Fence Offensive

Update on the various measures being taken to protest the Fence 9 Oct 2003


PETITION
Please try to collect signatures by tomorrow and hand them in to Jane Prentice's office - or my house if it's easier for you. Even if you just cover your household and immediate neighbours, it will make a difference.

RESPONSES to the COUNCIL'S FLYER
I have seen a number of excellent submissions drafted this week, and I circulated one which I found particularly inspiring to the whole group. Please try to send your comments in by tomorrow. I have asked the Council if the analysis they prepare from the submissions can be made available to all of us.

LEGAL ARGUMENTS
The lawyers among us are continuing to discuss the questions of risk and liability. I am hopeful that they will circulate to the group a short and simple assessment of their conclusions. We need to know whether the Council is right in saying that they have no option other than to erect the fence, i.e. to prevent public access to the park. If that is the case, the argument may become whether to ban golfers from our local park area.

EARLY HISTORY
One important argument for us is that the area has always - since 1926 - been a public park in which golf has been played, rather than being solely a golf course with no other users. It would be valuable and interesting to explore and document the early history of the golf course area and the purposes for which it was set up. If any of you would be willing and able to take on the task of investigating this history, we would be pleased to hear from you.

CURRENT RECREATIONAL USE
We have talked about recording the current use made of the park area by non-golfers. It seems that as many people use the area each day for walking and jogging as there are golfers. We would like to start to confirm these observations. Resident Andrew Hackworth will be circulating a note this evening asking YOU ALL to become Monitors of the Golf Course for the next few weeks or so. If you can make a note of the walkers, joggers etc you see - from your windows or while out walking - Andrew has volunteered to compile the data. He will send out instructions this evening !

CONTACT
I am concerned that I only have e-mail contacts, but that many concerned local residents do not use e-mail. Could each of you please try to involve a few other locals, not on the e-list, in this campaign. Elements of the campaign that need everyone's support include:

Petition document