|
|
 |
| |
Kentish Town area needs youth centre
• WE read with interest details of the exclusion zone for youth in Kentish Town (Exclusion zone for youths, March 8) – that is the old St John’s electoral ward that is excluded from the Caversham Neighbourhood Renewal Area in which is situated the Ingestre Road Community centre. No support is given to us, the affluent area.
Approximately eight years ago the then youth officer for the borough withdrew the seconded youth workers from Ingestre Road Community Centre because of a cash crisis.
They also considered that, as we were next to the Youth Centre at Acland Burghley School, we were surplus to requirements during the period of cash cuts.
Acland Burghley School Youth Club has now been closed for a couple of years so the only youth club for this area is Parliament Hill School.
Thanks to BBC Children in Need, Help a London Child and the Lottery Community Fund we were able to keep our youth club going up until the funding dried up in November 2006 when we had to close.
When the British Social Club in College Lane closed some six years ago, we asked our local councillor to take the message to the executive and the then youth officer (same person) to ask the council to purchase the premises and the large piece of land attached to it to develop as a youth centre for the Kentish Town area. The answer came back that there was no money.
The British Rail Social Club was purchased by an Asian company who have been trying to gain access to the site ever since.
Camden Council were refused planning permission for luxury houses and underground car parking and this was turned over by the government planning inspector and permission was given.
The only access is via Little Green Street that is totally unsuitable to accommodate the heavy traffic and equipment needed to build the luxury housing and a few social flats.
At the entrance to Little Green Street is the only zebra crossing in Highgate Road that took over 20 years to get in place.
The traffic problems in Highgate Road are horrendous, bumper to bumper most of the day, so you can imagine the further congestion these heavy vehicles will cause and the disruption to the public transport services.
Most important of all is the use that is made of this zebra crossing by mothers taking their children to and from Gospel Oak School.
This is a safe crossing but when you go up to the three-way crossing at Chetwynd Road, Highgate Road, Gordon House Road, it becomes a difficult crossing for mothers with children to negotiate in the morning and evening when traffic is at its heaviest.
This also affects the elderly in the area who use the parade of shops, doctor’s surgery and the post office in Highgate Road, in other words the vulnerable in the area who depend on the Little Green Street route and the zebra crossing for their safety.
This also applies to mums with toddlers, children coming to the after school club and elderly people coming to use the Ingestre Road Community Centre.
The Kentish Town area needs a youth centre. It’s time the government gave the council the means of buying this site and doing it up and giving youth the much-needed support to take them off the streets and stop the nuisance.
So much could be done on this site to benefit them and the community at large.
Lack of youth facilities is one of the causes of youth crime. It is time it is recognised as such and given priority.
J ELLIS
Co-ordinator, Ingestre Road Community Centre
Ingestre Road Estate, NW5
|
 |
|
|
|
