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PCA Newsletter 37 - April 2009 |
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North
Ealing School Expansion
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The proposed expansion of the school from 60 to 90
admissions per year is attracting strong opposition
from some. Early April’s Cleveland Ward Forum
meeting sprang to life when several residents of
Woodbury Park Road made impassioned speeches about
their suffering during the last building work at the
school seven or eight years ago and the disruptions
they expect this time, including warnings of damage
to the trees in the park (a portion of which will be
used as a depot for machinery and materials during
construction) and even compulsory purchase of
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houses to allow heavy machinery access
to the construction site. Objectors also questioned
the need for expansion as they claimed the
population of the immediate area is not increasing
as elsewhere in the borough.
Councillor Ian Gibb, Cabinet member
for Education and a North Ealing School governor,
countered these arguments and pointed out that 21
applications for places within the school’s
catchment area had been refused this year. Your
committee have submitted comments to the Council as
part of the public consultation exercise covering
our concerns about damage to the park, proposed
limitations on ‘community use’ of the new hall in
the evenings (we think it should be available until
9 p.m.), and a suggestion that the developers might
like to consider restoring or replacing the gates at
the Woodbury Park Road entrance as a gesture to the
local community.
Stop Press: The school
has just announced plans to expand their Reception
Year intake from two to three classes in
September 2009, using a temporary classroom.
The previous intention had been to expand the
Reception intake in September 2010 using the
proposed new building. |
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Streets
For People Plans To Be Unveiled
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The Council has announced that we’ll finally have
the chance to see the detailed engineering design for the
widening and revamping of Pitshanger Lane on Thursday 28th May.
It will be on view at a special meeting of the Cleveland Ward
Forum at St. Barnabas Church Hall from 7 p.m., the meeting
proper starting at 7.30. You’ll be guaranteed a lively debate,
and we hear that opponents of the scheme will be organising
their own public ‘workshop’ after the Council’s intentions are
known. |
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Anniversaries
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PCA Quiz Night
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Apart from the Pitshanger Centenary,
we have another couple of special birthdays to
celebrate. This year’s Party In The Park (on Sunday
28th June) will be the tenth we’ve held, and St
Barnabas church halls also reach double figures,
having been opened by the Bishop of London on 18th
April 1999.
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As it’s the Pitshanger Centenary our
annual quiz spectacular, on Friday 8th May at 7.30
p.m. in the Brentham Club, will have an extra fun
round with a Pitshanger theme. Last year’s event
ended with a nail biting tie-break and was deemed an
excellent evening’s entertainment for all. The price
is £11 per head, including a sausage & mash supper.
Tickets are going fast so call Karen Jacks on 07711
014331 or email
karen.jacks@pitshanger.org.uk to reserve yours.
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Burglar
Alarm
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Cleveland Ward Safer Neighbourhoods Police Team is
on the lookout for two white males offering garden services
door-to-door. The men, who carry their equipment with them, are
aged around 35 and stand about six feet tall. They match
descriptions of suspected burglars in the Ealing area and police
suspect they check out properties for targeting later or burgle
then and there if the chance arises. Needless to say, the team
warn us against using unsolicited services and say we should
always ask to see some form of trading license or other
identification. Contact them on 8721 2920 or email
cleveland.snt@met.police.uk if you have any information on
this or any other possible scam. |
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More changes on the Lane, all of which involve
carbon-based life forms. The old Temple pharmacy is
to become a florist – Stems Flower Gallery – a bold
initiative because of the direct competition from
Barralets, which has itself just been taken over,
given a face lift, and
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renamed Old Oak Florist (sign to
follow). The new owner is keeping on the existing
staff and the shop will remain part of the
Interflora group.
Meanwhile Ray has become Charlie but
the Fruit Bowl remains the same. However, there’s a
fresher interior and brighter displays and as always
we urge you to give our local traders a chance
whenever you can. They’re a large part of what makes
our area so special, so remember our slogan, Use It
Or Lose It, and don’t forget, for each ‘traditional’
shop that closes a little bit of Pitshanger goes
with it. Finally, McCreadies the butchers are to
open on Mondays again due to customer demand. They’d
also like to remind you that in the unlikely event
of good weather this summer they have all you need
for barbecues. |
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The
Pitshanger Trust
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This was set up as a charity in 2004 to take
advantage, when opportunities arose, of the ability to raise
charitable funds (and reclaim tax) for suitable projects in the
Pitshanger area. Unlike the PCA, whose focus is on community
activities, the Trust is more likely to be involved in the
promotion and development of capital projects which will enhance
the area in the longer term. The current Board of Trustees
comprises Moira Murphy (Chair), Lynda Pullman and Andrew Flatt.
