Dulwich Community CGS Projects

[rch]

In the hope of inspiring a positive discussion, I thought I'd post info about the Cleaner Greener Safer bids that I've submitted in an effort to progress various community improvements that I have been working on for several years now.

The deadline doesn't close until tomorrow, so I'm quite happy to submit other bids if people feel strongly about something specific, as I understand the process so it's not a huge amount of effort for me.

Bear in mind that, just because a bid is submitted, this doesn't mean that councillors will approve it, so community support will be helpful... or we may even try to think about raising funding in other ways.

rch

[rch]

Hmm, I seem to be having trouble adding to this thread, which will make a discussion difficult...

[rch]

Hopefully, this will work...

Firstly, I've been working with councillors cross-party and The Dulwich Society on the concept of renovating an under-used storage annex at the Dulwich Library to provide a touchdown base and meeting room for local police, housing officers, and other council officers (trees, planning, highways, etc). There is enough room for an open plan office, toilet, a kettle, and a private meeting room for residents to meet with officers, along with a properly designed storage area.

This base would serve two main purposes... it would make it easier for relevant officers to remain in the area for the day to perform multiple duties, plus it would provide a facility for residents to meet with relevant officers by appointment.

In Dulwich we have no local police base anymore, no housing office, no One Stop Shop or council meeting facilities in an area with poor public transportation. Tooley Street is a good 5 miles away and both Peckham and Seeley Drive are fiddly to get to without a car, especially for the elderly and mothers with children. A location on the Lordship Lane axis is probably easiest for the greatest number of people to access.

[rch]

The second project I've submitted a bid for was an assessment to create a small park or village green as part of the redevelopment of the Dulwich Hospital site.

Yes, I know that there is loads of green space in Dulwich, but the Open Space Strategy policy document has recommended that there is nowhere suitable nearby in this particular area for local residents, including young people on two local housing estates, to reach easily.

Residents have already created a small Physic Garden on the hospital site by the war memorial, which the NHS have said that they will retain, so we are campaigning to expand the garden into a larger open public space as a green element to serve as a buffer between the new medical centre and whatever school ends up there for use by medical staff, patients, young people, elderly people, and other local residents.

I'm calling it St Saviour's Green as a working title, after the original name for the hospital, but am open to other suggestions.

[rch]

Based on Private Messages I've received, I've now submitted bids for 1) a traffic calming officer assessment and draft design for Whateley Rd from the Lordship junction to Barry Road, 2) a supplemental tree planting budget for both East Dulwich and Village wards (specifically for the creation of new tree pits not covered by the replanting budget), and 3) a look at the reconfiguration of the Whateley/Lordship/Melbourne junction with a view towards possibly moving the bus stop down to the pedestrian crossing at the shopping parade so that people aren't running in front of moving traffic to catch their bus (this redesign would also clear the section of pavement in front of the new school).