Fishing Pond Fall Out
04 August 2011 by Paul RhoadesIf the council or the Environment Agency had responded to pleas from the public IN JUNE then this situation would never have come about.
The local paper did nothing at all to raise public awareness or lobby the council about the situation which was dire. Local bloggers and tweeters made the public aware through social media and showed the pictures which were so shocking as to motivate councilors in to demanding answers from the council and the Environment Agency
What has omitted from today's article is the fact that hundreds of dead fish that have been marooned as the water levels have dropped, the feed pipe to the pond no longer works since other drainage systems have been put in to place, and the fact that the pond's demise is in the council's favor as in the LDF its earmarked as housing stock.
Lets be honest, who'd want the expense of maintaining a pond when it could be filled in and sold to a housing developer?
To me the real concern about this story is not the dead fish but the fact that children no longer have a safe place to learn to fish.
I have an email from a council officer stating that "Fishing is provided at the Ville". This is a ridiculous statement for an officer to make.
Both Tories and Labour councilors agree that the Ville is very dangerous, very deep and if kids fall in at certain points incredibly difficult to get out of. We all know of the deaths which have occurred down there in the past.
This is why both parties in Scunthorpe have had the common sense to ensure that the free swimming in the summer holidays still remains available despite other harsh budget cuts. Its for safety.
Why then encourage the same children they are trying to protect to go and fish in a lake which they have publicly said is dangerous, and taken steps to stop people swimming in?
If a child learning to fish falls in the concrete pond they'll come out smelly and wet, but, they'll come out. Therefore is it not in the interests of public health and safety that the pond be refubished so it can once again be used to teach children to fish?
The Charter Trustees seem to have decided to spend A PORTION OF the £120,000 Charter Trustees Budget to celebrate the formation of the borough of Scunthorpe 75 years ago. (Which bizarrely no longer exists - but more on that later). Why don't the Charter Trustees spend the £120,000 on refurbishing the lake, lots of local residents have spoken to me and said that if a trust was set up for the pond they'd help maintain the area etc.
Surely this would be a better way to spend some of this money instead of just pouring the money away on a party. There'd be something to show for it and the town would be providing a safe place for children to learn to fish.
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Comments
Hi Gary
There's a group called Friends of Ashby Pond been set up
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up to people living there and using it what happens now.
Labour set out to kill the fish only a public outcry stopped them
I cannot believe someone at the council suggested kids go fish at ville!!!!!! how ignorant is that??? i fish for the large carp in ville and i have had some hairy moments with the steep banks and bother from teenagers looking for trouble so ye... good idea!!! lets send the little ones their what a joke!!
The article in the paper represented nothing really apart from a little picture and a well done to the council and the EA i was not a happy bunny! all the things i told them was not mentioned at all and the report was poor i thought so sorry for that ive learnt my lesson!
My aim was to make people aware what was happening and thankfully visit scunthorpe has now done that.
Will you be able to come along to the meeting on Friday night Luke, its people like you that need to be leading and organising this, there's lots to do if the community stand any chance of getting the pond restored.
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