Acomb Memorial

Acomb War Memorial work completed

The York Civic Trust has completed its work on the restoration of the Acomb War Memorial on The Green. The Trust has paid for much of the work from their exemplary City Enhancement Fund

The Westfield Ward Committee has funded a new access footpath to the base of the memorial. It is hoped this will make the monument easier to reach particularly for people with disabilities.

There will be a Service of Remembrance at the Memorial on Sunday starting at 10:45am

Restored Acomb War Memorial rear

Restored Acomb War Memorial front

New monument access path paid for by the Westfield Ward

1922 cutting from local newspaper

Acomb War Memorial shortly after completion in May 1922

Work underway on Acomb War Memorial

Work has started on cleaning up the Acomb War Memorial on The Green. The project which, as well as cleaning and refurbishing the stonework, includes the provision of a new path, aimed at improving disabled access, is expected to be completed next week.

There will be a reading, by local Councillors, of names from the Kings Book of Heroes at the Memorial on Thursday 8th November 2018, at 11:00am .

The Kings Book of Heroes contains the names of nearly 1,450 men and 2 women from York who lost their lives because of the First World War. It was put together by prominent York citizens after the war as an act of remembrance. The names will be read publicly in chronological order of when they died.

On Saturday 10th November volunteers will be in the St Stephens Churchyard (just opposite the Memorial) from 10:00am cleaning the headstones of the 12 WW1 soldiers who are buried there. Work starts at 10:00am and will be concluded by noon. Additional helpers are welcome.

On Sunday 11th November a Remembrance Service will take place at the War Memorial starting at 10:45am

St Stephens Churchyard

Projects reported “on target” to meet promised completion dates

The Wetherby Road roundabout improvement is on course to meet its expected Spring 2019 completion date. In total the improvement will take around 40 weeks to construct.

Wetherby Road speed sign missing for over a year now

The design of the improvement has raised concerns that the speeds of vehicles leaving the junction may be higher than are currently recorded.
In turn, that has prompted some residents on Wetherby Road to ask for the missing flashing speed warning sign to be reinstated. The sign on the odd numbered side of the road has been missing for over a year now. When it was last in place, around 20% of passing vehicles caused it to operate.
A petition is being collected asking for the flashing signs to be modernised. Residents are also calling for an occasional visit by the North Yorkshire Police speed camera van. There are already signs in place warning that there are speed cameras in the area (there aren’t any fixed cameras in this location or anywhere else in York for that matter).
Nearby York Civic Trust engineers have confirmed that they will complete the restoration of the stonework on the Acomb War Memorial before 11th November.
A Service of Remembrance is scheduled to take place then with wreaths being laid at around 11:00am.
The York Council has not yet confirmed that it will complete work on trimming trees and branches in the garden of remembrance before the service. Work on providing an improved access for disabled people is also outstanding.

Bogus speed camera sign on Wetherby Road

Work on Wetherby Road roundabout proceeding on schedule

Acomb war memorial

Acomb War Memorial restoration – deadline looms

Acomb War Memorial – Civic Trust notice

According to the York Civic Trust, restoration of the stonework on the Acomb War Memorial should be completed next week.

They promise, in a poster attached to the (ugly) security barriers which currently protect the monument, that their work will be completed “before the middle of October”.

They promise that a remembrance ceremony will take place on 11th November – the 100 year anniversary of the end of the First World War. St Stephen’s Church confirm that they will be holding a service of remembrance, part of which will be held at the Acomb War Memorial on 11th November.

Progress on other commemorative work in the memorial gardens has been slow.

The Westfield Ward Committee promised to fund the provision of a path, from the entrance to the memorial, in an attempt to make access for disabled people and wheelchair users easier. The work has not yet started.

The Ward Committee also promised to fund “crown thinning” of some of the trees on the site in an attempt to encourage flower growth. Reducing the amount of vegetation would also have the effect of improving visibility into the gardens, making anti social behaviour less likely.

The Council sign – which prohibits alcohol consumption on The Green – is only just coming back into view as the leaves fall.

Sadly the rotten fence posts which were left in the gardens a few weeks ago are still there despite being reported to the council for removal.

So a lot still to do.

Dumped rotten fencing in memorial garden

Well camouflaged alcohol prohibition notice

Drinking fountain restoration tops Civic Trust pop poll

Restoration of the drinking fountain on Lendal was the top priority of those voting in a poll conducted by the York Civic Trust. It was seeking to timetable several projects for its “City Enhancement Project”

The Civic Trust have said that they will ensure that the War Memorial on Acomb Green is renovated before the 11th November; the centenary of the end of WW1. The work will be part funded by the City of York Council.

A further £6000 will be needed for the drinking fountain restoration.

The other projects mentioned in the poll will be undertaken over the next few years as resources become available.

York Remembers: Lifting the shadow of the First World War

The city-wide project will commemorate the 100 year milestone and reflect upon the horrors of war, remembering the 37 million military and civilian casualties of the First World War. York Remembers will explore a diversity of perspectives on the causes and consequences of the war and explore how we can learn the lessons of the past to help build peace in the future.

Key events for this year’s anniversary commemorations include:

Restoration of the Acomb War Memorial and refurbishment work on the 12 WW1 graves located in the St Stephens churchyard
Renaming of the Tedder Road park to commemorate Marshal of the Royal Air Force Sir William Forster Dickson, GCB, KBE, DSO, AFC who was a Royal Naval Air Service aviator during the First World War
100 Years:1000 Voices – an inter-school event, bringing together school-aged children to sing commemorative songs about World War One in The Barbican on November 12th.
100 Years Since the Armistice – On November 10th a event by Fishergate, Fulford and Heslington Local History Society tells the life stories of the 86 former pupils of Fishergate School who are named on the Great War Memorial in the school porch.

Volunteers from GoodGym will be starting work on tidying the area around the 12 WW1 graves in St Stephens cemetery on Monday from about 6:30pm

Get Involved:
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Acomb War Memorial restoration faces competition from Scarcroft School

The York Civic Trust has announced a “peoples vote” which will decide which of 5 City Enhancement projects will get the “go ahead”.

Generally we think that involving people in making choices like this is a good thing. However we had been led to understand that the York Civic Trust had already agreed to lead on the restoration of the Acomb War Memorial.

It appears not, as it is one of 5 schemes now competing for “peoples” votes.

Thus doubt has been cast on a scheme which it was intended should be completed by the November anniversary of the end of World War One. A local group (WW1 Acomb) had been set up to lead on local commemoration activities but had stood down from the War Memorial project when the Civic Trust said that they had adopted it.

The five schemes competing for votes, which vary wildly in cost, are:

Acomb Green: Conservation and repairs to the War Memorial
Monk Bar: Reinstatement of portcullis to working order
Monk Bar: Conservation of Ice House
Museum Street Water Fountain:
Scarcroft School: Reinstatement of timber finial posts to bell tower

More details can be found here http://yorkcivictrust.co.uk/home/city-enhancement-2/peoples-choice-award/

The vote closes at 5:00pm, 25th June 2018

We think that the City Enhancement Programme is one of the best initiatives that has taken place in the City in recent years. However the organisers perhaps need to reflect on the need to make decisions in a timely way and to encourage participation from all parts of the City.