County Councillor's Report
A New Community Library For Windermere?
In the last Hub we reported on the meeting in February about a possible bid to the Big Lottery Fund to make our library into a vibrant community facility; we can now give you a taste of the bid we developed after that consultation. The library in Windermere is a feature building - substantially made of local stone, centrally located in the heart of a strong identifiable community. We want it to attract more interest, ownership and engagement amongst residents and visitors alike and this bid will do just that.The bid envisages a distinctive space incorporating a library and a range of associated facilities designed for flexibility and accessibility, meeting the changing needs of the local population. The adjacent Ellerthwaite Square is the subject of a Masterplan being led by the South Lakes Development Trust which will complement the proposals for the library and open up the surrounding public space to increased community use.
We have also included within the proposals a new Children's Centre. This will give us opportunities for integrated learning and support for young families. If we get the funding the first thing we will do is talk to local people about what they would like to see included in this exciting project. We expect the decision on the lottery funding will come in September, so keep your fingers crossed!
Windermere Enhancement
The enhancement project combines initiatives to provide environmental enhancements to Crescent Road and the town generally, as well as necessary traffic changes to High Street, Victoria Street and Elleray Road and the High Street and Elleray Road A591 junctions. The £2 million funding is only available in this financial year, so the project must be completed by the end of March 2008. It combines funding from the County Council (£680k), European funding (£270k) and Northwest Development Agency funding (£1m).
This project has raised much public interest, especially from businesses in Windermere. This window of opportunity will not return and if not taken up now may seriously compromise any future NWDA investment in Windermere. The project's steering group of Cumbria County Council, Cumbria Tourism, LDNPA and South Lakes Development Trust will consider all responses received and make a recommendation to the July meeting of CCC's South Lakeland Local Committee. Clearly everyone wants to see the process lead to good proposals which have the support of local people. Local input has already led to considerable improvements in the proposals for Crescent Road.
A roundabout may be the obvious solution, but it would not be able to cope with the traffic at peak times. Traffic signals are more effective when traffic volumes get very heavy as they sometimes do in Windermere. Engineers have worked hard to design a rigorously-tested scheme, which will be fully effective and will make the High Street / A591 junction much easier and safer to use - for motorists, for pedestrians, for everyone. [See also THAT Exhibition]
Goodly Dale Crossing
At the time of printing, the painting of the zebra crossing was imminent. This is the last stage of the work, and had been delayed because of the gas works which had to be completed first.Glebe Road
The changes to the flow of traffic on Glebe Road have now been in place for some time. They appear to be working well and have reduced the number of cars unnecessarily driving along Glebe Road who only want to get to the Braithwaite Fold car park.
Windermere & Staveley District Neighbourhood Forum
The dates for your diary for the next Forums are:
7pm Tue 24th July, the Ladyholme Centre
7.30pm Tue 2nd October, Winster Village Hall
7pm Wed 5th December, Ings Church Hall
7pm Tue 26th February (08), St. Mary's Centre