Government Clarification: Astwood Park Proposal
The Minister of Public Works Michael Weeks wishes to clarify the proposal to use a section of Astwood Park for a youth scrambling programme.
The Minister stressed that it’s only a proposal and that plans for the area are still being formulated and currently in draft form. He also said that what has “been proposed is not a ‘scrambling track’ as such and would be better described as a small, circular and flat ‘kiddie track’ for peddle bikes and motorized bikes for 4-8 year olds.”
A statement issued said: “Furthermore, since there has been some confusion regarding which section of the park could be used for this purpose, the Minister would like to clarify for public information that it is the area known as the “Big Green”, located on the bank north of South Road.
“Photos have been attached to depict the area itself [photo above] as well as the turn off from South Road [on your right if you’re coming from Hamilton] which would need to be made in order to reach the area [photo below].
“It is the intent of The Department of Parks to clean up the area for the residents and also create a dog park in that location,” said the statement.
Minister Weeks said: “This is by no means a ‘fait accompli’. The MP for the area Minister of Environment, Planning and Infrastructure Strategy the Hon. Marc Bean JP MP will continue to canvass the residents of the area to solicit feedback before making any final decisions. At this point Minister Bean has only worked with the residents who are putting the plan together.”
“Furthermore, Government greatly appreciates the common sense approach offered by Opposition Sen. Michael Fahy in terms of getting a better understanding of the project before casting judgment.”
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- BEST Responds: Astwood Park Proposal | Bernews.com | September 14, 2012
Statements from Govts own spokesmen over the past few days indicated that this was a done deal. I am glad to see them backtracking on this very illadvised project. Follow the law on public consultation!
No they didn’t. I just re-read all the previous articles and there was not one indication from any representatives that this was a done deal. Now the reporter writing the article may have hinted that it was a done deal, but the spokesperson for government said they were in still in talks.
Why do you think Senator Fahy said reserve judgement until you get all the facts.
Back peddle, Back peddle, Back peddle, Back peddle, Back peddle……
reads like Mick Romney!
Many thanks to BEST, and Mr. Hayward.
Minister Weeks’ “not a fait accompli” conflicts sharply with the “one-year trial” and other statements in the original Government response.
If BEST had not expressed its concerns, it seems likely that construction would have already started.
Remember this behaviour when the election is finally called.
EW
Come on dude, stop making things up. BEST’s Stuart Hayward is the one who said this would be a ‘one-year trial’.
Sorry, my apologies. A government spokesperson said in response to Stuart Hayward that IF it went through it would be on a one’year trial basis. Key word, IF!
What I find strange in this whole matter is who exactly is this government spokesperson that the news sources refer to? Back in the 90′s it was a gov’t spokesperson and today its the same thing. Makes me wonder and think that this person is an imaginary person drummed up by the papers and internet sites just to make the story more interesting. I say that becuase when gov’t or the opposition make statements, it is always accompanied by the persons name. So you know who is saying what and whether it is official or not. When there is no name associated with it, I find the comment very questionable. That goes for all sides in politics.
How insightful.
EW
Here comes that PLP bicycle furiously being peddled backwards by some Minister again. Get out of the way. They wonder why they cannot be trusted. 14 years & they have not learned a thing. 14 years of pushing secret agendas. 14 years of avoiding the press. 14 years of avoiding answering to the public. 14 years of treating public assets as personal assets of the PLP.
Had enough yet?
Don’t care how many feathers Weeks trys to stick on this pig, it is not going to fly. Nice distraction from all of the other miserable failures of the PLP for a few days though. Add this one to the steaming pile.
damage control, damage control, damage control, damage control, damage control………..only because they were “outed”.
Thank you BEST.
I don’t believe ANYTHING that comes out of this government’s mouth. Nothing. Nothing. Nada. Nada.
Too little too late.
Whatever. It’s an election ploy. They were going to make that space a dog park. They haven’t. Pushed that date back from April to end of year. Now add a track to it. They won’t. It’ll be another “end of year” thing.
They don’t know how to spend $0 on projects:
- Use Botanical Gardens ring as a dog park – $0
- Use the old baseball diamond at the base (by old McDonald’s) that NO ONE uses (it’s actually locked and the grass is LONG) – $0.
- Use the other diamonds(by Double Dipp) in the off season that only get used for baseball season – $0.
They want to spend $75k on dog parks.
- Make one at Astwood – clear trees, make parking lot, fence in area – who knows $$$
- Make one around Happy Valley – see above – $$$
- Make one Penhurst Park (nice and level for running animals) – see above – $$$
If an election ploy, wouldn’t this news have been leaked by the PLP itself instead of being leaked by BEST? Don’t think its an election ploy.
