Save Rumney Recreation Ground & Eastern Leisure Centre

How might the building of this monstrous-concrete-carbuncle on our parkland and turning the two largest school-grounds into housing estates (which wiill effectively mean the loss of THREE existing open spaces in this area) affect the health of residents here?

Thinking of doing a bit of research regarding the planning of concepts of the Garden City (Hamstead/Wellyn/our own Rhiwbina) and the estates build by Bounville. It was featured on BBC The One Show

05/03/09 so it maybe able to be viewed. Might give us some new angles to add to our letter writhing campaign

Yes, Geraldine, The Lancet have reported on the lack of open spaces and its correlation to ill health. It seems that the Council think that the people of Llanrumney and Rumney are a load of chavs and that we don't need beauty in our lives, just buildings, traffic pollution and traffic congestion, only Cardiff North and West need and are entitled to that. Perhaps they think we don't have cars because we are all on the dole and can't afford to run one. The way the economy is going we all might be. Their lunatic plan to build on our park and borrow the money to do so, and then sell the sites of the two present schools to pay off their loan is irresponsible, loans accrue interest which will ultimately be paid by us, the tax payers who all pay all their salaries on the council.

see the Welsh Office in Cathays Park is to have a 42 million pound

facelift for the staff to make working conditions better !

That sounds like an awfully expensive facelift. Either working conditions there must be absolutely abysmal, or their staff must be mostly extremely old.

Wouldn't it be cheaper for the entire staff to retire and for the Welsh Office to take on younger employees who don't need a facelift? Just a thought. :^)

Hey here's a better idea, as the Welsh Office building is old, they probably can't deliver services (reminds me of McEvoy saying our two schools are finding it hard to deliver a curriculum despite Llanrumney High having record GCSE results in 2008, so funny how did they deliver the curriculum then? Probably got naturally gifted pupils who don't need tuition) If they need a building facelift that bad, why aren't they suggesting knocking it down and building on the Temple of Peace, or on the green in front of City Hall, or on Bute park? Oh, I forgot they are already on about building on Bute Park. I think that it's fair to describe our caring council as corporate Orcs, Atlantic Wharf is Modor and the Leader as Saruman, leader of Orcs who loves to destroy trees. The Welsh leaders who are Celts should have more respect for trees like the Druids did for the Sacred Oak....just a thought

The opening paragraph in the Councils Parks and Green Spaces Strategy 2007 -

‘There are few in society – or in politics – who would now argue
against prioritising investment in green spaces. Parks, play areas
and other open spaces have come to be recognised as a vital
component in delivering neighbourhood renewal and community
regeneration, improving liveability, promoting health and well-being
and creating thriving, sustainable towns and cities…’

In 2004, Cardiff Council made a commitment in the Parks
Partnership Programme (February 2004) to prepare a strategic plan
to safeguard the legacy of historic public parks and more recent
open spaces, which together amount to 10% of the city’s land area
and make Cardiff one of the UK’s greenest cities. Without its parks
and green spaces, Cardiff would be a poorer place to live and work.

With McEvoy now in cahoots with who he himself refers to as the Fib Dems it would appear they are trying to outdo each other in who can tell the most convincing 'fibs'

Yes Jon, totally agree. It's with mounting sadness that I read practically everday of the inconsistencies that the Council makes. They are unaccountable to anyone. It's shocking really and it appears that they just lie a lot, get away with it and the people are powerless to do anything about it. There have been suggestions from some people in the letters section of the Echo that the Leaders of the Council behave in a dictatorial fashion. I liked Keith Jones's letter saying it's not the votes that count it's the ones who count the votes make the decisions, or words to that affect, but I'm sure you know what I mean. There is a term "creeping socialism" that's okay by me, but what I abhore is what is happening now in local politics is creeping totalitarianism that is accelerating at a rapid rate. This is extremely worrying, I'm sure you'll agree.

I am so glad you have joined the forum because your responses are intelligent and interesting because you flag-up issues that are eroding any modicum of democracy left here in Cardiff, or Wales for that matter. I say Wales because recent correspondance I've had from the Welsh Assembly government indicates to me that they are not fully au fait with the issues surrounding the council's plans to build on parkland in our area. Parks are the only bit of nature us city dwellers have, London has wonderfully open spaces, can you imagine New York without Central Park? The Corporate Orcs do not know what they do! Goodnight look forward to reading your posts.

