"Dig for Victory"

It's exciting times on Fortune Green! For some years the turf has been deteriorating badly and the least amount of rain has turned the north west section of the Green into a soggy swamp - a few years ago we had some ducks on it! The Friends of Fortune Green have been working on ways to improve the Green and have applied to various funding bodies to get the funds to do this next part of the work. To nearly everyone's surprise on digging down they found not the streams we had always suspected but a large WWII air-raide shelter. This has to be removed and filled in before the returfing could start  - it started today.

The battle will be won to improve the drainage on the Green but not before this hole has been completely excavated - its great fun to watch!

Meanwhile the Friends plan other improvements - heres an extract from their newsletter:

"The good news is that phase two of the renovation of Fortune Green is about to begin!  This will include excavating the remains of the WW2 air raid shelter then refilling and re-turfing the upper quadrant plus some 'spot' turf repairs elsewhere on the Green; two replacement noticeboards and one new one by the playground; a children's landscaped corner and a '2012' legacy running route.

The bad news is that this will cause some disruption and disturbance from now until Easter.  During this period the affected area of the Green will be fenced off.  Sorry for the inconvenience, but it will be worth it in the long term.

Your involvement will help make the project a success as it did with phase one.  So please make note in your diaries/calendars of the following dates; Sunday 3rd March (1 - 4pm ) to cut down the perennials and Saturday 16th March (also 1 to 4pm) planting." 

Camden's latest bright idea! Mobile catering in Parks

As Ward Councillors we have just received the following email from the Council :

"As you will be aware during 2011 and 2012 we trialled mobile catering concessions at Cantelowes Gardens; Kilburn Grange; Tavistock Square and Waterlow Park.  Over all the mobile catering concessions in parks and open spaces have had mixed success depending on the site but generally there has been positive feedback from the local community.  Income from mobile catering concessions has though been very low from £2,500 in 2011/12 to £4,350 in 2012/13. 

A barrier to the contract value has been the duration of the contracts and the scope of sites, limiting the potential for facilities to build up a customer base.  This year the parks and open spaces team are considering tendering licences across a broader range of parks and allowing successful providers to deliver a service from a pitch for 365 days a year during park opening times over a 3 year period with the potential for a 3 year extension following a performance and rent review.  In addition to this we are proposing to encourage social enterprises and community run organisations to tender, potentially favouring Contractors who can demonstrate social value and local benefit.

From Monday 18^th February to Sunday 31st March 2013 a survey will go live on the We Are Camden website asking for peoples opinion on this proposal."

Parks and open spaces included in this "broader range" include Fortune Green and the Peace Park in our ward. Please look at the link below and let Camden have your views and copy us in as well! (email flickrea@gmail.com)

https://consultations.wearecamden.org/culture-environment/mobile-catering-concessions-in-parks/consult_view

Monday 18 February

Monday, 18 February 2013

Statement by Emily Frith, Lib Dem Parliamentary Candidate for Hampstead and Kilburn

Statement from from Emily Frith sent to Hampstead and Kilburn Democrat members this afternoon:

“Dear All

It is with regret that I have to let you know that I am standing down as the Liberal Democrat Prospective Parliamentary Candidate for Hampstead and Kilburn just a few weeks after I had the honour of being selected by Liberal Democrat members in the constituency.

This has come about because I have been offered a job in government in which I will be working to give the Liberal Democrats a stronger voice within the Coalition in key areas where I have expertise. However, as this job is politically restricted I will not be allowed to continue as a parliamentary candidate.

I am very sorry to be leaving the campaign at this stage, as I have enjoyed working with Hampstead and Kilburn's excellent team of campaigners backed by the strong membership I have enjoyed getting to know in recent months.

Hampstead and Kilburn is the most marginal three-way seat in the country, and I am confident that you will be able to attract an excellent new candidate very soon who will work with you on winning campaigns in next year's local elections as well as for the 2015 General Election.

I wish you every success in your future campaigning.

Best wishes

Emily “

Comment by Cllr Keith Moffitt, Leader, Liberal Democrat Group, Camden Council:

"Obviously our members and supporters in Hampstead & Kilburn will be disappointed as Emily had impressed during the selection and was already working hard with local campaigners. But it is a tribute to her standing within the party that she has secured this important role supporting Liberal Democrat Ministers in Government, and we wish her the best in the role.

"We will be looking to advertise for a new Prospective Parliamentary Candidate shortly."

Latest threat to the Gondar Gardens Reservoir

Hot on the heels of the Government Inspector's decision to grant planning permission to the developers for their "underground" scheme (which some of us have christened the "Teletubbies scheme") which was a blow to the objectors and to GARA - the local residents association, has come a second blow. The developers (Linden Wates) have lodged an appeal on their "Plan B" scheme which was for a huge infill between the Gondar Gardens small mansion blocks directly opposite houses in Sarre Road. This was also turned down by the Council only a few months ago.

Everyone is surprised and disconcerted by this new move - should they win again - which scheme would they want to build ? Or would they, as some residents fear, go away and come back with a third and even bigger scheme destroying a majority of the reservoir site?

We are trying to find out and to ensure there is still a future for the slow-worms and other wildlife on this valuable open space.

A school in the Sager Building?

This flier
dropped through the door of residents who live close to Fortune
Green but we thought it might be of wider interest.
In case you can't read this they are holding an exhibition in the building on 17/18th December
from 3pm to7.30pm
Go and take a look and give us your views!

Where the bombs fell

The local area on www.bombsight.org

The National Archives, University of Portsmouth and Jisc (look it up!) have released an amazing insight into London in the Blitz.

The new website - bombsight.org - maps out where in London was hit. (On the first day of publication the interest in the site was causing it to crash quite frequently. Try visiting another time as it is quite spectacular).

Looking at it locally you can see that Agamemnon Road was particularly badly hit. I am not an expert - and its difficult to tell why such a cluster fell there - except that maybe a Heinkel dropped all its remaining bombs in one go. Unfortunately, the detail available when you zoom in and click on one of the red bombs doesn't give an exact date.

The Civilian War Memorial in Hampstead Cemetery

Anyway - I think this is fascinating and helps answer why some houses on the same street look very different.

Its also a reminder of what Londoners had to live through. I will be thinking of Agamemnon Road when I next visit the Civilian War Memorial in Hampstead Cemetery as we do every year on Remembrance Sunday.

Cricklewood History Project

We have just received a letter from Danny Maher of the wonderful CIP (Cricklewood Improvement Programme. They are applying for funding for a Cricklewood History Project and in order to apply they have to show there is a need, or that people would support it/be interested.
They have asked people to circulate this as widely as possible - so if you have a few moments, and are interested, please fill in their survey.
Their letter reads:

We would be grateful if you would complete the survey in the link below and circulate to your network on our behalf. 

https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/CIPHistory

Many thanks.

Renee 

CIP Cricklewood Improvement Programme
tel 0208 2088591

Working together for each other  

http://cricklewoodcip.org  Twitter @cipcricklewood Facebook page Cricklewood Improvement Programme Facebook group Cricklewoodcan     

60 Ashford Road
Cricklewood
NW2 6TU