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Archive => Archived Boards => Miscellaneous => Topic started by: royal_marple on March 07, 2021, 07:31:48 PM
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Just wondered if there were any plans for the long term future of Marple rec? It used to be well used but now it has the appearance of unused wasteland which is a shame. I read that there was an application to turn the toilets into a barbers which was rejected.
How feasible would it be to extend the canal, via the blocked up tunnel, with a new arm to the recreation ground? It could be surrounded by shops and cafes. Apart from the Ring O'Bells, there are no canalside venues in Marple at all.
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Welcome to the forum @royal_marple and some interesting questions there.
The Recreation Ground is protected by covenants created when it was given to the community by Walter Bright Hodgkinson 111 years ago.
The covenants protect it from non-recreational use, which is why converting the toilets to a barbers wasn't allowed.
The land is lower than the canal, so it would not be viable to extend the canal into that area, even if the money and the will was there.
The possible best use for this land (in my view) would be for a new swimming pool and fitness centre. That would be recreational but I don't know if it would satisfy the covenants.
There will be a new canal side venue at Marple Wharf when the "Wharf Marple" project is finished, and there is also the Servicemen's Club next to the marina, but you are right, we do not make as much of the canal location as we perhaps could. Wharf Marple is definitely a step in the right direction.
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You could argue that the original Hollins Mill arm of the canal, the section which runs behind the cinema could be dug out and reopened for something similar and closer to the centre of the village.
Maybe contour the park down to the edge of the tow-path, the park could benefit from it as well as its an unused area mostly for dogs.
In regards to the Rec, the canal did actually run on its own private arm on the side where the houses have been built along Strines. The old maps aren't very detailed, but show it leading up to one of the building used for loading with a tramway between the kiln works to facilitate loading lime onto barges.
The whole thing might have been in a pretty deep culvert with the raised road acting as the retaining wall embankment.
Whilst the idea for the Rec isn't a bad idea, the swimming pool would be a better use of the space if they can't decided to sort out the library plans. As for expanding the canal onto the Rec, it would just spread out the already limited trade for small local businesses within the village centre.
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The idea of the swimming pool moving to the rec is a good idea. I'm not a fan of it being in a new building in the park incorporating the library because the building will need to be much bigger than it is now, plus car parking would be an issue. Although the pool on the rec would probably have the same problems. There is so much green space in Marple, such as this and also the field where the college was, that just seem to be abandoned, unused and unloved. The green at Hawk Green in comparison seems to be well used and enjoyed by many people.
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The idea of the swimming pool moving to the rec is a good idea. I'm not a fan of it being in a new building in the park incorporating the library because the building will need to be much bigger than it is now, plus car parking would be an issue. Although the pool on the rec would probably have the same problems. There is so much green space in Marple, such as this and also the field where the college was, that just seem to be abandoned, unused and unloved. The green at Hawk Green in comparison seems to be well used and enjoyed by many people.
Dont think so not good idea .
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Dont think so not good idea .
Which part is not a good idea amazon?
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Which part is not a good idea amazon?
For me at least, the idea of using the rec as anything other than open space is a disgrace. There is far too much of this destroying fields and open space going on in this country. It's also worth remembering that there are people in Marple who do not understand why anyone would want a swimming pool. Obviously it seems there are people who do want one, but it should not be at the cost of destroying what makes Marple a pleasant place to live.
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Which part is not a good idea amazon?
USING THE REC
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USING THE REC
Come on, Amazon...
Are you talking about using it at all because it's like a swamp after it rains, or using it for better facilities for the people of Marple?
For me the Rec is really not widely used. Far more people use Memorial & Brabyns Parks for exercising their dogs or using the playgrounds because they're better looked after and have no traffic around. I'd love to see the Rec used differently.
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Come on, Amazon...
Are you talking about using it at all because it's like a swamp after it rains, or using it for better facilities for the people of Marple?
For me the Rec is really not widely used. Far more people use Memorial & Brabyns Parks for exercising their dogs or using the playgrounds because they're better looked after and have no traffic around. I'd love to see the Rec used differently.
