One week to go til the Big Spring Clean and Planting

Next Saturday 6 April is the South Terrace 'Big Spring Clean and Planting'. 

 We meet in the lane from 0930 hours onwards. All welcome - whether to litter-pick, plant, fetch and carry, or simply support and drink tea (by courtesy of Dot).

Equipment will be provided, but those with a fork, trowel, secateurs (or even a horse-drawn plough) will be especially useful. If you have any seeds, bulbs or primula that have flowered - bring them with you.

This week, do ask your friends, and people at work if they have any shade loving plants that they can spare.








Ferns are a real favourite and will add density to the lane side.







A short walk along Victoria Embankment today showed just how effective a little planting can be.

Feethams: then boots, now bulldozers

Its many years since we heard the sound of boots as fans queued to gain entry to the ground. But now we hear a distant bulldozer and the prospect of residential development on the old Feethams site. Is this the end of Shaun's dream for Darlington? 

 Football on the cricket field.

View from above - is that the old coach depot to the west?

Arthur Wharton, the first black professional association football player in the world was the Darlington FC goalkeeper. 

For the Darlo Uncovered thread

And for Shaun Campbell's interview
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-20878659

SmartWater: now is the time to act

Back on 11 February I posted a blog entry about SmartWater.

You will have seen our new Neighbourhood Watch signs indicating that South Terrace and Pease Cottages are now protected with the SmartWater forensic coding system.

So successful have been the trials of this product, that it has been promoted in high-offender areas, so that the criminals themselves can both learn about its potential, and the fact that it is almost impossible to remove from marked items. The now educated criminals are choosing to avoid premises identified by the SmartWater sticker. Where used, it has reduced burglary by up to five times the national average. In Hartlepool following its use, burglary dropped by 78%.

As SmartWater becomes more ubiquitous, so the risks to unmarked premises rise. It makes sense that criminals are going to target homes where their haul will not be traced - and where they can easily fence out their spoils. I would urge those in the terrace who have not purchased SmartWater to do so. With your support our community here in South Terrace can become known as one of the best protected areas of Darlington.

SmartWater is available from Central House, Gladstone Street for £10.00 to members of our South Terrace Neighbourhood Watch group (normal retail is £40.00). You will need to take identification with you and proof of your membership of the scheme. Alternatively, see Stephanie who will bulk purchase on your behalf.

Think, a simple and inexpensive purchase now may save £thousands by way of insurance claim, and can result in an immediate reduction of your home contents premium.

Follow this link to learn about how SmartWater works.

Big Spring Clean for South Terrace Guerrillas

We now have 'lift-off' for Councillor Gerald Lee's initiative - our Big Spring Clean here at South Terrace.

The date is confirmed as Saturday 6 April, and we will be meeting from 9.30 am in the lane at the rear of no 8. We shall work until about 11.00 am. Everyone is welcome - not just litter pickers and planters, but the whole of the Terrace and the Cottages. Even if you feel that you are unable to take on a task, stroll down the lane to show your support for the 'activity brigade'.

Amanda, Stephanie, Ben, Trent, John and I will be offering several groups - litter picking, tidying, planting, a support group to carry plants and bags, and the tea stall. When you are ready for a break, you can swap teams or take a break in the seating provided in the lane. Dot has donated a massive box of tea bags, so we shall have unlimited cups of tea for the workers and supporters.

Whilst the event is part of the civic 'Big Spring Clean' initiative, it has other important purposes.

By strategic planting, we aim to enhance the banking at the rear of the terrace. Darlington Council carries out basic maintenance when needed (or cajoled), but they do not have the resources to undertake any regular maintenance here. That is why both the front and rear of the bank is either scruffy.... or scalped. By the addition of some intelligent planting, we are planning to improve the appearance and ecological diversity of the bank, but retain its 'low maintenance' character. Spring bulbs and ground cover will be important, as will the addition of some shade-loving, bee friendly shrubs.

The other purpose of the initiative is to re-claim the lanes. For too long we have been strangers to, and in our own back lane. There is no reason why we should not actually enjoy - especially South Terrace back lane west.

With planting for colour and an on-going regime of care we can create something to be proud of, whether for a short evening stroll or a chance to walk the dog.

Two days until the first day of spring

Snow, hail, mist, and a little surface water for Dave.....only two days to the first day of spring.

It's a secret, so don't tell anyone!

Something is about to happen at no 22 on Saturday. I wonder what?

