Re: Rhyddings Park Lottery Grant
 

That's excellent news Neil.

Re: Rhyddings Park Lottery Grant
 

How come the press knew about it before the Friends of Rhyddings Park?


It doesn't sound very democratic, or even as the council's spin doctors called it, giving the power to the people, if HBC informed the radio and press before they did the Friend's group.

Re: Rhyddings Park Lottery Grant
 

I don't want to comment on that point just yet except to say we are still waiting to officially find out what is happening.

I would not expect to see any actual ground works start until the end of 2007. Maybe even later if the application is returned for extra infomation like stage one was a couple of times. As I said above this was not down to HBC but the funding body. It is a slow process with no way to speed it up.

Re: Rhyddings Park Lottery Grant
 

Although it is good news that this might eventually come off. The million pound might not stretch very far, if fifty grand isn't enough to secure the park at night times.

They could build say, a sensual garden for less sighted and disabled people, a maze, make the paths safe, improve the drainage, and replant the empty flower beds etc., but without pledging long term investment for continuous upkeep and maintainance, it will soon be in the same sorry state again as it is now.

Re: Rhyddings Park Lottery Grant
 

Another positive point for the park is that part of the project will be to employ a full time park keeper. This is a separate grant that can be applied for if the main one is successfull.
This was mentioned in the original HBC meetings about the park and the lottery grant over a year ago now.

Re: Rhyddings Park Lottery Grant
 

That's great information, thanks.

Re: Rhyddings Park Lottery Grant
 

Re: Rhyddings Park Lottery Grant
 

No, in case you move back, and want to live in it.:D

Re: Rhyddings Park Lottery Grant
 

I like the bit about consulting with local residents.:) Better than hving some pea brained scheme thrust upon them from on high and then having nothing but grumbles about it afterwards.

Re: Rhyddings Park Lottery Grant
 

I can imagine there will be some of those anyway Willow. Probably by people who did not get involved when they had the chance.

Re: Rhyddings Park Lottery Grant
 

Good job there are others, the lazy arses can rely on then.:D

Re: Rhyddings Park Lottery Grant
 

I'm confused and wonder if you know the answer to this one Neil.

I saw the lovely picture of you and our glorious leader in the paper announcing the £50k and then further on in the paper I saw the article about the £500k that is being applied for on behalf of all 11 parks.

Can you clarify the situation - are they part of the same bid?

Re: Rhyddings Park Lottery Grant
 

Did anyone notice in last week's (or it might have been the week before) the article in the Observer about Rhyddings Park. It was in the 5 years ago section and said that Rhyddings Park had been awarded some money (think it was £10k) to do a consultation with the local people about what they wanted in the park.

Clearly nothing happened at the time and it all went quiet until the Friends of Rhyddings Park group was set up a year ago. I wonder what happened to the consultation at the time - anyone know?

Re: Rhyddings Park Lottery Grant
 

Nice picture.

At first I thought it was the Observer's first civil union photograph.:D

Re: Rhyddings Park Lottery Grant
 

No they are not. I am not 100% on the other bid, I will try and find out though.

I think it was longer than 5 years, maybe it was 10. HBC did apply for a HLF grant for Rhyddings at that time. If you look at the lottery grants awarded to Hyndburn on the lottery web site it shows the amount awarded and the date (I think I showed you a copy of it when you filled that grant application form in for us). They got the 1st stage as we have just done again. Unfortuneatly it was rejected at the second stage that time.

This time we are hoping to be succesfull all the way. As far as I am aware, this time the HLF approached HBC suggesting they applied for a grant for Rhyddings Park again. That in itself is quite promising but, no matter what you read or hear about the grant it is by no means a dead cert. There is a lot of hard work to be done by everyone involved to make sure we are successful this time.