Garden hopes for a rosy future
The group agreed to becoming part of the association at an EGM. Members were
invited to join the association committee and will continue to keep a watch
on the garden, hold occasional events and pool effort and resources. Garden issues will be discussed at the association's quarterly public meetings. It's hoped
a fete and community event will be held in the garden in July.
The Friends Of Courtmead
Gardens group has joined with North Grangetown Residents' Association.
Bin bonanza for Grange?
The South Wales Echo recently reported that nearly a third of new litter bins in the city have come to Grangetown over the last couple of years. The area has seen 51 new or replacement bins since 2006. Canton councillor Ramesh Patel claims it is favouritism being shown by Liberal Democrat councillors. He told the paper: "What does surprise me is that it took me eight months to get a damaged bin at the Clive Road end of Cowbridge Road East in Canton replaced, yet the council managed to put 51 into Grangetown." The council denied this and said it depending on how many bins were asked for in the various wards.
| BIN LEAGUE TABLE | Bins |
| Grangetown | 51 |
| Canton | 15 |
| Plasnewydd | 14 |
| Splott | 13 |
| Cathays | 11 |
| Fairwater | 10 |
| Whitchurch and Tongwynlais | 9 |
| Creigiau & St Fagans, Trowbridge - each | 5 |
| Butetown, Pentwyn, Riverside, Rumney - each | 4 |
| Ely and Penylan - each | 3 |
| Llandaff and Llanrumney- each | 2 |
| Adamsdown, Cyncoed, Gabalfa, Lisvane, Llandaff N, Pontprennau and Old St Mellons, Radyr & Morganstown - each | 1 |
| Caerau, Llanishen and Pentrych | 0 |
Green-up Grangetown - at the double
A campaign aimed at doubling recycling in Grangetown is targeting the area over the next few weeks.
Green Up Grangetown The city's waste strategy minimisation manager Simon Richards said the aim
was to get residents to a target of recycling 60% of waste, compared to the
current 30%.
"Things have improved over the last two or three months - Grangetown was in
the bottom three, now it's fourth or fifth from bottom. But we want to get everybody
recycling to the same level and to see Grangetown hit the 60% level."
There had been complaints, including from Grangetown Community Concern, about
the complicated city-wide leaflets, which accompanied the launch of the new
bag scheme earlier this year and after a difficult bedding-in period. But the
new publicity is simpler and tailor-made for Grangetown, aimed at letting residents
know the correct weeks for green bag and grass cuttings waste.
The council is also to look into possible wheelie bins in some more areas,
while free green bags are also to be made available in some shops, the library
and leisure centre. But it admitted that weekly green bag collections would
require more resources. Meanwhile, after a summer crackdown on dumped household
rubbish and fly-tipping, action will continue against people who dump rubbish
illegally, with officials sifting through 500 cases to identify culprits.
The suburb
is in the bottom four in the city for putting its re-usable waste in green bags.
The publicity campaign, which includes improved leaflets for households, beer
mats, and posters for shops, pubs, businesses and public buildings, was launched
at a North Grangetown Residents' Association meeting.
Rubbish crackdown nets seven tonnes in a week
A crackdown
on household rubbish dumped in the wrong place - or at the wrong time - in Grangetown
accumulated seven tonnes in just a week.
Coun Francesca Montemaggi told
a Grangetown PACT meeting in July 2007 that a huge clean-up, especially in the
back lanes, had led to a reduction in dumped rubbish of 9.5 tonnes in total.
Fly-tipping by commercial and business operators had exacerbated a problem of
some householders dumping bags on the wrong rubbish collection days. In one
week alone, 150 bags were collected. Rubbish was found in a total of 65 locations
across the suburb.
"It's been a huge effort but now by clearing it., of course it leaves
a space for more rubbish to be dumped so we've got to keep on top of it,"
said Coun Montemaggi.
Police and enforcement officers would also be used in the process of warning
any businesses involved. There had also been contact with Network Rail about
the Clive Street lane area by the railway. Tracing commercial tippers was harder
than tracking down household dumpers.
All bags are being delivered free to households and refuse collectors know when households are low on bags because of a numbering system.
The new system will work in conjunction with Cardiff's biggest recycling centre,
which is being built at Hadfield Close in Leckwith. Council planners gave the
go ahead for the £1.5m centre, over 2.5 acres, the fourth such facility
in the city.