Acess could be problem there again we may never have another swiming pool
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How could access ever be a problem, its literally a triangular roundabout.
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The idea of the swimming pool moving to the rec is a good idea. I'm not a fan of it being in a new building in the park incorporating the library because the building will need to be much bigger than it is now, plus car parking would be an issue.
The new leisure centre/ swimming pool/ library/ cafe will have to be bigger building, but there is sufficient space for it, it's in a more central location, and the good news is that it will not be as ugly as the present library building! It just couldn't be if it tried....... If a new swimming pool were built on the rec then the horrible library building would just carry on, and surely we don't want that, do we?
As for this: There is so much green space in Marple, such as this and also the field where the college was, that just seem to be abandoned, unused and unloved.
Green space is something to treasure, not to complain about! The rec is only 'abandoned' because of ten years of government austerity drastically cutting back local authority funding. The rec used to have a playground. It's gone. It used to have public toilets. They have gone. It had a football pitch (or two?). It's gone. The ground was well drained and the grass was well cared for and mowed, but not any more. All because of cuts to council funding.
Throughout the UK, but especially away from London, public parks and open spaces have been sadly neglected in the past ten years, and that is not acceptable. The UK is one of the wealthiest countries in the world, and we should be able to afford to properly maintain our public domain.
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The rec is an very important part of Marple and to build on it would be criminal. I live quite near it and walk round it or past it a lot; almost every day at the moment. Such places are undervalued unfortunately and need to be preserved. We don't have nearly enough spaces as good as this. Yes, there is the park, but the rec is at least as valuable and is completely irreplaceable.
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How could access ever be a problem, its literally a triangular roundabout.
My apoligies i have got the wrong recreation ground
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The “rec” Recreation ground as admin rightly points out is protected by covenants that protect it from non-recreational use, which is why converting the toilets to a barbers wasn't allowed.
Tamper with the rec at your peril, it is a much valued and cherished part of Marple, and not available for greedy developers to make a quick profit, many and I remember the Shatlock and Costello fiasco in the 1960s and that didn’t end well for some.
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The rec is an very important part of Marple and to build on it would be criminal. I live quite near it and walk round it or past it a lot; almost every day at the moment. Such places are undervalued unfortunately and need to be preserved. We don't have nearly enough spaces as good as this. Yes, there is the park, but the rec is at least as valuable and is completely irreplaceable.
Is it really irreplaceable? It's a triangle of grass with some apple trees on one side of it, and a closed toilet block.
To replace it, you just need land. If someone really wanted, land could be found.
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Is it really irreplaceable? It's a triangle of grass with some apple trees on one side of it, and a closed toilet block.
To replace it, you just need land. If someone really wanted, land could be found.
It is irreplaceable as far as I am concerned, but then I live very close to it. There is nothing minor about "a triangle of grass with some apple trees on one side of it" Rather than replace it if some land could be found, why not supplement it? There are far too few "triangles of grass" of that size about.
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It is irreplaceable as far as I am concerned, but then I live very close to it. There is nothing minor about "a triangle of grass with some apple trees on one side of it" Rather than replace it if some land could be found, why not supplement it? There are far too few "triangles of grass" of that size about.
I am very much in favour of more greenery. More parks, more grass, more trees. But for something to be irreplaceable it has to impossible to replace. That is not the rec by any means.
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What makes it irreplaceable is its location at what might be seen as the entrance to the town centre. Otherwise I might agree it's a piece of green grass that could be situated anywhere. Going back the the original post the Rec doesn't have to do or be anything it can exist as it is, just be there and give plenty of pleasure and value.
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I don't often find myself on the NIMBY side of an argument, but I do agree that we shouldn't start building on open land just because it is there. The principle of redeveloping existing building locations (such as the Library) is a good one. I'd rather have a high quality town centre and green open spaces, not general sprawl.
Whilst it might be 'possible' relocate the Rec's green space elsewhere, practically that is extremely unlikely because any alternative piece of land will be worth more to sell to development. We should protect our green spaces because I don't see anyone coming along to give us more.