Pollok Park site for "Go Ape" centre.... just say NO!!

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Re: Pollok Park site for "Go Ape" centre.... just say NO!!

Postby My Kitten » Tue Jan 22, 2008 1:02 pm

just a reminder about the meeting tonight.

7:30pm Pollokshaws Burgh Hall
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Re: Pollok Park site for "Go Ape" centre.... just say NO!!

Postby Mori » Tue Jan 22, 2008 3:55 pm

BBC Video report on GA.
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Re: Pollok Park site for "Go Ape" centre.... just say NO!!

Postby crusty_bint » Tue Jan 22, 2008 4:09 pm

Bob Booth makes a good point about the opposition to the play area, mountain bike trails and the Burrell Collection when mooted and how they are now considered to enhance the park. Some people will and do object to anything.

But.

These facilities are all free and publicly run. That makes ALL the the difference. How popular and enhancing would those facilities be if they were £20 and £25 a head?
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Re: Pollok Park site for "Go Ape" centre.... just say NO!!

Postby viceroy » Tue Jan 22, 2008 5:58 pm

I don't remember there being all that much opposition to the Burrell although it was opened a long time ago [1983]. Besides, the building was designed with a great deal of care and imagination and I would think most people would agree that it blends in extremely well with the Park.

The play area is right on the edge of the Burrell car park and so can hardly be considered an intrusion.

As for the mountain bike trail, whether it enhances the Park or not is, I would say, entirely a matter of opinion. Personally I think not - see my comments earlier on in this thread.

I intend to be at the meeting this evening.
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Re: Pollok Park site for "Go Ape" centre.... just say NO!!

Postby jim » Tue Jan 22, 2008 6:48 pm

The bike trail is relatively harmless. Although there is something slightly dumb about rushing through the woods like a bat out of hell...
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Re: Pollok Park site for "Go Ape" centre.... just say NO!!

Postby crusty_bint » Tue Jan 22, 2008 9:45 pm

WELL!!!!!

What a meeting! The atmosphere was absolutely electric and Glasgow City Council, or at least their representatives (including the Councillors present), should be absolutely ashamed of themselves!!

No-one from GCC seemed able to answer any direct questions and rode rough-shod over everyone who spoke, poo-pooing their opinions and questions and having the gall and audacity to say that we, the people of Glasgow, are the ones to blame for the failings of the farcical, and to all intents and purposes, non-existent consultation.

I'm absolutely spitting feathers at the arrogance displayed by GCC regarding this matter so its probably best I don't go over the whole thing just now.

I cannot wait to see the papers tomorrow - Ruth Simpson ended up having a bawling match with Chick Young!!!

An absolute disgrace.
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Re: Pollok Park site for "Go Ape" centre.... just say NO!!

Postby My Kitten » Tue Jan 22, 2008 9:59 pm

I also was at tonight's meeting. The conduct of GCC and their representatives both elected and salaried was a disgrace.

Robert Booth stated that there has been extensive consultation - supermarkets postered (er where?? I shop almost everyday locally and have seen not a thing), posters in Pollok Park (nope not seen anything there either).

As for local councillors Curran and Deans - they should be ashamed of themselves. No direct answers to any questions and Cllr Curran decided to go on and on about rubbish. Again he reiterated the extensive consultation - as in something in the Extra paper which has a circulation of 39,000, er Cllr Curran I think you should look at the number of inhabitants of this fair city it aint 39,000 people! I also have lived in this area for 2 years and have yet to have a copy thru my door or indeed near my door. The nearest copies are in the library or in a pile in Shawlands Arcade - and anyway the paper is mince.

The best chortle of the night was the banshee actions of Ruth Simpson, read this in a high pitched squeal "yous didnae respond".

So well done to the elected representatives in their uselessness in dealing with the folk who pay their expenses.

Nicola Sturgeon was also there and conducted herself impecably, merely asking if GCC will stall the planning process for adequate consultation - not answered by the Cllrs but answered with a No by Robert Booth.

Overall the meeting was great, i wish i could spend more Tuesday nights like that, it was electric
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Beware of the leopard

Postby red_kola » Tue Jan 22, 2008 10:10 pm

Ah, the old tactic: Beware of the leopard -
http://www.braininajamjar.co.uk/Arthur.wav
Destroy All Monsters
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Re: Pollok Park site for "Go Ape" centre.... just say NO!!

Postby Socceroo » Wed Jan 23, 2008 12:07 am

Excellent reportage MK and Crusty. The Herald should be interesting in the morning. Glad to hear the meeting was well attended.

GCC might end up swinging from the trees on this one.
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Re: Pollok Park site for "Go Ape" centre.... just say NO!!

Postby crusty_bint » Wed Jan 23, 2008 1:06 am

ok, heres some more while Im in the mood...

It started off fairly amicably, Bob Booth and someone else (his name will come to me!) represented GCC, an employee of Go Ape and an apparently impartial Environmental Specialist represented Go Ape, and two people represented the Save Pollok Park campaign and was chaired by a former Head Teacher.