It will open in summer of 2007 and take in household waste including cardboard,
scrap metal, garden refuse, white goods and oil. Councillor Elgan Morgan, executive
member for environment, said Cardiff was "determined to continue to expand
recycling facilities so residents have the facilities to recycle as much of
their waste as possible."
GREEN BAG DAYS:
May 16th
May 31st* BH
June 13th
June 27th
July 11th
July 25th
August 8th
August 22
WHITE BAG DAYS:
May 10th * BH
May 23rd
June 6th
June 20th
July 6th
July 18th
August 1
August 15th
August 29th
 GARDEN FAQs: |
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Interested in the garden?
Residents can have an active role in designing, managing and
working in the garden.
A Friends group was set up to help establish the garden and it's now a part
of North Grangetown Residents' Association.
Courtmead Gardens was taken from the original name of the
school which eventually closed in 1969. It was wasteground for many years, Following
the garden's opening in 2006, residents have reported a generally positive response
but litter can still a problem. There was regrettably some vandalism to palm
trees early on and also some other trees were vandalised. These are being removed
and hardier trees will be planted. A wildflower area though has proved successful
and another is being planned in time for next summer.
How to be a friend of the garden
Another award for garden
Courtmead Gardens has won a "merit" in the Wales
In Bloom awards for the second year running.
Be a Friend of the Garden, it loves having friends just like you!
There are lots of quick easy ways to be a friend of the garden.
Only have a few seconds? That is fine, all of our efforts combine to make things better for all of us.
Remember, if you do something for the garden, however small, let us know so we know how many friends there really are!
As the garden, off Hereford Street and Court
Road, looks to celebrate its first anniversary this summer, it was mentioned in
the . community improvement category - as it was in 2006.
The awards will be presented in September.
Meanwhile, there was a big screen, a few posh frocks and a few glasses of
bubbly (well, wine!) for the premiere screening of Grangetown's own community
film.Sowing Seeds for the Future told the story of the making of the
garden. But it wasn't just about landscaping and plants, but how young and old
in the community have "grown" together in recent months as a Friends
group to plan and work on its design and looking towards its upkeep. The 20-minute
film was co-produced by residents themselves and it was an excellent watch -
with interviews, primarily, with local people themselves, leading up to and
including the opening afternoon in June.
As well as watching the progress of the garden, it also looked at how even some of the more sceptical voices seemed to be won around as it took shape. The garden's looking even better after a spell of rain - and the local, volunteer litter-pickers have been out too, a sign that it's been well looked after.
Move your mouse over the photos above to see how the area has changed over
the last few months
Garden opens with party
The new community garden, Courtmead Gardens, off Hereford Street, officially opened in the summer of 2006 with an outdoor street and garden party.
BBC Radio Wales presenter and folk singer
Frank Hennessy unveiled a plaque to mark the opening, as well as giving a rendition
of The Grangetown Whale. Donald Richards of the Friends of Courtmead Gardens
said the garden was for all residents to enjoy and help look after and he appealed
for local people to join in helping out.
It has been built on the site of the old Court Road school, which has been
a target for fly-tipping in recent years.
The transformation project, supported by Big Lottery money, has been developed
involving local residents at every stage.
One of the features of the garden is an artwork built into the pathway, which
was designed with the help of local schoolchildren and the garden group. Pupils
from local schools who live in surrounding streets drew designs, based on a
river theme, which have been turned into bronze features in the path by artists.
The garden will be maintained by council park rangers, but also the Friends
group of residents will have a role in its upkeep and to act as a "neighbourhood
watch." The garden is open for anyone to use, with dog owners asked to ensure
they "poop scoop" to help keep the garden tidy.
Local residents have been involved in the film - behind and in front of camera
- with members of the Friends of Gerddi Courtmead Gardens of all ages being
given a chance to learn camera and editing techniques.
Cardiff council's executive member for communities Coun Judith Woodman said:"It's
fantastic to see a derelict site brought back to life and shows what can be
achieved when the community works in partnership with the council."
The
sunny weather didn't disappoint in accompanying the Brazilian rhythms of Samba
Gales and there was some great local voices in Expressions of the Young Kind.
Hundreds turned out for stalls, face painting and a bouncy castle in Rutland
Street. Trees have been planted, turf laid and the first bulbs were planted
in the week before. Local residents in Grangetown have been helping to shoot
a film to follow its progress. A Penarth Road-based media group are behind the
documentary, which will be produced on a DVD to follow the building of Courtmead
Gardens on a piece of wasteland.