Water pressure on Sunday

The flood in Parkside (Sunday 10th March) has disappeared but some houses set below the road level have evidently suffered damage. Water pressure – now restored – was reduced as far away as Victoria Embankment and here at South Terrace.

A small number of homes in Parkside were affected after an 18 inch diameter pipe burst on Sunday.

Police closed the flooded road as firefighters pumped water away from homes.

A spokeswoman for Northumbrian Water said all properties should be reconnected by 9.30pm, although pressure may be low for a short time and the water may initially be discoloured. "We cut off the supply quite quickly and although it does not supply properties directly it did disrupt the network. "We would like to thank people for their patience as we appreciate Mother's Day is not a great day for a burst pipe."

Work has taken place to restore the broken pipe.

Thanks to The Northern Echo for copy

Cricket Club Sub

Members of the Cricket Club....have you paid your 2013 subscription?

Guerrilla Gardeners of South Terrace

You know who you are! A veritable band of top, covert clearers and gardeners - who will go to any length to turn the South Terrace back lane bank into an oasis of ecological wonder.

Well, that is the aim - and Saturday 6 April will be the date. When today Gary (no 20) and I strolled the back lane west, we discovered that nature - with a little bit of help - had already started to turn the lane-side of the bank into an interesting place to be. Snowdrops and crocuses are established and could be divided.

 

We can certainly add to them. I am picturing daffodils, narcissus and bluebells too. Ben (no 14) has already earmarked some bulbs from Paddock Farm Nursery so this will give us a start. Trent (no 22) promises us some raspberry canes (rescued from his freshly dug garden). I am already attempting to root some shade-loving shrubs and procure some foxgloves. It seems that the art is to ask all of your families and friends with gardens what they can recommend for a shady area - and spare.

With a degree of careful management, there is no reason why the back lane could not feature some colour all year round. Many of us neglect the location, but with more attention and imagination......

We now have one month to get organised and to identify shade tolerant plants/shrubs for the big clear-up and planting.

Parking in South Terrace revisited

Avid blog readers will recall my previous posting concerning the issues of parking in South Terrace. By the widespread reaction, it seems to have struck a raw nerve. Clearly, I would have preferred the debate to be a little more prominent by way of comments on the blog, but I understand that many of you have not been able to sign up to make a comment there.

So here goes!

The general message I have been receiving is that things cannot simply be left the way they are. Parking is not at a crisis point by any means, but there are concerns for the future, especially with multiple car ownership increasing amongst households on the terrace.

Most residents agree that the yellow lines opposite nos 9-10 should, if possible, be reduced to give another two parking spaces. The council may have objections as there are apparently rules concerning parking within certain distances of junctions, but the local wisdom is that this should not be a problem here. If shortening the yellow lines is possible, another two residents' bays could appear overnight.

It also seems to be agreed that the double yellow lines opposite nos 1-7 could be reduced to give the possibility of an extra space on the right side of the terrace. For this to happen, much will depend on the new access route to the Esh development.

Most residents seem to want to keep some 'free spaces' on the terrace. Their argument is that if all of the spaces are allocate or restricted to 'permit only' - family, friends and other visitors will be unable to park here at all. They are right, and it seems imperative that we retain some unallocated parking.

The question is - how many spaces should be for permits, and how many 'free'?

The majority of you seem to think that the seven spaces in the centre of the terrace could be reduced to four; and all 4 of the spaces opposite nos 1-7 could be made permit only.

The net effect of this would be to increase the permit spaces to 26, leaving 4 'free' spaces in the centre of the terrace. If the yellow lines were decreased, the permit spaces would increase to 28. Bearing in mind that there are 25 households on the terrace and a further 8 at Pease Cottages, this would be about right.

My idea about having a yellow card display on the dashboard of residents' cars in the 'free' spaces has met with general approval. On the whole, people like the idea as a way of reducing the number of town centre visitors. The only issue that has been raised is whether such a system could run smoothly. I say "why not?" We are all happy to co-operate to make parking available should a resident have a visitor, and perhaps this is the way forward.

A number of residents have asked me to move ahead with these ideas. As our consultation has only come to a head over the last week, I am reluctant to approach the council yet, and propose to leave matters for another week to permit anyone who has not commented to do so. After all, this is our terrace, and our future.

Feel free to comment below, to place a comment on our Facebook page, or to put a note through the letterbox.