30 October 2010Scrubland becomes Riverside Retreat.
Earlier on Tuesday 2nd of November, 11am in fact, Mayor Sue Jones paid a visit to that piece of land between Morrison’s and the River Dour to declare it open as a Park for all. It was once just a piece of scrubland, but has now been cleaned up and remodelled, seats have been added too for comfort and attraction, so that the people of Dover can sit there enjoying the rolling river. No doubt it will become a great spot for summer lunchtime sandwiches. There are plans to further develop the experience by adding a selection of wild flowers to the site, daffodils, bluebells and so on, which will greatly add to the pleasure.
The land is actually owned by Netto but has now been given to the Dover Town Council under license as a community space, and was jointly developed by a number of interested bodies…
The Dover Town Council as mentioned
The River Dour Steering Group
The Dover District Council
The Environment Agency
and
The White Cliffs Countryside Project.
Mayor Sue Jones said:
“This was a great project for the Dover Town Council to do. This will now act as a catalyst to improve the immediate area around Charlton Green which is important as its on such a main route into town.”
The Pictures: Top shot shows some of the people who played a part in getting the space habitable for all, they came along today to be part of the opening ceremony as Mayor Jones prepares to cut the ribbon and declare it all open.
The picture on the left shows a very cautious Mayoress Ronnie Philpott worrying just exactly where the scissors is in relation to her fingers. Mayor Sue Jones has cut so many ribbons lately she is a touch scissor happy, and likely to cut anything put before her! Fortunately it all went to plan and only the ribbon was cut.
Another nice little plus day for Dover. PB.
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There'll be Blue Birds Over...the new Port of Dover....
Picture by Ian Lillford
This ace picture above by our roving forumite Ian Lillford captures that special moment. That moment in time when the legendary wartime singer and national icon, Dame Vera Lynn, arrived at Dover's Sea Sport Centre. She was accompanied by her daughter on the right and local MP Charlie Elphicke on the left, Charlie looking as proud as punch. He was delighted to have signed up such a big name for the official launch of his People's Port idea.
What of the event itself. Well approximately 80 or 90 people turned up to hear what it was all about. The publicity machine managed to secure notable publicity beforehand as the upcoming event was featured on the local television channels, but only after it was revealed to us all in the Dover Express on thursday. For some bizarre reason best known to Charlie and his organisers it was kept secret from this website.
According to reports and pictures (I wasnt able to be there myself but see our Forum) it seems to have been something of a ramshackle occasion, in that the 80 or 90 or so crowd, were forced to stand on the beach, there being no room for them at the Inn, in order to hear Mr Elphicke's launch speech. He addressed them from the rear balcony of the Sea Sports Centre as the gathered multitude all shivered in the brisk easterly breeze whipping in off the sea. Again according to reports, lots of niceties were said but once again no detail.. and you know what they say, the devil is in the detail, and no questions were allowed.
Now the People's Port is a nice idea. And the idea that everyone can join in for a Tenner (£10) is a nice idea. But all those nice ideas wouldnt raise more than a spit in a bucket cashwise. If 10,000 people here in Dover put a £10 tenner in as is often suggested, it would still only raise £100,000...next to nothing. Next to nothing even if each individual invested more. In other words the People of Dover would not be able to afford to buy their own Port. It would be up to those massive institutions in the City of London to raise the vast fortune needed ( some say £400,000,000 ) so who would really own it at the end of the day? You tell me.
Paul Boland
