend 5th / 6th July. We can explain where we are with the HLF bid process. Come along and talk to us. You will also be able to give us your feedback and thoughts on the Master Plan. Website Galleries As part of my participation in the project Working Groups, I have been taking photographs around the Pittville area trying to match the exact viewpoint as old postcards to show how the Park has changed and deteriorated over the years. In addition, I photographed some of the blots on the Pittville landscape. These can now be viewed as slide shows at www.friendsofpittville.org/gallery.aspx. There are now 15 galleries covering the local area at www.friendsofpittville.org/gallery.aspx. and the two most recent ones, referred to above, can be seen here. See Past & Present, and the Blots! Past and Present
Local History Fiona Clarke, a Committee member and one of our representatives on the working groups for the HLF project, has completed the remainder of Steven Blake’s History of the Pittville estate. This can now be found on the Friends website at http://www.friendsofpittville.org/history2.aspx. Membership Fees *** Members are reminded that membership subscriptions are now due. Please return with your name, address and email address in the stamped addressed envelope which will be delivered to your door. This will cover the period until end of December 2009. Coffee & Cake in Pittville / St Paul’s Dandelion Cakes & Foods
Margaret continues to run her successful wedding and celebration cakes company, Dandelion Cakes, www.dandelioncakes.co.uk and told us about her association with St Paul's and Pittville. "My mother and father loved Pittville Park and brought my sister and me here as children. I remember kicking the leaves in the autumn. My father died in 2006 and with his legacy I opened my business in a place that meant so much to him - and me. I now take my grandchildren to the park and being there brings back happy memories of my childhood. Chocolate fudge cake was a favourite item when we ran the cafe; I taught Lee how to make it and it is still very popular. She and Tim also offer coffee and a range of other cakes"
Dandelion Cakes &
Foods, The Corner Shop, 11A St Paul's Road, Cheltenham GL50 4EP Membership Applications An on-line
membership application form can be downloaded from the website
at
www.friendsofpittville.org/docs/MembershipApplicationForm.pdf.
(See the link on the “Contact” page,
www.friendsofpittville.org/contact.aspx, under the
heading “Membership”). In the meantime, if you would like to know more, just
send an email to
enquiries@friendsofpittville.org. Come and join
the Friends and have a voice in the future of the Pittville Park.
Chairman
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chairman@friendsofpittville.org |
Margaret
Davies and her husband, Phil, ran Dandelion Cakes & Foods in St
Paul's Road for several months during 2007. Sadly they had to
sell the business because of ill health. But the name lives on,
with new owners, Tim and Lee Bright.