Bob Booths body language spoke volumes from the outset, he sat slouched and hanging over the back of his chair with his head turned disdainfully away from the direction of the attendees. He seemed to snort at the questions put to him as if the entire evening was a waste of his time and went round in circles before being forced to answer the question put to him and generally got everyone's back up. When he couldn't answer a question, or when either Councillors Stephen Curran, Colin Deans or Ruth Simpson, who hadn't taken part in the panel, decided they wanted to speak, that's what they did. With no respect for the process laid down at the beginning of the meeting. And even then we got no answers. Councillor Curran ended up having his mike switched off by the chair because he was rambling and seemed to find it all hilarious. Councillor Dean tried the same tact, but when pushed to give a direct answer to a question decided he'd rather not and handed the mike back! Ruth Simpson could hardly string a sentence together for temper and ended up having the mike switched off on her too, before going on to argue purple-faced with Chick Young (I know!?! l0l ) in front of a hall overflowing with irate locals.

So what was all the fuss about? Well it really all started to go wrong for GCC when they (i.e. Bob Booth and Councillor Curran) proclaimed that they couldn't have done anything more to publicise and engage people in the Consultation process but that they were satisfied that asking a class of first years and the head teachers from Glasgow's secondary's fulfilled the remit of the process, AND that if we feel it had failed it was down to our own lack of interest! It was round about this time Nicola Sturgeon stood up to ask a question, and the question was along the lines of ginving the feeling expressed in that room tonight, and the numbers of people who had turned out for the meeting, would GCC not consider at least reassessing the value of their Consultation or the proposal itself.

The answer was effectively "naw".

It was a bit of a shame for the two guys representing Go Ape, the employee (not the Environmentalist.. I'll get to him ::): ) really did try his best to put his case across and we all were in agreement that their product is fantastic - just not suitable for Pollok Park! It turned out GCC had approached them, asking them to look at two sites, Dawsholm, and of course, Pollok Park and the main reasons for choosing Pollok was because their customers could use the bogs in the Burrell!! ::): They were asked if they would reconsider their application and withdraw it, but, understandably I suppose, their employee was reluctant to commit to an answer - thats a decision for the company Director. The Environmentalist guy, who was introduced as impartial... but on the payroll...started off terribly, giving it the old "I know I've got a southern accent" and thats really as far as he got! Apart from an awwwwwwwwwwwwwwww when the other guy apologises for bringing him along to a meeting which they had grossly underestimated.

The Save Pollok Park representatives were amazing! Their presentation was thorough and exhaustive and had both GCC and Go Ape squirming in their seats, with the rest of us cheering and applauding!

What else happened... ach, I'm missing loads out, but I'm sure between us we'll manage to fill in whatever blanks the papers leave tomorrow. But the upshot was that the Local CommunitIES (plural - see that?!) will not stand by while GCC slip this Trojan Horse of Commercialisation into Britain's Best Park!

I'd have a rethink on this one Land Services - you've got one helluva fight on your hands! ::):

What a laugh btw ::): RK, your sound clip is spot on! :wink:
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Re: Pollok Park site for "Go Ape" centre.... just say NO!!

Postby mr moto » Wed Jan 23, 2008 2:47 am

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Re: Pollok Park site for "Go Ape" centre.... just say NO!!

Postby viceroy » Wed Jan 23, 2008 8:06 am

I can only concur with the comments already made by MK and Crusty. The huge turnout of so many passionate citizens was surely unprecedented for a public meeting of this sort. That alone should have rubbed GCC's face into the fact that there is massive opposition to this project and that their attempts to railroad it through have been a huge miscalculation on their part. Whether this strength of feeling will make any real difference to the outcome only time will tell of course.
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Re: Pollok Park site for "Go Ape" centre.... just say NO!!

Postby hound dog » Wed Jan 23, 2008 10:29 am

Totally concur with all that has been said so far - the meeting last night was incredible and Robert Booth excelled himself in showing his utter contempt for local people, the National Trust for Scotland and the Maxwell family.

Just one small point - Tristam Mayhew from Go Ape is actually the owner of the organisation (from what I picked up?). I think he said that it was founded by himself and his wife and his brother was also part of the team. Actually felt a bit sorry for him - he seemd a genuinely nice guy and I don't think he's trying to pull the wool over anyone's eyes (unlike our councillors & their officials). He has developed and runs an excellent business and I think he was gob-smacked by what he experienced last night.

As for Ruth Simpson's behaviour - words fail me. Perhaps a public relations course might be in order........?
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Re: Pollok Park site for "Go Ape" centre.... just say NO!!

Postby Sunflower » Wed Jan 23, 2008 10:30 am

Hmmmm - this is the same Robert Booth whose department does such a good job of organising rubbish collection and street cleaning?? :roll:
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Re: Pollok Park site for "Go Ape" centre.... just say NO!!

Postby My Kitten » Wed Jan 23, 2008 10:45 am

Ive actually sent an email to Mr Mayhew saying good on him for turning up and answering questions. We got more truth out of him than the council reps present.

Ive also asked Mr Curran if he still supports the development after his constituents have let him know their views. Im appalled by his disregard of the local community councils and their objections. But then it doesn't surprise me, he cant even clear up the pigeon poop!
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