HOW OUR GARDEN GREW: Garden brings people together
Around 90 people attended a consultation event
in a marquee on the site in August 2005, to look at designs for the garden.
Emma Kerr of Tynant Street said: “Grangetown needs colour and living things!
We want to hear birds! Perhaps a few bird houses in the trees?”
Glenys Jones of Rutland Street said: “Young people should be able to take
part in the work- local ownership is essential”.
Pupils at St Patrick’s RC and Ninian Park primary schools have recently contributed
their ideas through artwork and film and community workers are also to involve
pupils at Fitzalan High School.
Community artists are also to work in the area to help produce artistic elements
for the garden.
Three design options were unveiled, with the garden development also seeing
a narrowing of Hereford Street alongside it, with the road buffered to stop
through traffic.
Councillor Judith Woodman, Executive member for Communities, Housing and Social
Justice said: "I'm glad to see people in north Grangetown will get a new communal
garden space to enjoy. It makes sense for officers at the Council to join forces
with the residents to create and maintain this important development. It will
work well if we all work together."
At the fun day Julie Jones, who lives on Hereford Street overlooking the proposed
garden, said: “The funny thing (well sad really) was we didn’t recognise most
of the people there-showing just how little we know our neighbours. The event
gave a nice sense of community and hopefully the whole project will help develop
that further.”
Community Art
The garden project took on board three community artists, all with experience of working with local groups to create public artwork reflecting the spirit of their community (e.g. Bute Street paving art). St Patrick's, Ninian Park and Fitzalan pupils, as well as local people, worked on designs for bronze depictions for the garden pavement, on the theme of the River Taff.
Garden group
In order to make the garden truly a part of the local community in North Grangetown,
a space that is owned by local residents, it needs a group of volunteers to
look after it. Possibilities for group activities would include adopting flowerbeds,
bulb planting and having an active a part in maintaining the garden. With help
from similar groups, residents from North Grangetown can take on ownership of
their garden.
Residents met and decided Courtmead Gardens would be the most suitable name,
reflecting the site's history. They also discussed what they wanted to see from
a Friends Group, in terms of supervision, management and practical involvement
in the gardens development and upkeep. Eventually, an agreement will be drawn
up between the council and the Friends Group to decide on how much involvement
and maintenance each party should have.
Residents
were also involved in futher details of the gardens design, eventually bulb
planting when it has been landscaped and trips to a garden centre and the Botanic
Gardens at Middleton were arranged.
Pupils
play their part
Children from St Patricks R.C and Ninian Park Primary schools took part in the design process for North Grangetown's Community Garden at the end of their summer term this year.
The artwork and videos from the two schools will be on display on August 21st
at the consultation day on site. Amongst other ideas, the children discussed
ways in which the garden can be looked after, how problems such as littering
and dog mess can be avoided, and how the garden can provide something for all
members of the community. Artwork showing how the garden might look. 
Pupils
from years Two and Three as well as Five and Six visited the Court Road open
space to get some ideas of how it could be improved. Back in the classroom they
drew plans, painted pictures of how the garden would look, and explained their
ideas on film. Pupils from St Patricks making notes on site at Court Road open
space.
Community litter-pick - with prizes!
A community litter-pick in north Grangetown was organised for Sunday March 12th by the North Grangetown residents' association and the Friends of Gerddi Courtmead Gardens group.
Around 20 residents took part on a bitterly cold afternoon - the day after
the Wales v Italy rugby match - and spread out across the area, filling black
bags with litter from pavements, verges and kerbs. As well as the usual cartons,
chip paper and paper bags, there was everything from old carpet to golf balls.
The event follows on from a litter-pick with Ninian Park school and was a great
chance to do your bit to improve the local environment.
Equipment was being provided by Cardiff Council and Keep Wales Tidy, and local
businesses M.A Fish Bar, Shop ‘n’ Save, JB Fish Bar and Millennium Off Licence
provided prizes to sponsor the event. Photos: Courtesy of Sandy Booth.
It's designed first and foremost to make the
area look tidier, as good exercise and also from the residents' association point
of view to highlight the lack of litter bins in the area. Apart from bins in the
shopping areas of Cornwall Street and Clare Road, they're a little short on the
ground elsewhere.
