howard mcsweeney1- Location: Dover
- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 62,352
i went through connaught park in april and it was bereft of people despite it being a nice day.
the newish play area was busy but that was it, the tennis courts were being used for a game of football and the pond had "concrete me over" written all over it.
looks to me like the usual game of run a facility down so that no-one goes near it, then close it through "lack of use".
maxton play area springs to mind.
Guest 641- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 2,335
On a serious note, I do think our local reps behave with scandalous neglect regarding Dover and our environment.
Guest 703- Registered: 30 Jul 2010
- Posts: 2,096
Bringing this one to the top as the discussion has drifted off into the thread about the Folkestone water feature.
Tom has posted a link to an article in the Mercury
http://www.kentonline.co.uk/east_kent_mercury/news/2012/may/16/new_water_feature_for_dover.aspx but this doesn't describe the new fountain. The print article says -
The lower pool will be covered - WHAT!! - to form a central podium so the fountain can be switched off during events. WHY? - apparently to provide a stage or a viewing platform for a few folks to watch the big screen.
The existing fountain will be removed and replaced by four bubbler jets and a larger central jet - sounds like a cross between a drinking water fountain and what we used to get up to as kids in the communal urinal.
In the other thread Sue says "There are drawings around " - as far as I know none have been made public (welcome to be corrected if I'm wrong) and not wanting to deliberately upset a friend but I think that is a pretty dire response.
Usually with a project like this you would expect lots of pre and after decision publicity on the design - if it's that good can we see it, if we can't then the cynical old git in me is thinking there's something to hide.
I've tried to look at the town council website to check if there are any details but there is just a holding page from Invicta IT Solutions on behalf of their client - haven't they paid the bill
All I can find on the DDC website is an allocation of £70,000, and a mention in the Dover Town Centre Centre Conservation Area Character Appraisal, which has some pretty damning comments overall, of the current fountain
http://www.dover.gov.uk/PDF/DoverTownCentre.pdfJan Higgins
- Location: Dover
- Registered: 5 Jul 2010
- Posts: 13,895
An interesting read Ray, I have picked out the following points.
"10.3. The planting is limited to a number of tall wooden planters that contain
nondescript planting that has the air of neglect."
"10.5. Despite these negative issues, Dover Town Centre remains a vibrant and
important commercial centre, "
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I try to be neutral and polite but it is hard and getting even more difficult at times.
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howard mcsweeney1- Location: Dover
- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 62,352
the dtc website was out of action when i tried earlier, the fountain/water feature is a done deal, perhaps we should concentrate our efforts on saving the bandstand?
they were talking about its future a while back.
howard mcsweeney1- Location: Dover
- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 62,352
closed again this afternoon, is this the final curtain or just closed in advance of tomorrows big dance event?
Guest 640- Registered: 21 Apr 2007
- Posts: 7,819
Oh no not again...oh I'm twigging. The Opera thing is on tonight. Only for those willing to freeze their assets for the love of their art..
Well its a great shame to see the fountain like that when there is no need. The screen has a lot to answer for. It looks to me as its part of the ongoing excuse. "lets shut it down permanently, its too much hassle, too much cost"..but Im suspicious of this. It looks like an excuse...It used to flow there through demos and all sorts.
It does NOT have to be a done deal re its closure. As long as the structure is still in place. The local politicians can do a u-turn...u-turns are fashionable at the moment, even in the higher echelons of political society. The cohorts at No 10 are in a near permanent swivel.
Take a look again all ...at the earlier photos, particularly the ones in post 24 from Scotchie, politicans stripped all that away...yes they did. They did more damage than....well I'll stop there.
Howard i dont think too many people could get excited about the Pencester Band Stand. Tourists dont stand beside it wanting to be photographed, our own kids dont stand beside it splashing and getting their picture taken for years and years, it hasnt become an iconic image of the town with a Castle backdrop, it hasnt become the central focus of this part of town. No the bandstand has been largely ignored so why would anyone care. Not me anyway...even though when it was built Doverweb at the time paid for one of the paving slabs if Im remembering right.
Guest 703- Registered: 30 Jul 2010
- Posts: 2,096
Looking like a building site again - great!
