If field gets swallowed under concrete those responsible will never be forgiven
Like many people in Spalding, I feel that building anything on the Sir Halley Stewart Field is completely wrong.
This field is supposed to have been left in trust for the people of the town to use for leisure. It isn’t the council’s to sell, or am I wrong in that assumption?
Do we really need another development of faceless retail ‘sheds’, which is certainly what would be built if development went ahead? I don’t think so.
I do agree that Spalding United need a proper, modern ground, and a new one on the edge of town with modern facilities, car parking and access is exactly what is required.
I’ve always thought that the Halley Stewart has been wasted by being used only for football. Its location in the town centre deserves much greater inclusion of the people of Spalding.
In my opinion the best use of the field would be to knock down the walls on King’s Road and Winfrey Avenue and open it up as a public park with footpaths, borders, lawns and trees just like the parks that most towns have.
It should be made an open and attractive place to wander around and relax in. That way everyone could enjoy it and visitors would see an attractive feature rather than oppressive walls.
The council probably want to make money out of this valuable asset, and in doing so risk robbing the town of this irreplaceable space forever. If it gets swallowed up underneath concrete, it’ll be gone forever and those responsible will never be forgiven.
Justin Dearnley
Wedgewood Drive
Spalding.
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Weather for Spalding
Friday 25 May 2012
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Comments
There are 5 comments to this article
Page 1 of 1
CampaigningForSpalding
Tuesday, February 14, 2012 at 04:51 PM+1 on englishspaldings view
Mr Angry of Tonbridge
Tuesday, February 14, 2012 at 12:36 PMI agree with Mr Dearnley. Page 9 of today's Free Press has an article on the subject of shops. It says there are about a dozen empty ones, some of them being that way for months. Why build new retail outlets when the ones already available are left empty? I think the walls & buildings should be taken down, the grounds turned in to a park for people to relax in, and, perhaps have a place to buy tea, coffee, snacks and etc.
englishspalding
Monday, February 13, 2012 at 11:17 PMDear seamstress ------- you cannot move the Halley Stewart field. Many people are under the misconception that Spalding Utd FC own the field - they dont. For too long, it has been denied as a public place for the people of Spalding, like it was intended to be. I agree with the writer of this letter - open it up for a park. We have nothing compared to other places - Boston has a lovely park and play area in the town centre, why cant we? Ayscoughfee is OK but not in the middle of town. And why would we want to have more shop units? Fill the empty shops first, make the town centre a better place to go. We dont need an Asda, Tescos or whoever .
douglasdickens
Monday, February 13, 2012 at 01:28 PMI agree with the views expressed in the letter. I find it incredible that the council have to maintain this ground given the Football Club only pay a peppercorn rent for the sole use of the facility should they not have had a repairing clause in the original contract.? Has anyone ever checked to see if this was done before using our council tax?
seamstress
Monday, February 13, 2012 at 08:38 AMWell once again such negativity, I think that the town should be redeveloped as with the rising cost of fuel and the risk of the town becoming a ghost town this is a much needed regeneration of the town. Hopefully like it being given a new heart. Why do people always think the Council are going to make money they are like any other business they need to balance their books and if it means that the Sir Halley Stewart has to move and the revenue made from the developer goes into a regenerated park at the castle and other play areas round the town and the new football facility on the edge of town without the council having to dip into public funds thats got to be a plus. Its already been reported that it cost £30,000 on maintenance and still it looks tired and depressed, if you look round people are not still riding round in their 90 year old cars or living in their 90 year old houses without them being regenerated so I think its time the town did the same.
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