A concerned Wilmslow resident has set up a petition to protest against Cheshire East Council's (CEC) plans to build a new lifestyle centre in the town.
Christine McClory is asking local residents to support her petition which says "No to Life Centre ... Yes to keeping our green spaces."
Christine is requesting that anyone local signs to say they "firmly disagree with CEC's proposal to build a Life Centre in Wilmslow. We do not want to lose our green spaces".
Christine, who has lived in Wilmslow for 59 years, is an educational consultant specialising in dyslexia and Chairman of Wilmslow Green Room's social committee.
She told wilmslow.co.uk "I have set up the petition because, having spoken to many people about the proposal from Cheshire East, I have become aware of the fact that I am not the only person who is adamantly against this. I thought it was time for me to do something rather than just moan about it. A surprising number of people do not appear to know about this. When it is explained, the general response is a rather bemused 'Why?'
"Within the first 3 days we had over 40 people signing in All You Need and Stationery Solutions alone."
The petition is available to sign in several local shops and pubs in the town, including All You Need and Stationery Solutions on Chapel Lane as well as the sandwich shop on Buckingham Road. Christine also intends to take it to the Rifleman's, The Farmer's Arms and the Carter's Arms.
CEC announced plans to build a new lifestyle centre in Wilmslow in February 2011, to bring the leisure centre, library and some social care services under one roof. The centre will host activities, from basketball to PC tuition, water aerobics to poetry reading and badminton to tea dances.
Since the announcement some residents have raised concerns amongst the possible siting of the lifestyle centre, particularly whether the town's green spaces will be protected, and what will happen to the existing leisure centre and library.
Speaking about Rectory Fields, Clive Bassil, who has lived in Wilmslow for 25 years, said "It is my appreciation that the current proposals anticipate that this area will be incorporated into the project, either as car parking or retail store.
"This area in its sylvan setting was inherited by the residents of Wilmslow. Is it not our duty and should it not be our legacy to future generations of Wilmslow to permit them to benefit from this special town centre green space in the future?"
The deadline for signing the petition is February 1st and it is also available to sign online at http://www.ipetitions.com/petition/wilmslowspeakup/.
Christine added "I would love to have over 3,000 signatures, but my main aim is to ensure that as many people as possible know about the proposal and are able to air their views."
CEC has yet to confirm a location for the new Wilmslow lifestyle centre but we understand a public consultation will be held in the near future. As soon as the date and further details are confirmed these will be published on wilmslow.co.uk.
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Comments
Here's what readers have had to say so far. Why not add your thoughts below.
The Rectory field is used as a green space.. for cricket.. as well as being pleasurable to look at.
We do in fact have a life style centre already... the leisure centre and the library and the Rectory field. Maybe the walk between them could count. Are we too lazy? Why should it all be under one roof. Where will we all park?
Sometimes "Trends" need to be carefully thought about.
You can't compare the main park in AE with the field behind the leisure centre in Wilmslow - one is a park with various facilities - children's play area, tennis courts, a bowling green and even a bandstand - the area in Wilmslow is a (playing) field. If there was a similar field in AE and a lifestyle centre was being considered, I'd hope that the local council and CEC would look at any such proposal in the round - would it add value to the facilities in AE etc; this is at the heart of the debate in Wilmslow - upgrading the town. Wilmslow and AE are nice places to live in but they have to move with the times.
Wilmslow has the opportunity to develop into something dynamic and to play a major part in the regional economy - it has so much going for it with the rail links, proximity to the airport and motorways. Wilmslow isn't like Knutsford or Poynton or Macclesfield - it has a much more contemporary feel about it. It needs to continue to grow IMO.
I can't understand why anyone wouldn't want better facilities.
Like most of the locals I talked to, I am NOT convinced that it has done anything for the village, except to make it harder to find an affordable venue that can be used for neighbourhood activities. If Roy Sower is so keen to have a Life style centre, why did he not fight to keep the Festival Hall in Alderley Edge, after all that is what it was built for? - I remember reading, that Alderley Edge it thought, it was too expensive for what it had to offer. why should we now repeat this mistake?
And while I have the floor, may I offer as a historian offer a small correction to Mr Sower: The reason why the Victorians pushed for Green spaces and public libraries and village or community halls inside their towns was exactly so that young families in crowded inner city accommodation could have a low-cost facilities offering instruction, healthy exercise and relaxation close to their place of residence, which was both healthy and affordable. Mr Sower, times may have changed - the argument hasn't.
I'm not a historian - I used to work in the IT industry - but I don't share your perspective of Victorian times - you see one side and I see dreadful conditions for the majority of the population, workhouses...desperate working conditions in factories...mortality rates...
I'd suggest that both the times and the argument have changed. This is after all 2012.
I prefer the library being a walk away from the leisure centre. We have to walk between the two and surely this is good for local trade.
Why not better use the facilities we do have. The leisure centre definately needs updating (the gym especially) and then maybe more people would use the facilities we have. The cafe area is great and in the summer allows the children to play outside, safely away from traffic. It seems a lack of care of what we have is the problem, surely the solution is not to completely abolish what we have for an even bigger, more costly, larger slab of concrete.
And the library was only recently completely refurbished.... I'm sure that wasn't cheap...
Please protect this for the young families of today and tomorrow. Times have changed and kids need outside play more than ever.
In his recent interview with this website he suggested that housing would be a possible use for the Library site should his plans come to fruition. Good idea Cllr., right in tune with the Mary Portas report on the future of High Streets. However, demolishing Libraries is not, and we shall work and work to see it dosen't happen. In the meantime Cllr. would you kindly confirm that whilst housing would be an option, that a supermarket on that site would not bring in more cash which you would prefer? Would you also please confirm that you have not had and don't intend to have talks with J. Sainsbury to extend their store should the Library site became available. It is so important that we the Residents of Wilmslow know the facts.
It is reported in Edition No. 64 of "In Cheshire" that the leisure centre site may be sold to Waitrose. Is that true Councillor? If it is true or even likely, could you kindly advise the Residents of Wilmslow what your plans are for the then redundant building at the end of Church Street. Could you also say what you see for the future of Church Street once Waitrose have left and indeed what future there would be for the retailers at the bottom (Northern) end of Grove Street should this be allowed to come to pass.
Clive Bassil
1. Has the councillor discussed the proposals with Waitrose?
2. Were any of the potential financial implications discussed?
3. Will the Rectory Field become the car park for the new supermarket?
4. What exactly is a "Lifestyle Centre"?
5. Who will own the "Lifestyle Centre".
6. Has the option of updating the existing Leisure Centre been considered?
7. If the library...a fine 1969 building recently refurbished...is demolished, will the site be incorporated into Sainsbury's car park, allowing the supermarket to extend its premises?
8. The Manchester developers R-gen have (at Macclesfield Council's request) commissioned he London Architects Tate and Hindle to prepare plans for 30 "Executive Homes for a premium site in Wilmslow. Does this request have any connection with the proposed new Wilmslow Centre Development?
Until these questions have been answered it is quite impossible to form an opinion on the new proposals.
Anthony Mooney