The argument about it having to be shut down because of the noise it makes drowning out the screen which would have to be turned up for events is ridiculous - it would make sense if it was in a quiet park with no other noise, but in the Market Square unless you're right up against it you can't here the nosie of the fountain for the noise of the traffic going past.
The councils are arguing that it's too expensive to keep this one going so are willing to spend £80,000 in total on a replacement - I wonder how many years of maintenance and repairs that would cover for the current one.
howard mcsweeney1- Location: Dover
- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 62,352
two points here paul, the contract has been signed for the purchase/installation of the new water feature so it really is game over.
secondly the bandstand should be pulsating during the summer months with concerts every sunday, deal's one has had a few concerts already and will continue throughout the season.
after a gap of many years we had a few excellent bands play on our bandstand on sunday afternoons but hardly anyone turned unless they were walking close by and heard the music.
if they were advertised better there would be excellent turnouts.
finally if we lose the bandstand events such as armed forces weekend would not be able to have any entertainment.
Guest 641- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 2,335
I still am bamboozled as to why DDC now turn off the fountain every time there is an event on?
Thats what its there for! It is a meeting point, an attraction which draws tourists & bystanders into the town centre for gawds sake!
A contract can be cancelled before any work is done, its a draft of paper which can be torn up.
The bandstand comes into its own only during the summer band season, there is nothing stopping the council putting up a temporary stage for that period, if you want an old-style bandstand put it where its supposed to be, on the seafront
Jan Higgins- Location: Dover
- Registered: 5 Jul 2010
- Posts: 13,895
If the contract has been signed it might cost a lot of money to cancel now, it all depends on the wording in the contract.
Talking of contracts how long do we have to put up with the big screen that should never have been put there in the first place. If we had to have that monstrosity it would have been better on the edge of Pencester by the car park, at least you could sit on the grass if need be.
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I try to be neutral and polite but it is hard and getting even more difficult at times.
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howard mcsweeney1- Location: Dover
- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 62,352
barry
the bandstand cost a lot of money to build and has the history of dover on all the paving slabs, so why knock it down then pay for temporary seating?
it is another symptom of dover's decline if we let it go without putting up a fight.
the sea front fountains, the old town gaol and now the market square fountain - the connaught park water feature will be next unless we make a stand over the bandstand(excuse the pun).
jan is right about the contract, we haven't seen the small print.
Guest 653- Registered: 13 Mar 2008
- Posts: 10,540
As I'm not a Cabinet member and the only Dover Town area Conservative Councillor (apart from Nigel who is a Cabinet member) I feel able to say that I support keeping the current fountain structure.
I know it is viewed as a nuisance as regards events in the Market Square as it has been decided that it must be turned off to save anyone hurting themselves and making a claim against DDC - it is also expensive to DDC for the contractors to turn it off and on and put up the security fencing.
But despite all the above, I support keeping the fountain - for itself and what it brings to the town, the residents and visitors.
Roger
Jan Higgins- Location: Dover
- Registered: 5 Jul 2010
- Posts: 13,895
Using what I perceive as DDC's reasoning the fountain should never be in use and permanently boarded up just in case someone hurts themselves. What has happened to common sense and the responsibility to look after oneself this excuse is madness.
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I try to be neutral and polite but it is hard and getting even more difficult at times.
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Guest 703- Registered: 30 Jul 2010
- Posts: 2,096
Absolutely Jan, a feeble and pathetic excuse for not making the most of it. If it is safe during normal times, the Saturday market even then it is just as safe during events, probaly safer even as these will be supervised to some extent.
Roger, glad to hear your support, could you find out who was responsible for making the decision?
Guest 653- Registered: 13 Mar 2008
- Posts: 10,540
It would have been a collective Cabinet decision Ray.
Roger
Guest 656- Registered: 13 Mar 2008
- Posts: 2,262
Great postings above 'Pro Fountain'
but it seems the dirty deed is almost done and dusted, another asset to be stripped out of Dover and right under our noses
Brian Dixon
- Location: Dover
- Registered: 23 Sep 2008
- Posts: 23,940
asset striping i have seen this before,during the thatcher years.
