Campaigners fight on for Cardiff’s parks

Nov 4 2009 by Emily Woodrow, South Wales Echo

great article says it all..the fight goes on!

The Bute Parks Alliance used a meeting in Rhiwbina to raise opposition to the work the council is carrying out to build a £1.4m lorry bridge into the parklands and expand the roadways.CAMPAIGNERS fighting to protect Cardiff’s much-loved Grade I-listed central parklands last night tried to rally support across the city.

Professor Kevin Morgan, who chairs the organisation, told the meeting in the Bethany Baptist Church the campaigners would not give up.

He said: “Our parks are wonderful, but they have one fatal flaw – they have no voice. Consequently, they are open to abuse from successive councils who see the citizens’ parkland as cheap land for development. Our aim is to keep the plight of our green space in the public eye – permanently.”

Cardiff council is already carrying out work to prepare the way for the bridge and the widening and raising of the paths in the park.

Prof Morgan said: “It was in 1920 that the process of development and erosion began in Cardiff’s green spaces, but it is in the last 10 years that the pace has really changed.

“The thing which galvanised most of us into action was the council’s decisions about Bute Park. More than a third of our central parkland has been lost to development already.

“It’s a case of death by a thousand cuts – a huge and ugly new bridge, raised on concrete pillars, is being constructed in Bute Park, disfiguring what was once a beautiful woodland belt, and Cardiff council has further controversial plans for a turning circle, road enlargement and commercialisation of the nursery.

“Furthermore, the vast WJEC building at the northern end of Llandaff Fields dominates that section of parkland, marring the view of Llandaff Cathedral – and is yet another example of inappropriate development.”

The meeting, which was held by independent councillors Jayne Cowan, Adrian Robson and Brian Jones, also addressed another motion – to protect Cardiff’s green spaces.

Councillor Robson said the reason for holding it was because parks and green spaces in Cardiff were under threat from developments and changes and they wanted to protect them.

Coun Cowan added: “There’s a groundswell of public concern about the loss of open spaces throughout the city and the meeting gave us an important opportunity to listen to views and discuss the way forward.”

A vote was held on how to protect the city’s open spaces, asking people to agree or disagree on the following statements:

Bute Park should remain for the enjoyment of the people and no further building or development (with the exception of emergency safety work) should be undertaken.

All green spaces in Rhiwbina need to be protected from development.

Both proposals received 100% support for protection.

One member of the public added: “Every incursion is something which can’t be taken back. It will affect our children and grandchildren and will never ever be reversed.”