Over £6,485 has been raised by the appeal which was organised by Acomb Alive, the independent traders group.
It is expected that the lights will be put up shortly and a “switch on” is planned for Saturday at 4:00pm
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Sea containers to be parked on Piccadilly?
Objectors have said that a plan to put sea containers on the Reynard’s garage site on Piccadilly is flawed.
“They are visually intrusive and the proposed 3 year lease represents a very short sighted constraint on the, much needed, redevelopment of the Piccadilly/Castle area.
The City should aspire to much higher standards than are implicit in this project. To place commercial containers in a location which has visual links to both the Castle complex and historic buildings like the Merchant Adventurers Hall would be an unfortunate precedent.
It is far from clear, from the published papers, how the Council could hope to benefit financially from what is a high risk, speculative venture. The proposed uses would also be in competition with other existing businesses such as the, still relatively new, Shambles market hospitality area”.
It has been suggested that in the short term, the land be used for blue badge vehicle parking. “It is slightly perplexing why this option wasn’t implemented in the early autumn when the demolition works were completed”.
Allocation of the site as a (free) disabled parking area has the advantage of requiring little investment (save for signage) and would ease the pressures on both the Castle car park – which is busy in the run up to Christmas at least – and some City centre streets.
Reynard’s Garage site
The site is closer to City centre amenities and principal shops than other car parks and would therefore be a boon for the disabled.
Those parts of the former garage site which cannot be used for parking cars (because of the configuration) could accommodate cycle racks – again taking pressure off the oversubscribed facilities on Parliament St. The site has the advantage of CCTV security cover.
The Council has been struggling to find a viable plan to regenerate the Piccadilly area for nearly 20 years.
If the Council cannot bring its “Southern Gateway” project to fruition in less than 3 years, then invitations to tender for use of the land on a medium-term basis should be publicly advertised.
Any proposals can then be properly judged in a transparent way and in the confident knowledge that all businesses and organisations will have had the opportunity to put their case forward and on a level playing field.
City of York Council will be installing a new traffic island at the junction of Tudor Road and Kingsway West on Thursday 24 November.
Tudor Road – Kingsway West traffic island plan
The controversial plan was opposed by the majority of residents when it was first suggested in 2010 by transport officials. The then LibDem led Council implemented alternative safety improvements, but the “keep left” traffic island plan has now been revived.
Unfortunately other aspects of a “safe routes to school” programme – which involved the construction of a pedestrian crossing at the junction – have not been pursued by the Council.
The work on thr new bollard is expected to take one day to complete, weather permitting. Work will take place between 9.30am – 3.30pm.
In order to carry out the work safely, the junction will be closed to all traffic, except emergency vehicles. A clearly signed diversion route will be in place. If residents require vehicle access to properties located within the works area, they may be permitted to access to their property through the works as long as it is safe to do so. Residents are asked to inform on-site traffic management operatives to ensure site safety.
As with any construction work, there is likely to be a certain amount of disruption. Residents are assured that everything reasonably possible will be done to keep this to a minimum. However motorists should expect some delays and plan their journey accordingly.
The contractor carrying out the work is Rediweld, and they will be responsible for safety on site.
For traffic and travel information in and around York visit www.itravelyork.info
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Dancing was central to Georgian life, at court, in the ballroom and on the stage. Country dances were extremely popular, but this was also the era of the duet – beginning with the minuet and ending with the waltz. This talk by Moira Goff will explore the Georgian duet, from the formal ballroom dances of the time of George I to the apparent spontaneity of the couple dances enjoyed in the reign of George IV. It will also trace the evolution and reveal the variety of theatrical pas de deux between the early 1700s and the early 1800s. Along the way, it will peer at fashion, celebrity and dance crazes through the prism of changes in the style and technique of social and theatrical dancing. There will be pictures and even some demonstration of the dancing of this period.
Moira Goff is a dance historian specialising in ballroom and theatre dancing from 1660 to 1760. Her research is practical as well as academic and she enjoys dancing duets and country dances from the 18th and 19th centuries. She has published many articles, essays and papers, as well as her book The Incomparable Hester Santlow: a Dancer-Actress on the Georgian Stage which appeared in 2007. Moira is currently Librarian at the Garrick Club in London.
Tickets £14 or £12 for members and Friends of Fairfax House – prices include a glass of wine. Tickets can be bought by calling into the Museum Shop or alternatively phoning the shop on 01904 655543.
Author Pauline Kirk talks about her new book, an edited memoir of her Uncle’s letters to his wife while serving in the RAF during WWII.
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Drop in anytime all day to see original documents about Dringhouses from the York Archives, including the 1624 Samuel Parsons Map of Dringhouses, a real treasure of the Archives.
Archives staff will be on hand to answer your questions and show you the documents.
