News & views from around Stobhill (by real people!)
Our area is unique. We love it because every type of person and housing can be found. We are lucky - there are real shops, services and people here. It is vibrant and alive. Not like some other dormitory estates we could mention…!
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In this bit of the website real people give their personal views on local matters and/or anything at all. It is not edited by anyone but the writer.
(If you want to add something, either a one-off or regular piece, please contact Ian…)
View from the Gate
By Dave Hogg
(Stobhill Gate)
I hope you have a healthy 2008 and are able to move forward in your endeavours.
I was wondering what the answer is to the traffic on Choppington road?
The residents have a bus route front and rear so where can they park safely? The section up to the A196 has ineffectual road calming, as the north side always has cars parked on it, amazingly the road users (in the main) are polite and sensible, giving way to busses etc. Could road widening be the answer giving residents dedicated parking?
A thought struck me that Stobhill is almost a village on its own separated as it is from the rest of Morpeth, by the main rail line. In that case do you think we should have one of those 30mph reminders so that traffic can cross the A192 raceway from the Grange/Black Swan junctions?
There is a “get in touch” page on this website if you want to comment on what has been said here.
Grange Hill
by Joan Summers (Stobhill Grange and Low Stobhill)
December thoughts from Joan Summers
I was enjoying a leisurely walk to Morpeth this morning, prior to doing my shopping.
The autumn colours on the trees and flowers in the park were glorious. I then crossed the footbridge and one could be forgiven for thinking that our River Wansbeck was an extension to the Council Tip!
There were more take-away food containers, drinks cans and plastic bottles in the river than ducks an in the middle of all this rubbish was a tied-up see-through plastic bag, full of leaves.
Just around the corner from all this rubbish are two bins – why can’t the people who use the river as a dump use these bins?
Come on all you late night revellers; enjoy your snack on the way home, but PLEASE take your rubbish with you and try to keep our town tidy.
A View From The Gate
by David Hogg
(The Avenues)
I sometimes wonder at the process of planning in the Stobhill ward, for instance the prevailing wind is from the West so why are there no Bus shelters on the East side of Shields Road yet there are 2 on the West side?
I often hear we need more for the Kids/Youth to do! I reply do you know how many youth organisations are in the town? The answer is usually not enough or a shrug and to be honest I had no idea, so I decided to do a mini survey:-
- We have a youth club on the doorstep
- Cubs, Brownies, Scouts, Guides, Boys Brigade, Army & Air cadets all Uniformed and promoting self reliance, citizenship and to varying degrees discipline.
- Football, Rugby, Harriers, Martial Arts, Swimming and Fitness in the Leisure Centre and other close venues.
- There are also a myriad of arts based activities in the town including after school clubs.
The only thing that is causing difficulty is the lack of Adult volunteers that make the activities run smoothly if at all.
Having spent my adult life as a volunteer I feel I have the right to say. “Don’t complain that there isn’t enough for them to do, encourage and support what is there before we loose even that”! If you think you are not qualified, training can often be provided if not then there will be some role you can fulfil.
Question: How much should be charged for the Jobling Crescent, First Ave. & Shields Rd. car park on a Sunday morning?
Answers to be left in the usual place!
chapter 1 of the treasurer's diary:
WHAT IS AN AVENUE?
Many street names in Britain include the word avenue, but not many people know what the word originally meant. There was a time when the word avenue meant two rows of trees which would provide shade for a footpath in the garden of a large house. Not surprisingly the word later became common for a road which was planted with trees. Nowadays however it is often used in the names of streets which don't have a single tree growing on them.
The avenues on Stobhill are a case in point, as they have very few trees. There are a few trees dotted here and there, but on the whole it is a drab place which could really benefit from having a few more trees planted.
Of course the pavements like the roads belong to the county council, and their budgets are limited. On the other hand, if local people were able to raise part of the cost of planting more trees, then the county might be prepared to co-operate. Maybe we could have a buy-a-tree scheme, whereby residents could pay for a tree to be planted, and choose what type of tree it should be. I rather
like box trees myself, but I'm probably in a minority on that one.
Quentin Hawkins (the Avenues)
