Improvements to Memorial Park Entrance

[MCC Executive Committee]

Have a look at Marple Highwaywatch. '>

[admin]

Work on the entrance to Memorial Park should have started today - has anyone noticed if it did?

Click here for a PDF with more details, including information about the improvement works currently being planned for Market Street and Derby Way.

[admin]

<font color='#000000'>The project to create a memorial to Samuel Oldknow has been on the back burner for a while following the set-back of learning that the marble plaque in All Saints' is not suitable for outdoor use. However, it has been suggested by Marple Community Council that the plaque could be housed inside a purpose built weatherproof structure, behind plate glass, to protect it from rain, frost and vandalism. We think this is a great idea and one that should enable the project to regain its momentum.

We believe that the next step is to try and develop a suitable design for the weatherproof structure and determine the best location for it to be positioned in the park. Due to the limited availability of funds for projects such as this we need find a way to create a design at minimal, if not zero, cost.
We would therefore like to appeal for any ideas that local people may have regarding this and hope to find someone with suitable skills to be able to help produce a design that can be costed and put forward for Area Committee approval. Perhaps an architectural student who needs to find a practical project to undertake as part of their studies, or a local architect or engineer with sufficient interest in preserving Marple's heritage to offer their services for free.
If you are such a person, or if you have any comments and ideas to offer regarding this matter, please get in touch with us at samoldknow@marple-uk.com, leave a message here, or phone Peter on 0161 / Mark on 0161 427 4955.

For anyone wishing to give this some thought, the memorial plaque's dimensions are: 1500mm high (1800mm including mounting feet) x 1300mm wide x approximately 200mm deep.</font>

[admin]

We were pleased to learn that All Saints' Parochial Church Council met last week and voted unanimously for Oldknow's plaque to be released for use as a public memorial. This decision will have to be approved by the Chester Diocese and an application for a faculty - giving permission for its release - will need to be made.

We also learnt that the marble from which the plaque is carved is not suitable for outdoor use in this country, as it is not frost-proof. This is a blow to our initial plan of placing it at the entrance to Memorial Park but certainly not an end to the idea of creating a memorial to Samuel Oldknow.

The Church Council are still prepared, subject to a faculty being granted, to release the plaque for public display if a suitable interior location can be agreed. They are also happy to permit a replica to be created, providing the process does not damage the original.

The responses to the consultation in the library were reported to the Marple Area Committee on Tuesday 25 February and the idea of a memorial to Oldknow was very well received. The committee were asked to note and comment on the report and the suggestions made by those who had responded to the questionnaire. The report presented to the committee can be viewed from the campaign update page on the main site. Once the minutes of the meeting are available we will endeavor to provide a link to these too.

There are now two lines of enquiry to pursue. A suitable indoor location where Oldknow's plaque can be viewed by the public needs to found and the possibilities of creating a replica, or brand new memorial, for placing in a prominent outdoor location, also need to be investigated. We would welcome any ideas and suggestions on these issues, especially if there is anyone out there who can give practical advice on creating a replica by making a mould from the existing plaque.

Many thanks to Stockport Express and Times reporter Lisa Cooper for picking up on our ideas and giving support to the campaign in the local papers.

[alison]

Oh yes Norris I quite agree. Its so behind the times.

Unlike other more modern cinemas, when I go and pay my money at the Regent I only get to listen to one film. its far better value at the UGC in Stockport where I can watch one film, listen to the one next door, and if I am very lucky I can also listen to the music blaring out of 'central square' at the same time.

Plus those seats at marple are just far too comfy, and the place is far too clean. I really think it detracts from the full cinema experience. Oh and the staff are too polite as well, i think a little surlyness adds to the atmosphere, as do a few drunken punters, a couple of fights and maybe a mobile phone conversation or two. And I really object to not being completely ripped off due to the lack of extortianately priced 'concession' stands.

Yes, lets knock down all the few remaining independant cinemas and embrace the corporate culture

;-)

[Norris]

How about knocking down the old 1950's throwback cinema? Surely that is practically redundant!!

[admin]

The proposals for the improvements to Memorial Park Entrance, and the feedback received as a result of the consultation in the library, will be reviewed by the Marple Area Committee on Wednesday 19 February.

The meeting is held upstairs in Marple Library and will start at 6.00 pm.

[John]

No, as you are quite aware, you are not being silly.
A lot of thought and money would be required to make a proper job of things. We have been presented with a scheme which is claimed to improve the entrance, but is probably the only scheme affordable and will simply paper over the cracks.

[alastair]

AM I being silly I would suggest that the supermarket is actually an integral part of the overall structure of buildings along the Hollins not to sure about that though!!  Would mean a lot of complaints from the residents who live in the flats there...

Still cant see the council knocking it down because that would mean they would have to buy it off the coop

[John]

I've seen the plans, and it seems such a shame that the Council can't be more adventurous.
There is a supermarket which has become even more of an eyesore since it closed. There's the brick wall around the Co-op car park which is crumbling away (wrong type of brick?).....another eyesore. Surely, the supermarket and the far side of the car park would be perfect for the new park entrance and the current road entrance could be lanscaped over. This would not only save mature trees, but new planting could be added.
What a compromise.....the trees don't get cut down and the council could still have their arty-farty trees, bollards and lamposts.

[alastair]

I know we seem to have failed miserably with the use of the Jolly Sailor as a Community Centre. What about going for the reduntant Supermarket and rejunavating that area.

[Barbara]

The best way to improve the visual approach to the Park would be to demolish the redundant supermarket - but I do know this is unrealistic!!  There are some good ideas in the plans, and it will be interesting to see them come to fruition.

[Denisea]

Went and viewed the plans in the library.  They were very nice but I did have one objection which I put on one of the questionnaires provided.  The proposal is to cut down the mature trees at the entrance to the park.  I personally hate to see trees cut down and don't believe that the removal of these trees will enhance the entrance and could detract from it.  Any root damage by these trees will have happened many years ago and removing the trees could cause more damage than leaving them.  The plan is to put in smaller trees but small trees have a habit of losing their tops - I can't think how this happens!  The idea is to open up the entrance to the park so that it can be seen from the road and thus be more inviting to visitors.  I'm not sure that that is a good enough excuse for cutting the trees down.  It is what is in the park that attracts visitors not the view into it.  I like the paving plans but think that a few adjustments would enable the council to incorporate the large trees that are already there.  They could then spend the money saved by not cutting the trees down on improving the flower beds on the approach to the council offices.  Especially those in front of the Senior Citizens Hall which are a disgrace.  

The questionnaire also asked what improvements could be made that haven't been mentioned.  I said that another piece of equipment in the toddlers play area would be good.  The old pond area has plenty of room for something else.  

When I was talking to a friend about the park she mentiond that something like Bruntwood Park's play equipment would be great.  That would certainly be an improvement to the older children's play area and would attract loads of visitors.

It would be nice for the Council to get something right for a change in its bid to 'improve' Marple.

[admin]

We've now included more details about our ideas regarding a Memorial to Samuel Oldknow on the main site. If you can manage to get down to the library on Monday and fill out a form saying you support this it would be really great.

It would also be nice to see your views on these ideas here, so please tell us what you think.

Click here to se the details.......

[admin]

Plans for improvements to the entrance of Memorial Park are available for viewing in the library until 4th February and there are forms and a box allowing members of the public to make comments on the proposals.

The Marple Website, Peter Clarke and I, would like to see a memorial or monument to Samuel Oldknow erected as part of these improvements. If any of you would support this, please add your comments to the box in the library and say so.

Thanks in anticipation.......