Town Constable fights for Millennium Park funding
Friday 31st July 2009, 2:56PM BST.
Constable Simon Crowcroft
ST HELIER Constable Simon Crowcroft will fight ministerial plans to cut the funding for the Millennium Town Park.
He says that the States needs to keep the promises it made on the project which was first mooted 12 years ago and is planning an amendment to the 2010 Business Plan.
In the plan, lodged last week, ministers announced their intention to cut the remaining £7.5m that was meant to go towards the park project, but said it could be paid for by ‘planning gains’ instead.
But Mr Crowcroft – who took the 16,404-signature petition demanding the creation of the park to the States in 1997 – says that is not good enough.
‘It is time to deliver on the Millennium Town Park,’ he said.
• See Friday’s JEP for full story.
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I walked through the “MILLENIUM town park” before, its beautiful, dusty gravel carpark full of cars belonging to the rich. Its the kind of thing that will keep tourists coming back and back.
Come on, just build it, you have over a hundred million for a massively large incinerator, 10 million is nothing in comparison.
I’d like to suggest the idea that the reason the park is not yet built is that it has no benefit to the rich who generally don’t live in that area.
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which millennium might it be built in?
again they go back on promises
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With all the cuts in such areas as mental health funding, the Brook clinic etc etc I’m surprised Mr Crowcroft considers a town park more worthy of the ratepayers money. But then look how much time, effort and money has been wasted with this whole politicaly-correct James Street / Rua Funchal episode!
Perhaps Mr Crowcroft would like to address more important issues such as the cash handouts for the terminal alcoholics and drug-crazed welfare-funded layabouts currently populating the Parade Gardens, as these denizens of society will no doubt move into the new park upon its completion and thus make it a no-go area for the majority of decent folk.
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Well at least those states employees who are to made redundant because there’s not enough funds in their departments budgets to keep them on will have somewhere to go whilst they are unemployed and struggling to keep a roof over their heads!
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“…the terminal alcoholics and drug-crazed welfare-funded layabouts currently populating the Parade Gardens…will no doubt move into the new park upon its completion and thus make it a no-go area for the majority of decent folk.”
No chance, Tobias.
It’s too far from the hospital … and the Magistrates Court!
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well rome wasn’t built in a day and if the states had been involved it still wouldn’t have.
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This Park should be built,but not with money taken from childcare and social services, or the mentally ill.
As for the terminal alcoholics and drug crazed,welfare funded layabouts,how about some lateral thinking,and the setting up of proper facilities for these people using States property that is currently vacant and seeking a purpose?
And which incidently is currently costing a fortune to maintain as such!
Two such properties come to mind: Haute la Garenne as a state of the art alchohol and drug Rehab Centre, and the former Jersey College for Girls building as a state of the art Children’s (early Teens) Social Centre.
Both have gardens and are appropriately sited, the former well away from temptation, and the latter within easy reach of homes in town. Both have secure facilities such as enclosed grounds.
They could revive the tennis courts at the old JCG building and it has all those useful things such as a library and most probably an old computer room or two, and plenty of room for organised indoor activities and clubs?
As for the Park, how about employing some of the Parade individuals (If able), as well as some of the less dangerous occupants of La Moye to get the scheme underway?
They could be supervised by some of those construction industry people currently out of work, on a full-time States employed basis.
Sounds like resolving a number of issues using existing assets and monies set aside for just such a purpose to me?
Best of all for the taxpayer the result is something they can both see and get some benefit from for their money.
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Tobias (3) obviously can’t see any link between ‘terminal alcoholics and drug-crazed welfare-funded layabouts’ (sic) and the shortage of open space for families growing up in the most populated part of St. Helier. Access to a open space is vital for the physical and mental well being of children growing up in towns – the reason the town park hasn’t happened yet is 1) because most States Members live in the leafy rural parishes or beside the sea out east and west; 2) because the idea came from the then Deputy Stuart Syvret rather than from the establishment side of the States.
Tobias comment is also revealing because he takes the usual easy swipe at political correctness at the same time as talking about ‘terminal alcoholics and drug-crazed welfare-funded layabouts’ – I haven’t seen a better example of why we need to be reminded of the importance of how we describe other human beings; of why we should be encouraged not to denigrate people just because of where they come from, or their gender, age, mobility, etc.
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Actually my swipe at the terminal alcoholics and drug-crazed welfare layabouts currently living at the Parade was nothing to do with “where they come from, or their gender, age, mobility, etc.” it’s more to do with the fact people like myself are unable to take their children to the beautiful Parade Gardens and childrens playground without being subjected to the usual fighting, swearing and vomiting.
I was enquiring as to what Mr Crowcroft intended to do about the fact that the Town Hall regularly gives them cash, which goes directly to the nearest off-licence.
Surely even the most polically-correct people – who want to give these people more help – can see that we’re helping neither them nor ourselves by paying them to drink themselves into an early grave?
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Simon you,re quite right,keep fighting.
as you say because s.syvret suggested it,they don,t want to give him any credit.
about time something was done with this tip-end of town where i live.
I signed the petition along with all our immediate neighbours.
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If the park is on hold then why is Anne court coming down? It was reported that a new car park had to be built there to give parking to the new park, so if there is no new park, why a new car park.
Lets re develop anne court for the elderly as it was originally mean’t, we could even get a world renowned archhitect to design it for you Freddie!
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@ Simon #8.
Is it just your opinion that the park has not been built for the reasons you give, or do you have any inside knowledge?
I find it hard to believe either of the reasons you give are the real reason that no plan has been actioned.
More likely in my opinion is:
The cost of the park; at least a couple of million to build, and then at least £350,000 per year thereafter.
The planning issues; traffic in this area is very heavy, the areas surronding the proposed park are presently pretty shabby, being mostly the backs of private properties. How do you commercialise the park? allow these property owners to develope their properties to service the park? how, the planning department aren’t particularly capable of talking to private landowners in a constructive way, so you have stalemate.
The toxic ground; the ground is polluted. With the water running across the States owned land taking all manner of toxins south down Bath Street, how many private landowners and individuals would be alerted to this unseen promblem if the States were to disturb their land now? how much would the clean up and compensation cost? They’ve been taking water samples for years, how long until the area is flushed clean and they’re prepared to open the land (nevermind the problem they’ve flushed under their neighbours properties)
So Simon, unless you’ve got insider knowledge to back up your opinion, maybe you shouldn’t base it on your judgement of others, just because of where they come from, live or their level of income.
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