Thank you for the kind words but I must say that although the vision for the edwardian restoration of Central Park and projects within it like the tunnels may come from me and the cabinet, the actual hard and dirty work to bring them to life is done by lots of other people - and i think they have done a terrific job on the tunnels.
I remember precisely the day when I learned that there were tunnels under Princes Road ( I'm ashamed to say that I was ignorant of them until just a few years ago) but from the moment that I knew they existed it was a no-brainer that we would open them up. Biggest obstacle was that they still flood from time to time and the absence of a solution almost stopped the project. but then we found a perfect solution, namely "Let 'em flood!". After all, who's going to be daft enough (even in a Cherie Blair nanny-state world) to walk through a flooded tunnel. Accepting the principle that the path may be two feet underwater from time to time opened the (er) floodgates on the project and away we went.
If you haven't been to the tunnels please go. If it's a nice day it is a lovely way to walk to Princes Park from the town rather than up Darenth Road
As i have said to some of you before, i came into this council thingy from a rather unusual route - namely a real job rather than an over-burdening childhood desire only ever to be a politician - and many (actually I think all) of my senior colleagues are the same. I think that makes us an unusual council since we seem to look at life through the eyes of taxpayers and residents rather than do what's PC or paperwork-driven.
I must be honest and say that when you look back over the 5 and a bit years we have had our hands on the levers, I am quite proud of the stuff we have already left behind in the town. We don't get everthing right but we leave the 20/20 hindsight to the armchair critics!
I figure that people have always criticised 'the council' and always will, so you might as well forget about all that and just do what you think is right and say 'yes' to fun projects that make life a bit better for people.
Last week, I had a great phonecall with the company that, I hope, will soon be building us a brand new bandstand in Central Park. How great will that be? deckchairs around a bandstand on a summer afternoon. brilliant.
As for the Ellinghams/Brooklands thing, I will find out for sure but I seem to remember that Ellingham was the name of the guy who used to own 'Brooklands' and quarried out the lakes. He donated them to the fishing club and then left them to the Council in his will ( A great idea that I hope those of you with valuable property will follow
) andthey reverted to their original name, having been known as Ellingham's lakes informally. Think that's right. will find out.
J
