Richard Baum

Don’t forget the Local Area Partnership tonight, at Sedgley Park School, from 6pm. All the fun of the fair, without the risk of being dragged onto rickety roller-coasters that fold out of trucks and are just one loose bolt away from disintegrating in a ball of fire and screaming.

I am looking forward to tonight particularly because of the presentation from some local young people about their plans for a skate park. Not everyone likes skateboarders, and there is quite a lot of worry that a skate park might attract noise and disturbance. To be honest I think it would do the opposite, and give young people a structured and safe place to roll around on their skateboards and career off railings doing the type of stunts that make me wince just thinking about them. But if that’s their bag, then so be it.

So I’m hoping that tonight’s presentation will get the ball rolling on taking that issue forward. We have a vibrant and organised youth service in Prestwich, centred on the Phoneix Centre in St Mary’s Park, and it would be nice if thought could be given to perhaps turning one of the two unused bowling greens into something that would be very well used indeed.

Also tonight is the open forum, which I mentioned yesterday. It’s worth mentioning again, partly because it extends this posting towards a length that I find acceptable, but mainly because it’s the best chance local people have to air their concerns, raise their issues, and bring local causes and bones of contention to the ears of Councillors, the police and the NHS. So, if you are free this evening and you want to listen to the issues in Prestwich, or start your own, then come down to the LAP and join us.

Rick