Bit short notice but ther is a MEETING TO-NIGHT MONDAY MARCH 16TH.

The Mackintosh Institute 38 Keppoch St. Roath 7.15pm

called by the Green Party re: The bulldozers moving in on Bute Park next month

to make a nerwe road through, I have been contacted by a local resident who would like to have as much info as possible regarding Rreel( she has seen so many reports in the Echo), and would like to arrange a march/demo to the Assembley joining forces with other groups who are losing their green spaces -

Sounds like a good idea. The more environmental groups that are willing to join forces against this corporate Orc council the better in my opinion. If they manage to get that road in place for their bulldozers and articulated lorries, then non of the park will be safe from Saruman Berman and his Orcs and their park-destroying machinery.

Someone has set up a website, on the same host site as this one, to oppose the building of that road through Bute Park and has posted a link to our site. seems only fair that I do the same for their site:  cardiffparkwatch.webs.com

 when they get around to posting sonething about contact on their site I'll say hello. Maybe it's the same people that you are referring to, Geraldine.

Thanks will check it out........

The meeting last night maybe too litte too late.......The Bute Park Alliance can be only joined by invitation, the Green Party are to issue Press Releases and the Rhiwbina Cllr. is to meet with McEnvoy (!).Two guys from the uni were there and thinking of a table in Queen St. to leaflet people from and a march to the bay  bringing together other groups with parkland issues i.e. the whole of Cardiff (a lot to do)

sachseldridgejo@yahoo.co.uk was my contact who is hoping to get something done before its too late......gave Jo Rreels e-mail address

Mail on Saturday March 14th 2009

Heading Page 22......ONE PLAYING FIELD A DAY IS LOST UNDER CONCRETE

Don Foster Lib Dem......(spokesman for culture media and sport

Quote '  UNLESS WE PUT AN END TO PROFITEERING, THE TIME WHEN EVERY CHILD HAD A GREEN FIELD TO PLAY ON WILL BE A DISTANT MEMORY '

Think a reply is needed  !

Yes Geraldine, the politicians in Cardiff have scant regard for open spaces, they are systematically eating away at them and there will be no where else to build. perhaps they'll start concreating over the cemetaries and making cremation compulsory.

"perhaps they'll start concreating over the cemetaries"

I don't suppose they'd get many objections from the residents.

Well Chhimed, these residents, Rumney and Llanrumney are alive and kicking and definately objecting to them building on our park. Once again, I urge people to send in their objection letters to: Chief Officer, Schools and Lifelong Learning, Cardiff County Council, County Hall, Atlantic Wharf, Cardiff CF10 4UW.

While I'm here I may as well say that the idea of 1,600 children pouring out of a school plonked in between the A48 and Llanrumney Ave is a recipe for disaster. Yes, I'm angry that they want to take our park, but deeply, deeply concerned of the dangers our children and young people will face by traffic if this dangerous idea goes ahead. Traffic will also increase bythe addition of two new housing estates. Outrageously, the council haven't had the decency to issue an impact assessment, which is a legal duty.We might be the poorest section of Cardiff but we have enough wisdom to realisee the impact of a school stuck in the middle of these two roads will be darn dangerous. The council are wholly neglectful in their promotion of such as dangerous plan when it comes to the safety of our children on these busy roads. It's about lives here as well as protecting our open spaces.

Looks as if Neil McEvoys Health is now in question according to some guy writing in Viewpoints the thugs of Llanrumney descended on City Hall and gave poor Neil a torrid time.

He saw mob rule apparently -   does that mean the mob have saved the rec??  You've got to laugh haven't you - I bet B W Jones is an alias of Mr McEvoy, I mean what sane person could have any sympathy for the man.  I just had to respond don't know if the Echo will print it but what the hell.

What was not reported is that both McEnvoy ans Berman had a police presence next to them from the moment they alighted from their cars, they stuck like glue to them. The police stayed to observe no law was broken and took no action while on site with any of the four groups of vocal demonstrators, BECAUSE THERE WAS NO LAW BROKEN . When instructed by the police to stand back , the protesters did so.  Berman and McEvoy  could have easily arranged to have their cars driven around to the front entrance,

while being dropped off at the rear entrance. Mc Envoys deployed his now usual tatic of stage managing trouble of the most innocent kind.

Why on leaving the council meeting and returning to his car to drive away, did he approach the passager side, and glory be on high, damage was the cry from this gentleman. i REST MY CASE