Wigan Boys and Girls Club
Wigan Boys and Girls Club
Whelan has had his proposal passes. Am I the only one who think he is miguided as to what youngsters today want? Five a side pitches might be what a pensioner think youngsters today want but I am less sure. Youngsters today seem to want music orientated activities, possibly extreme sporting activities, leisure sporting activities etc.
Re: Wigan Boys and Girls Club
The plans were always going to get passed as with the council what Whelan wants, Whelan gets!
If Whelan wants to fund the club, fair enough. My objection is the location. Surely it would be better to build on the old Town Hall site, near the new life centre/ baths (what a waste, loosing one of the few 50m pools in the country) rather than on one of the few pieces of greenery in the town centre. This will be the thin end of the wedge that sees all the Mesnes field built over. I am sure the council has their eyes on making money by selling off the rest for shops/parking/housing after they tested the ground by using it as a temporary car park.
As CPW stated, kids are into music more these days. When I lived in Hartlepool the council set up a charity called The Studio which had a 250 seater venue, bar and recording studios. This provided training in DJing, sound engineering and lighting engineering, music lessons, cheap studio time for local unemployed/students and subsidised gigs. If Wigan council eventually pull their finger out to provide a half-decent venue in the town (which they got grants for then wasted/spent on other projects)after closing the Mill at the Pier (council ripped off by developers when it became uneconomical for them to build venue after completing flats/business premises! - council should have made them complete amenities first!) maybe they should look at this as a model.
The lack of a decent venue in the town is a disgrace. The council's dismissive stance of saying people can go to events in Sts., Bolton, Manchester is unacceptable. Even the in-breds in Colne have a better venue than us!
And before anyone starts on party politics I'm a Labour party member - I just think some of our councillors (of all colours) are out of their depth/incompetent.
If Whelan wants to fund the club, fair enough. My objection is the location. Surely it would be better to build on the old Town Hall site, near the new life centre/ baths (what a waste, loosing one of the few 50m pools in the country) rather than on one of the few pieces of greenery in the town centre. This will be the thin end of the wedge that sees all the Mesnes field built over. I am sure the council has their eyes on making money by selling off the rest for shops/parking/housing after they tested the ground by using it as a temporary car park.
As CPW stated, kids are into music more these days. When I lived in Hartlepool the council set up a charity called The Studio which had a 250 seater venue, bar and recording studios. This provided training in DJing, sound engineering and lighting engineering, music lessons, cheap studio time for local unemployed/students and subsidised gigs. If Wigan council eventually pull their finger out to provide a half-decent venue in the town (which they got grants for then wasted/spent on other projects)after closing the Mill at the Pier (council ripped off by developers when it became uneconomical for them to build venue after completing flats/business premises! - council should have made them complete amenities first!) maybe they should look at this as a model.
The lack of a decent venue in the town is a disgrace. The council's dismissive stance of saying people can go to events in Sts., Bolton, Manchester is unacceptable. Even the in-breds in Colne have a better venue than us!
And before anyone starts on party politics I'm a Labour party member - I just think some of our councillors (of all colours) are out of their depth/incompetent.
Re: Wigan Boys and Girls Club
Does this mean it's going to be built on the old Grammar school cricket pitch?
Re: Wigan Boys and Girls Club
Yep. I wonder how many councillors have had back handers from Mr Whelan, to get this thing pushed through? 
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NathanCroucher
- Posts: 288
- Joined: Fri May 26, 2006 3:26 pm
Re: Wigan Boys and Girls Club
It does sound a bit old fashioned this boys club idea, there are plenty places where children and teenagers can partake in various sports as it is. I think Wigan Council need to concentrate arts venues at the moment,I agree that it is a disgrace that other towns have decent ones but we are left with nothing,if the council really want to improve the town then this should be a priority. What happened to that proposed quarter near Trencherfield Mill? Did they fancy Dominoes Pizza instead?
Lovers Come & Go But I Will Always Have My Wigan Rugby.
Re: Wigan Boys and Girls Club
I have to say in defence of councillors that although a proportion sit on the planning committee and vote yes/no etc they are VERY HEAVILY guided by the Chief Planning Officer and in my experience the Chief Planning officer rarely objects to such schemes as the do not look at schemes from a broad picture more a technical / legal standpoint.
I do think Whelan has a very outdated and generational view of what young people today want. I even consider myself out of touch at my age.
I do think Whelan has a very outdated and generational view of what young people today want. I even consider myself out of touch at my age.
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NathanCroucher
- Posts: 288
- Joined: Fri May 26, 2006 3:26 pm
Re: Wigan Boys and Girls Club
What we need is Morrissey to stand outside it,that would bring the tourists in.
Lovers Come & Go But I Will Always Have My Wigan Rugby.
Re: Wigan Boys and Girls Club
Had my photo taken at SLC in a Morrissey stylee the other week!
Can't believe they are thinking of getting rid of Grammar School field, my dad waxes lyrical about his time there! A long time since I was int he town centre, I sense I would be stunned. Is the big pool at the baths really going as well?
Can't believe they are thinking of getting rid of Grammar School field, my dad waxes lyrical about his time there! A long time since I was int he town centre, I sense I would be stunned. Is the big pool at the baths really going as well?
Re: Wigan Boys and Girls Club
Big pool has gone. They have already demolished the baths. They are replacing the 50 m and 2 x 25m pools with one 25m pool!
Don't get me started on how they are reorganising schools and what I think will happen to the playing fields.
And their handling of transport, both roads and bus services, is dire.
Don't get me started on how they are reorganising schools and what I think will happen to the playing fields.
And their handling of transport, both roads and bus services, is dire.
Re: Wigan Boys and Girls Club
The schools issue is happening across the country and is a Central Government policy drive. The government has pored money into a Building Schools For The Future (BSF) programme however every LEA has to reduce surplus places within its authority as a trade off for getting the money.
It's a difficult issue because it does undoubtedly provide state of the art buildings for education but it is naturally a slow process and whilst Abraham Guest shows what can be achieve, it is only one of numerous schools in the plan and can have a negative impact upon schools that lose out with their fate known or anticipated well in advance. I would like to think there is more to education than a building so the jury is out IMO.
It's a difficult issue because it does undoubtedly provide state of the art buildings for education but it is naturally a slow process and whilst Abraham Guest shows what can be achieve, it is only one of numerous schools in the plan and can have a negative impact upon schools that lose out with their fate known or anticipated well in advance. I would like to think there is more to education than a building so the jury is out IMO.