Today it is another visit to the hospital, this time in Halifax. Fear swills around in my stomach, I would have been much happier to have any other part of my body under the microscope, but not my eyes! It is so tiresome to get there, my poor daughter has to accompany me through the rigmaroles of train and taxis. Lillie has just marched in and read this first paragraph, and asks if she can come to the hospital as well, apparently it is a 'reading day' at college!
To change the subject entirely, I have been reading round one of the worthies of this town, who is heading the committee on the great Town Plan for Tormorden. I have probably mentioned it before, 17 million pounds is coming this way to improve the lot of the town.
You may know the large voluntary movements that seem to run this town, Incredible, Edible Todmorden, a large array of voluntary sub divisions that keep the town spruce and flower beds planted. We also have a college which has been given over to the people to run, under what committee I have yet to find out. But it sports 'Permaculture' lessons, and has other facilities like rooms for tools that you can borrow and various craft work. In all a very democratic system.
But then............... you read the forum on all this and you come up against a 'seething' mass of controversy ;) Getting rid of cars and creating bicycle lanes - yikes. Also and this is where my interest lies, is giving the indoor market a face lift and the outdoor market a different direction, it is a bit miserable in its present state I must admit. But the powers that be, want to build a three storey 'enterprise' building right on the small grassy area that sits at the centre of all this. It has been planted up with fruit trees and flowers, benches dotted around, children play, old people sit and workers come and enjoy their sandwiches at lunch time. In other words a social space which perhaps doesn't need getting rid of just to justify the spending of money. Improvement yes, but covered atriums? give me strength.
They are going to halve the small car park there as well. We have too many car parks, the four supermarkets have giant car parks, never full, and I would be so pleased to see people just walk that bit further from their cars, instead of expecting there to be a car parking space immediately where they want it.
It seems to me that car parking allocation in towns causes a lot of controversy, that is why systems of trams, trains and buses should be improved. Manchester of course is going down this track under the leadership of Andy Burnham.
Pollination Street - the crux of the argument
Good luck in Halifax. It's a nice enough hospital, but another that was built by public-private-partnership money sucking the life-blood out of the NHS, and awkward to get to. They intended it to be the only hospital in the area until public pressure managed to get the message home that it took too long to reach from many parts of the area it served.
ReplyDeleteExactly Tasker. When they went into the business of just having large central hospital, it became more difficult to reach them. It seems, the more I read is that our taxes have funded such a lot of schemes and especially people who are have friends in government.
DeleteOh dear Thelma - I read you and I read Tasker's comment. It seems to me it is the same everywhere. Our 'local' hospitals are in either Northallerton (20 miles away) or (slightly further) Darlington. For anything 'really major' it is usually Middlesbrough - even further. As to parking - we have quite a large car park in Leyburn but folk who are local object to paying (even getting a season ticket is expensive) In my driving days I had a blue badge for the last few years so it was free for me. We have quite a big market square but walkers tend to come and park there early in the morning (free but with a conscience box (!) and the cars stay there all day until dusk. Frustrating for locals if the only want to nip into the Pharmacy to pick up drugs!
ReplyDeleteI remember having to drive every day to see Paul at York Hospital which was a good 20 odd miles away. Luckily it was a country drive Pat. Hospitals have become busy places, though to me they seem very capable.
DeleteGood luck with the hospital visit! Hope it went well, Thelma.
ReplyDeleteA laser in both eyes, not particularly pleasant but it did not hurt Ellen. The doctor was good and explained clearly why it had to be done.
DeleteWhy oh why do the powers that be always want to wipe out these small green spaces such as the one you describe in the outdoor market? They should be preserved as green oases.
ReplyDeleteI wish I knew the answer Will! Heaven forbid it is to do with making a fast buck.
DeleteBuilders are getting away with a lot right now. Kier Starmer is talking about building on the Green Belt.
ReplyDeleteThere is a certain 'tokenism' in this enterprise building, as there will be a few flats as well, but the developers have been prowling around since 2015. The green belt has always been a place of battles - the fur will fly no matter which party rules.
ReplyDelete