Give and Take - one man's junk is another man's treasure
trove...
Residents were encouraged to bring along unwanted items - everything from
books/CDs, toys and games to small items of furniture. There was also canvas
bag painting and a chance to find out about recycling and other ways to reduce
rubbish. The event was well attended and enjoyed by all, with lots of reusable
items changing hands…
Previous Friends meetings: October 18th: The second meeting
of the group mainly looked at artwork for the garden. Artists Heather Parnell
and David Mackie attended and led a workshop to design river themed artwork
for the garden.
The pictures drawn by the friends group will be incorporated with designs
from local children, and will eventually become an integral part of the garden.
The group discussed the benefits of including local people, especially children,
in this way, and the sense of local ownership that similar projects have achieved.
The meeting was also attended by PC Mel Rowlands, who chatted with the group
about local policing issues.
Project officer Sandra Booth said afterwards: "All those present at the meeting
were in agreement that the garden project should move forward as an open, inclusive
and welcoming initiative for the whole community of north Grangetown. "This
was further reflected in the group's desire to be fully representative of north
Grangetown's diverse population and the range of talents within it. This approach
provides the ideal basis from which the Friends group can grow. Twenty six local
residents attended - a very good turnout for a first meeting."
An
open-air community recycling "give and take" afternoon was held on the Gerddi
Courtmead Gardens site on Sunday 30th October.
The
results of the fun day consultation were announced at the first meeting (September
8th - pictured right), with residents having chosen a freeform, modern design.
This has now been worked up into a detailed landscape design, shown below.
And something for the future
The options were outlined at a consultation event in August 2004, which was
held in Rutland Street. Residents have now received the results of the survey.
70% preferred the option of neighbourhood street lay-outs, with roads blocked off to stop through-traffic, but allowing access to residents' cars. It appears after further consultation, the idea of blocking off roads has been scrapped, although there will be tree planting, new pavements and road improvements - work in Monmouth Street in 2006, with plans for Court Road in 2007.
Gardens' growing
GRANGE GARDENS
has retained its Green Flag status as one of the city's top parks.
A Grange Gardens Users' Group is active for local residents keen to promote
green spaces and aimed at keeping it free of vandalism and anti-social behaviour.
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BLOOMIN' LOVELY
The Cardiff In Bloom gardening competition in 2006 saw two winners from
Grangetown in 2006, Shirley Hall of Rudry Street (top left) and
Peter Sutton of Channel View (right).
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Van confiscated after fly-tipping crackdown
A father and son have admitted waste offences after being caught during a week-long operation in May to target fly-tippers on the Curran Road industrial estate in Grangetown.
The cost of the clean-up of waste at Curran Road was £15,000. Agency
enforcement officer Clive Walker called fly tipping "a nuisance to society."
"These anti-social acts cost the general public in terms of clean-up
operations and have a detrimental effect on legitimate waste operators. Our
operations to crack down on these crimes will continue and we will aim to prosecute
any offenders as necessary."
Operation Jackdaw involved the Environment
Agency, police and council officials. The two, from Grangetown and Riverside,
admitted waste offences in a prosecution brought by the agency. The father was
ordered to carry out a 60-hour community punishment order in relation to the charge
of depositing waste and was fined £100 on the charge of transporting it. His son
admitted the same offences and was given a conditional discharge and ordered to
forfeit his Ford Transit van, worth £1,500.
Sowing seeds of environmental group
A local environmental focus group held its
third meeting on Tuesday 21st June 2005 at Channel View leisure centre. It aims
to bring together residents and organisations interested in local environment
issues and projects in Butetown and Grangetown. The meeting will be setting up
the groups objectives, initiating various projects and assigning coordinators.
A whole range of issues were initially raised at the launch meeting in March,
ranging from fly-tipping, graffiti, recycling, bulb-planting, urban art, open
spaces to pigeon & seagull nuiance, cleaner pavements and streets, to garden management
and equipment-sharing.
Anyone interested in gettting involved, contact: Group coodinator Patrick
Kitson by e-mail, or Butetown/Grangetown
Regeneration secretary Ken Barker by
e-mail. The last meeting was in February 2006 at Butetown Community Centre,
with the issues TRANSPORT AND PARKING, with representatives of the council's
highways department and Cardiff Bus present, and the DUMBALLS ROAD DEVELOPMENT.
HOME Latest news and events Home page and info. |
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Page last updated March
12th
