Revolution Sk8 Squad: Project- Skate Park - 12/06/08
The first stage of a new and exciting youth project is well underway. The Revolution Skate Squad, a community youth group based in South Yarmouth, worked for months to organise a ’Skate Demo Day’ for local residents in the area. The committee, aged between 8 and 15 years, officially formed at the beginning of the year due to frustrations at the lack of affordable teenage facilities in the South Yarmouth area.
Youngsters on the new skateboard park
Recent research conducted through the ’Comeunity’ Neighbourhood Management programme highlighted that around 70% of residents believe there are not enough facilities for young people in the South Yarmouth area, and the teenagers felt the same. The ’Comeunity’ Forum, formerly the South Yarmouth Community Partnership, also held wider community consultation around facilities in general, which resulted in similar responses.
After taking the matter into their own hands, the Revolution Skate Squad decided to hold the event as the first step in their project to develop their dream of a skate park facility in the area. The fun day focused around a temporary skate park facility, hired in by the group after accessing a ’Comeunity’ Builder Grant. The fully insured and professional facility was open during the day on a Saturday 7th June at the St. Nicholas Recreation Ground, South Beach Parade. Despite grey skies and looming rainclouds over 100 young people, families and local residents attended the 5 hour event which was open for skating, rollerblading and BMX-ing. There were 2 competitions, one for skaters and one for BMX riders, with prizes ranging from stickers and T-shirts, to a helmet and a brand new skateboard. Even those who were not into extreme sports, were still encouraged by the group to come along, see what it was all about and express their opinions on the ideas that the group have to develop a skate facility on the site. Tony Wright MP said, "I was brought up in the area and I’m very happy to support the initiative of the young people and wish them every success".
Youngsters on the new skateboard park
The day was a great success and results from the group’s questionnaire, administered by them on the day, clearly show support from all age groups for the development for a permanent facility on the site. Revolution Skate Squad have now got a huge job on their hands, and they have already started working on the next stage of their project.
If you would like to become more involved in developing the skate-park project, the group is currently recruiting adults (especially those living in the immediate area) to form a ’Steering Group’ to support the developments of their work. They are also happy for any young people, who are passionate about having a skate-park and would like to be involved, to come along and see what it is all about. For more information, contact the Revolution Skate Squad, at the Neighbourhood Centre, 143 King Street.
Local Residents Decide on Environmental Improvements - 29/04/08
The Community Partnerships for South and part of Central Yarmouth have merged to create the Comeunity Forum; creating a mechanism for local residents to have a say and influence the decisions that directly effect them.
Over 60 people attended the meeting held at St James Church, Admiralty Road on 29th April, including 41 local residents. The theme of the meeting was waste and recycling and residents plotted potential locations for much needed glass and communal recycling facilities, along with areas of concern from an enviro-crime point of view. The issues are to be fed into the Comeunity Pride Working Group, which will in turn work with other partners to provide a direct response and propose some sustainable solutions.
Members of the public attending a Community Partnership meeting at St James Church
The forum includes a quarterly coming together of residents and other stakeholders, but also a series of street events and activities to engage those residents in local decision making, who may not traditionally engage. Community Development Worker, Holly Notcutt who is employed by Community Connections and works as part of the Comeunity Programme suggested "we wanted to make a direct link between issues that residents raise and action on the ground. This alignment between partnerships and a range of different engagement methods ensures that the Comeunity Programme had help to align its delivery with the needs of a wider cross-section of residents. We are really encouraged by the number and range of residents to turn out to this event."
For those residents who were unable to attend one of the Comeunity Forum events, the team are pleased to have your input either via the on-line Comeunity Forum or via the CLIP at The Neighbourhood Centre.
The Arrival of an Ancient Tree helps turn a Grey Space Green - 28/04/08
A 170 year old tree trunk from Sheringham Park was delivered to Peggotty Road Community Centre, by crane on Monday 28th April as part of the third Grey 2 Green scheme to be delivered by the Comeunity Programme.
The arrival caused quite a spectacle with the closure of the adjacent Admiralty Road. The crane was ‘donated’ to do the work, together with skilled operatives, by Guardline Marine Services subsidiary Richardsons Dry Dock in Gt Yarmouth. Guardline have one of their main offices just opposite the Centre and have been great supporters of the work of the Centre in the past.
Delivery of a 170 year old tree trunk to the Peggorty Road Centre
The tree trunk was a special gift from the National Trust Sheringham Park who had to fell the tree when it became diseased. The tree was a 70ft high 170year old Sweet Chestnut which was probably part of the original Repton designed landscape in this lovely parkland in North Norfolk. Keith Zealand (Property Manager for the Trust) said that "the Trust was very pleased that a tree which had been a significant feature of a Norfolk Park should become a special feature of a new Norfolk community garden where it will be appreciated now that it could no longer be a part of the Park".
The work to regenerate the area around the Centre has been initiated by the local community and Peggotty Road Community Association and supported by the Comeunity Neighbourhood Management Programme as part of the Grey 2 Green project. Local residents and users of the Community Centre have participated in a series of community planning events to design an improved greener surround to the Community Centre on Great Yarmouth’s Barrack Estate. The Peggotty road projects is the latest in a series of Grey 2 Green schemes aimed to revitalise run-down and forgotten open spaces in South and Central Yarmouth. The schemes have received specialist design assistance from landscape architects Chris Yardley and Mike Brackenbury.
The work to install both the tree trunk and the majority of the garden is being conducted by GYB Services. Some of the garden planting will be carried out by members of the community and it is hoped to undertake a special planting day on 24th May with children who use the Centre in conjunction with the BBC Springwatch programme who will come to film the event.
Middlegate Community Association - 19/02/08
The Middlegate Commuity Association has appointed a new Board. The Chairman is Bob Powles, Vice Chairman John Donovan and Secretary Jamie McGarrity . The Treasurer is Michael Blank.
A meeting of the Association is planned for Tuesday 13th May, 1300-1500. THe main issue is residents' parking. The meeting is to be held in the Library Lecture Hall. All local residents are invited.