They would be delighted to hear from anyone interested in
joining them: people with skills or experience in charitable
fund raising, property, legal services, marketing and PR would
be especially welcome. Please get in touch with Lynda Pullman at
lynda.pullman@pitshanger.org.uk if you think you may be able
to help. |
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Pitshanger Shed Of The Year Award
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Are you proud of your shed? Tools set out in logical
order along the wall? A comfy chair in the corner
with a convenient table to hold a good book and
glass of something refreshing? Or is it something
more like this example… We’re looking for sheds of
character, with doors that need a bit of a push to
close and pictures of Canada on the walls. Proper
sheds, with something in a corner that nobody knows
what it’s for. If your shed meets these exacting
criteria,
send the editor a photo and he will use his
skill and judgement to select the Pitshanger Shed Of
The Year. The winner will receive a £25 token to use
for some shed-related purpose, such as hooks on
which to hang bags of tulip bulbs in winter, or
shelves to hold your complete part-work of ‘Animals
of the Serengeti’. Or a bottle of wine, a book, and
a new cushion for that chair.
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John
Waters Needs Help!
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Half
Price Golf Membership
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John’s in charge of the Pitshanger
Centenary organising committee and wants your help
in deciding the centrepiece of the celebrations, a
street party planned for early September. The
original idea was to close the Lane and hold a party
for local children, with music and entertainers,
spread down the middle of the road. New ideas
include holding it in North Ealing School grounds,
or having smaller and more informal street-based
parties. So tell us what you’d like. One large party
or lots of smaller ones. Children only or adults
too. Call John on 8997 5200 or email
john.waters@pitshanger.org.uk. Needless to say
we’re looking for people to help organise the event
whatever its format, so please let John know if
you’re available.
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Now’s the time to take up golf! Ealing
Golf Club (behind the park) is offering Newsletter
readers 50% off its normal joining fee. Call the
club’s General Manager on 8997 0937 or email
general.manager@ealinggolfclub.co.uk. Remember
to take the Newsletter with you when you go to sign
up. The club has a couple of new membership
categories – ‘Weekday Plus’ (anytime during the week
and weekend afternoons) and ‘4 Day’ (Monday to
Thursday) – to help cut the cost of your golfing.
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Free
Trader Membership
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The PCA Committee has decided to offer local
traders free membership this year. Alongside last month’s
announcement of a £3000 donation to the traders’ favourite local
charity, Meadow House Hospice, it’s recognition of the financial
help they’ve given the PCA and other local groups,
organisations, and charities down the years. Your committee is
making special efforts at the moment to develop our relations
with the traders. Lynda Pullman has volunteered to work with
Cinnamon’s Anne Khoshaba, the Trader Representative on the PCA
committee, to engage traders in a dialogue covering the issues
that are important to them such as marketing the Lane, parking,
and street trading. |
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Last Chance To Wonder
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Surely there can be nobody who has walked around the
west end of the park and up towards Scotch Common
without wondering what that squat old building
opposite the fenced-off football pitch is doing
there. Wonder no more – our Councillors inform us
that the old “football pavilion” is to be demolished
in May or June, along with the brick toilet block by
the tennis courts. As reported previously this is to
be replaced by a coin-operated ‘Superloo’.
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Fun Run
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Angel
Celebration At St Mary’s
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Just time for a few more training
miles before former England and Arsenal football
star and TV presenter Ian Wright gets the Fun Run
going at 11 a.m. on Sunday 10th May. He’ll be
outside North Ealing School with several hundred
competitors, the more ‘serious’ adult runners facing
a 5k course with a 2.5k alternative for kids,
walkers, buggies and dogs, both courses finishing in
the park by the play centre. Entry forms are
available from the organisers, Fit For Sport, on
0845 456 3233 or email
enquiries@fitforsport.co.uk, or you can download
a form via the Fun Run page on the PCA web site
here.
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If you’ve walked past St Mary’s
Perivale recently you may well have noticed the
gleaming Angel keeping watch over a grave just
behind the church. It’s newly renovated and the
Friends of St Mary’s are holding a special Midsummer
Party on Saturday 20th June to celebrate. From 7.30
until late, this ‘black tie’ event will feature a
“gourmet buffet supper, liberal wine, and superb
musical entertainment”. Tickets, price £30 each, are
available from Stanley Klar, 97 Almond Avenue, W5
4YB. Please make cheques payable to ‘The Friends of
St Mary’s Perivale’.
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