Friends of Danson Park
The Friends of Danson Park is an active and enthusiastic group of local people formed to safeguard the interests of the Park and to support the Council in its development.
The Friends hold a bi-monthly meeting for members. Meetings are in the Boathouse Function Room in the Park, except for the July meeting, generally held in the house. All are welcome to attend and membership of the Friends of Danson Park is free
The group gives local interested people a chance to hear reports from those responsible for the management of the park and the facilities within it, and to air their views or ask questions.
Fund-raising events and raffles held at the meetings provide an income which is used for park projects, the latest of which is the reinstatement of the plinth which will shortly be re-erected in the Rose Garden opposite the house.
Meetings are on the last Tuesday of alternate months. The next meetings of the Friends group will be on:Tuesday 25th November 2008.
All meetings commence at 7.30pm in the Boat House in Danson Park. Further information is available here.
Thames Gateway Decision
Friends of Danson Park are pleased to announce some good news for once about the Thames Gateway Bridge proposal.
Friends of Danson Park received notification last week from Mark Plummer on behalf of Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, Hazel Blears MP, to say that a decision has been taken to hold another Public Inquiry and that the Bridge will not go ahead for now ( as many people thought) For those of you who may not know Friends of Danson Park were represented as objectors at the 11 month long Public Inquiry last year.
This means that in real terms the report by the Inspectors, Michael Ellison and John Watson did NOT recommend approval for the Bridge to go ahead.
This welcome decision has been taken in the light of fresh evidence (some of which was sent in by Friends of Danson Park) which was relevant after the Public Inquiry ended on May 3 2006, i.e Dartford Tunnel toll change proposals and the Blackwall Tunnel tidal flow changes.
This is a significant victory and reflects work that has involved many organisations, local objectors, experts and M.P’s, all giving up their time to give evidence at the Inquiry and its good to know that the Inspectors appeared to have listened to our voices and those of other objectors.
It is good to see what ordinary local people, as individuals and via their community groups such as Friends of Danson Park, can achieve Thank you to everyone involved. Any new developments will be posted on the website.