Sports Hub!

[maccawozzagod]

Shurm, you wont get any 'official' response on here but Martin Fearon does reply, on behalf of the Community Trust, on the Hyndburn Chat page on Facebook.

I like to get involved and defend the project on there mainly because of the nature of the objectors. Even when the project was first discussed it attracted naysayers who hadnt the slightest clue about what was involved, it was just a flat 'nay' from them. As time elapsed they managed to remember the odd snippet of fact that someone else had told them, so this then became the mainstay of their argument.

The over riding fact at the moment is that the public have not seen any plans as to how big the project is going to be, therefore how much space will be taken up. I believe the budget is £2m. Rob Heys quoted a few years ago that a 4g pitch would cost in the region of £500k to install - in that case there will only be a maximum of 3 pitches, 1 set of buildings and 1 small car park. It wouldn't take up the entire area so dogs and drones can still be safely aired

Originally Posted by Shurm

No one seems to have asked any of my neighbours about it and no one I've spoke to is keen on the idea of losing the playing fields. It's got to be one of the last green areas in town you can play sports on with your friends, walk your dog, fly your drone (seen plenty of people doing this with children) and just chilling on the grass on a nice day or sledging when the snow comes

I couldnt say what has definitely happened but they have liaised with Laneside Residents Association. Surely anybody living in the area would know about the LRA, if not why not? It is far easier to liaise with 1 group than spend weeks knocking on every door and having 2 hour discussions at every stop? The LRA are backing the project.

Originally Posted by Shurm

Seems such a shame after spending 2 years draining it and levelling it to probably fencing it off to the public unless you pay to use it !!

Again, at this stage nobody knows whether any of the public space will be left available. But I believe that the money spent on draining it hasn't been entirely successful and the pitches still churn up and hold surface water. Local league games were still called off last season to a similar level to previous years.

My lad currently pays subs of £3 a session but we were told that prices were going to go up to £20 a month due to the council charges for pitch usage rising disproportionately.

When I've played on the 4g pitches (7 a side) the cost has been £3 each. The ASCT has made money on that price AND the owner of the pitch has made money on that price. That suggests to me that replacing the flooded public pitches with privately owned (registered chairty) synthetic ones is a better use of space? Games would always take place with no fixture backlog

Originally Posted by Shurm

Just wish Livingstone Rd had been considered but in the Observer it was just mentioned it couldn't be used so it was always going to be Highams all along.

Livingstone Road is leased to Accrington Girls and Ladies. They were asked if they would be willing to surrender the lease in return for various incentives, including use of the pitch, coming under the AS umbrella, proper training facilities etc - but they refused. Again only my impression not 100% fact, but the rumour was that only some committee members were aware of the incentives and withheld full disclosure until after the vote to refuse had been taken. Numerous long standing board members resigned off the back of it.

Had Livingstone Road been on the table there would be no problem and it would have been hugely to the advantage of the Football Club to have this on their doorstep. It wasn't on the table, nothing can be done, we move on.

Some people ask why it couldn't be done on the Power Station site for example. Simply put it is out of the way. This is a Community project and needs to be in a communal area.

Originally Posted by Shurm

Money talks unfortunately and I feel this decision was made a long time ago I just hope this does work out when built. Moorhead round the corner has 3G/4G pitches with floodlights and the Sports Centre has them just how many more does the area need ? Could this new facilty not have been incorporated into the Sports Centre as I'm sure it could do with the investment rather than removing a green area from town.

This bit half annoys me. 10/12 years ago ASFC talked about building a 4g training pitch on site, it was refused by the Council as Moorhead had submitted plans, that would be passed, for a similar project.

It is true that only a finite number of these facilities are needed for our small town. However, ASFC currently pays money out to use these facilities. ASCT currently pays money out to use these facilities. The joint expense probably justifies a new build project on its own, The fact that activities could vastly increase with the new site rubber stamps it.




The problem with naysayers to me is that of validation. Why are they against it?

Local residents will be worried about;
noise pollution - already kids kicking about on there. already a train track running through
car parking - Thorneyholme Road is probably the widest road in the borough. Cars parked on both sides and still plenty of room for 2 cars to pass. A car park will be built so there will be LESS car parking issues.
Loss of public space - This is the only true argument in reality.

I've read people oppose it simply because it is Accrington Stanley. One comment was about a club that cant be trusted with money being in charge of a project like this!

The Community Trust really need to explain the difference between itself and the Football Club. They are 2 separate entities but one exists to complement the other. I would go so far as to say the Community Trust is probably bigger than the club - in terms of revenue, interaction, success and growth. This shouldn't be the case but it is. The CT money is no profit and has to go back in, they are a registered charity. The name itself suggests that it should be 'trustworthy'.

The last argument I read was within the confines of joint interest. Somebody was listing that trustees of the Trust were registered as board members of the Football Club. True, but that's fairly obviously going to be the case is it not?

If anybody really wants to know just how successful the Trust has been at interacting with the community then I suggest you visit the website ABOUT US | Accrington Stanley Community Trust for entire details.

But for those that dont here is a very brief resume of just the football teams, they also do so much more ...

Accrington Stanley Girls and Ladies teams
Mens and Ladies Walking Football teams for over 50's
Disabled Football team
All age group childrens football
Girls Premier League team
Futsal team


In addition to this they run the National Citizen Service for 16-18 year olds, they run courses on Health and Nutrition, Employability courses etc etc. The list goes on for what they do and are involved with. At the moment though they are running across multiple sites and can only benefit and grow by having their own base.

