Campaign To Keep The Arndale Clock

[mez]

theve built the new springhill school on it doug, cant say im happy, but still//

[WillowTheWhisp]

Originally Posted by mez

theve built the new springhill school on it doug, cant say im happy, but still//

The land always belonged to the education authority did it not? The fact that nothing had been built there for years lulls people into a possibly false sense of public ownership. I think Doug may mean the bit which isn't enclosed by the school fence. I'm sure the little angels would love the challenge of trying to climb up it considering they have already managed to climb over the "child proof" fence.

[Doug]

Originally Posted by WillowTheWhisp

The land always belonged to the education authority did it not? The fact that nothing had been built there for years lulls people into a possibly false sense of public ownership. I think Doug may mean the bit which isn't enclosed by the school fence. I'm sure the little angels would love the challenge of trying to climb up it considering they have already managed to climb over the "child proof" fence.

Sorry willow. I was off thread actually; I was having a jab at Mez who doesn’t appear to want that fine example of modernist art in her own neck of the woods...

Seriously, it needs to be placed in an area of interest and fit in with its surroundings, not an easy task looking at it.

I support KIPAX in his efforts and I agree that this subject needs a change of Thread supported by willows Photographs, so that those that don’t know what we are on about can see the work. A little more support from the membership who lives in the town would also be an advantage should those nice People on the council (who may have an interest in reviewing or monitoring the site) know that it is a serious attempt to rectify the mismanagement of public property.….

[Doug]

For the record can I ask where the local interest groups are in all this? I mean the likes of the:

Local Historical Society.

Local architectural/arts groups

Conservationists.

Tourism junkies

Heritage Societies/interests groups.

Tealelf…..

[KIPAX]

Greg Pope MP is now also on the case. He says he is going to look into it as he also misses the clock.

So we have the Observer and the local MP on the case... No reply from the FAX to the arndale manager...

We might actually get somewhere eh

[Doug]

Not to push my look too far……Can we not get all the interested parties together and push Hyndburn for a heritage centre so that public property of local and national interest can preserved, protected and displayed for all those with an interest in local heritage. Like all those past industries that have gone and left no mark other than those memories, which I might add are going unrecorded and passing into obscurity with each turning year. It as taken 86 years to mark our respects on a town centre memorial to the Pals and the East Lancs. Regiment. How long before will it take us to preserve what little is left. By the way Old Churches make good locations for local interest collections.

[Ceejache]

Can the Observer and the local MP also get on the case of the Broadway pavement and the decline of Accy town centre into a commercial ghost town and the state of the towns 'ghetto' areas?!

If you're really serious about all this then may I suggest a petition - and where better place to gather signatures than the clocks original home. You could even get some serious number of names at the gate at Stanley...or even at half time eh?

[Doug]

Extremely good point....I do believe that a formal get together my be in order to cerement our support for this and other projects of importance as Mr Ceejache makes clear….

Also if we are to sustain this effort some local assistance for KIPAX wouldn’t go a miss…

[KIPAX]

Its the clock only... The first step is to find out if there are any plans for it... Then based on that info everyone concerned can express there wishes as to what should be done.. Whats the point in collecting names and having a petition ? What for we dont even know whats happening yet..

This thread is about the clock and above would seem to be a reasonable plan of action to start with.. ie gather info.

If you want to start somehting else then go ahead and start a new thread.. This ones about the clock and anyhting else will just cloud the issue dont you think? lets walk not run

[WillowTheWhisp]

Originally Posted by KIPAX

lets walk not run

Agreed. If we succeed with this then we can start to look if there's anything else. Mighty oaks and little acorns and all that.

Tongue firmly in cheek - if Cannon St Baptist Church is up for grabs we could all chip in and buy it, turn it into a museum of Accy Antiquity and have the clock in the foyer.

[Doug]

Fair point my friend and well put…….I do tend to ramble on, but I heard so much about lost heritage and seen little done.

The clock it is….

[Tealeaf]

Well, I’ll be serious for a change.

Wherever the Arndale Clock is to go, it makes sense that it has to work as it was designed to work; otherwise, it’s just a shiny round thing stuck on top of a pole with no use and of limited artistic merit. For this to happen, it needs to stay in a protective environment, either indoors or outside with a closed protective canopy to exclude the elements. Rain would probably shut the clock mechanism down within a few hours. A closed canopy would destroy the effect, however, so that leaves placing it indoors.

So what place is suitable? The Market Hall is firm favourite….but remember this is a Grade II Listed building….it is highly unlikely that English Heritage would allow a late 20c piece of mechanical pop-art to be re-sited within the environs of this rare surviving, classic Victorian Market Hall…..ditto, the Town Hall.

There’s not much left, is there? The Sports Centre, possibly? Can anyone think of a spot within there that would be suitable? The Globe Centre? No, not after the council has just blown 30 grand on a monument to it’s own stupidity right outside the building.

One place I can think of…..unfortunately, at the moment there’s a pretty horrible, tatty, overpriced café on the spot, charging 2 quid a brew. Would you believe it? And would you believe that some people are daft enough to pay that price as well…all for some brown muck served in a paper cup. Well, maybe if people come to their senses they’ll stop chucking their money away (after all, we’ve got the council to do that for us)…the café will shut….what a perfect place to put a clock!. It’s as though that little dome above was almost designed for the job.

[Doug]

Originally Posted by WillowTheWhisp

Agreed. If we succeed with this then we can start to look if there's anything else. Mighty oaks and little acorns and all that.

Tongue firmly in cheek - if Cannon St Baptist Church is up for grabs we could all chip in and buy it, turn it into a museum of Accy Antiquity and have the clock in the foyer.

That’s one hell of a Tongue willow, Lets be careful what we wish for. There is local and European money up for grabs for that very reason. It just takes a reasonable effort led by the local heritage councillor….

[WillowTheWhisp]

Hmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm ?

[KIPAX]

I read it dead quick and thought he said buy a church and turn it into a chippy