If this project was not headlined by ACCRINGTON STANLEY ... would it have the same level of opposition?

[maccawozzagod]

in the name of proportionate representation ... facebook page against the project https://www.facebook.com/savehighams...c_location=ufi

[Exile on Spencer St]

Good posts, Macca.
Thanks for taking the time and trouble to explain things in a reasonable manner to those of us not totally in the know. The Trust really do seem to be doing a great job.

[Shurm]

As far as I can see the Ladies Football Team need their heads banging together why would they not want to be part of ASFC and have all the benefits of that along with better facilities and it could all be on one site !!

We all know the ideal place for this is Livingstone Road right next to the Club and that land is used for nothing else but football, its madness to take away a green area from the community to make way for more football pitches.

When I played in the local league there was 4 Divisions and football was hugely popular now there is 1 Division and people do other things with their time and play and watch a multitude of other sports which Highams caters for with Rugby and Cricket also being played on there.

Its not just the site its Highams being out of bounds again for another 2 years whilst its all built which we had recently. Floodlights across from your house on till 10pm ? Increased traffic day and night won't be much fun either or safe for children as Thorneyholme is like a race track at times with some idiots.

I just don't want it on my doorstep and thats my personal view but its obvious its going to happen as The Council doesn't really give a toss about any residents but I hope enough people make a stand against this. The idea sounds good and I love the club and football just stick it on Bullough Park or King Georges

[st06nc2]

Originally Posted by Shurm

As far as I can see the Ladies Football Team need their heads banging together why would they not want to be part of ASFC and have all the benefits of that along with better facilities and it could all be on one site !!

We all know the ideal place for this is Livingstone Road right next to the Club and that land is used for nothing else but football, its madness to take away a green area from the community to make way for more football pitches.

When I played in the local league there was 4 Divisions and football was hugely popular now there is 1 Division and people do other things with their time and play and watch a multitude of other sports which Highams caters for with Rugby and Cricket also being played on there.

Its not just the site its Highams being out of bounds again for another 2 years whilst its all built which we had recently. Floodlights across from your house on till 10pm ? Increased traffic day and night won't be much fun either or safe for children as Thorneyholme is like a race track at times with some idiots.

I just don't want it on my doorstep and thats my personal view but its obvious its going to happen as The Council doesn't really give a toss about any residents but I hope enough people make a stand against this. The idea sounds good and I love the club and football just stick it on Bullough Park or King Georges

Yes women want equal rights yet they refuse to share the men's facilities,I know where I'd rather train and play and it's not the livingstone road fields, floodlights on till 10pm, we have to put up with the new bright LED street lights all night can't send it being much brighter, nobody knows how it's going to look or how much space it's going to take up, there might still be abit of the playing fields left over for the public to use, nobody knows, until the designs are released to the public you just don't know

[st06nc2]

500k of public money is incorrect.
No sports hall is being built.
The drainage is terrible, ask the local leagues how many games have been called off in the last two years.
The play area will remain as part of the site with free open access.
Cricket and rugby will still be played.
HBC have introduced fees for teams wanting to play matches on all council sites as of this season.
We cannot expand our activities because all of the other sites are fully booked at peak times.
The council are not putting any funding into this development.

that is from Martin fearon himself

[Shurm]

Its happening anyway mate, lets just see the plans first to see how much we like or don't like it.

[Dav1d]

Great post by macca, I've learnt some information reading that post. Should be on Livingston road, I wouldn't be happy if it was across from the place I live. Understand why the residents are not happy, certainly as there isn't another grassy area around to walk dogs, take children etc.

[cashman]

Ah but are the residents committee not happy with it? I'm sure i read different to that.

[st06nc2]

Originally Posted by Dav1d

Great post by macca, I've learnt some information reading that post. Should be on Livingston road, I wouldn't be happy if it was across from the place I live. Understand why the residents are not happy, certainly as there isn't another grassy area around to walk dogs, take children etc.

But the park area is still going to be free to access so they can still take their children there

[NORTHERNSOUL]

Amazes me that these people actually want councils to provide them with a place for their dogs to **** .

Simple answer if you dont have your own facilities dont get a bloody dog.

[cashman]

Originally Posted by NORTHERNSOUL

Amazes me that these people actually want councils to provide them with a place for their dogs to **** .

Simple answer if you dont have your own facilities dont get a bloody dog.

Seems simple people are on board.

[monkey hanger]

Originally Posted by NORTHERNSOUL

Amazes me that these people actually want councils to provide them with a place for their dogs to **** .

Simple answer if you dont have your own facilities dont get a bloody dog.

take my dog to all stanley games home and away if its not hot. always find somewhere for him to go without any council made areas. just lazy dog owners who,d probebly want someone to exercise them for them. have owned vaious large dogs for over 40 years so if i can do it so can they.

[cashman]

Originally Posted by monkey hanger

take my dog to all stanley games home and away if its not hot. always find somewhere for him to go without any council made areas. just lazy dog owners who,d probebly want someone to exercise them for them. have owned vaious large dogs for over 40 years so if i can do it so can they.

Ignore yon mon theres idiots everywhere,

[Exile on Spencer St]

Originally Posted by monkey hanger

...take my dog to all stanley games home and away if its not hot....

Your dog is a more committed fan than some on here.