People have blown this out of proportion. As a Bermudian, I totally understand wanting to protect every last bit of green space that we possibly can, but the response to this proposal (and thats all it was) was sensationalized to the point that it has confused the public. I’ll hold Mr. Weeks to his word and hope for the BEST (no pun intended
)
How many 4-8 year olds have motorize dirt bikes? Or are we going to pay for it? Also, who is going to police it? Who is going to pay for the insurance for the track?
Where are the dog parks we were promised!!!!
Please do not miss this once in a life time opportunity to put a motor cross track on our #1 scenic tourist route. This is perfectly in keeping with the derelict Golden Hind site, the American urban style gas station, the soon to be derelict gas station, the low cost housing, the soon to be condemned low cost housing closest to the cliff and a general vision for mixing low cost land uses into areas where we want our high end tourists to visit.
Our tourism Board headed by Vincent Ingham is making great strides.
so yesterday’s story only mentioned “the minister for the area has canvassed ” today it turns out the Minister is none other than Marc Bean the Minister of the Environment……can you make this stuff up…The Minister of the Environment wants to take some of Bermuda’s precious open space and make a mini race track….now the story is 4 year olds on bikes and electric motor bikes…..give us a break please…please make no decisions until after the next election….
So are these kids selling drugs or riding bikes?
peddle [ˈpɛdəl]
vb
1. (Business / Commerce) to go from place to place selling (goods, esp small articles)
2. (Law / Recreational Drugs) (tr) to sell (illegal drugs, esp narcotics)
3. (tr) to advocate (ideas) persistently or importunately to peddle a new philosophy
4. (intr) Archaic to trifle
ped·al [ped-l or, for 6–8, peed-l] Show IPA noun, verb, ped·aled, ped·al·ing or ( especially British ) ped·alled, ped·al·ling, adjective
noun
1.
a foot-operated lever used to control certain mechanisms, as automobiles, or to play or modify the sounds of certain musical instruments, as pianos, organs, or harps.
2.
a leverlike part worked by the foot to supply power in various mechanisms, as the bicycle.
3.
Music .
a.
a foot-operated keyboard, as on an organ or harpsichord.
b.
any of the keys of such a keyboard.
c.
pedal point.
verb (used without object)
4.
to work or use the pedals, as in playing an organ or propelling a bicycle.
Pedal is always a great word to know.
verb (used with object)
5.
to work the pedals of (an organ, bicycle, etc.).
adjective
6.
of or pertaining to a foot or the feet.
7.
of or pertaining to a pedal or pedals.
8.
using pedals: a pedal mechanism.
Origin:
1605–15; (< French pédale ) < Latin pedālis of the feet. See ped-2 , -al1
Can be confused: pedal, peddle, petal.
Perhaps Marc Bean, Minister of the ENVIRONMENT (??), when he is not too busy taking care of our “environmental needs”, should look up the word ‘OXYMORON’.
Along the same lines, perhaps Messrs. Weeks, Bean and Mr. Furbert might try getting together, and in the spirit making sure the right hand of government knows what the left hand of government is doing, review the ‘new’ tourism plan (that has cost us TAX PAYERS millions BTW), and make sure everybody in the Bermuda Government row boat is rowing in the SAME direction.
LongBay Trading Co. Ltd.
I thought Cabinet met on a regular basis. Surely this idea should have been discussed at that level first.
Now we have two Ministers issuing contradictory statements and making themselves look foolish.
Please remind me again, how much are we paying these jokers?
Funny thing is, back in the day (90s til maybe early-00s)guys used to run scramblers round the area surrounding where they built the Grand Atlantic condos…something slight made by the people who used it, and even it got complained about (and was not safe or legal so far as I know, admittedly). But imagine, maybe they could have done that there up properly and not wasted money/public goodwill both on making houses up on the cliff and on proposing to put the track at Astwood Park. Food for thought: People make these little tracks all over the island themselves, some on public land and some on private property. This practice is not going to be as safe or environmentally friendly as a proper track made by the people in charge of parks and environment. At least i’d hope that’s the case! Another track made somewhere already developed, that also caters to BMX bikes (at different times of course), wouldn’t be a bad idea – and if done right it doesn’t have to cost all that much!
Nobody wants to hear them loud , annyoing bikes while relaxing and chilling in the park. Fricken ridiculous. ANYWHERE at that! Why not just cut the whole entire programe. Nobdy cares for it, waste of time and money.
We already have a race track in Warwick, its called South Shore Road. You can run what you brung, any time day or night. No license, insurance, helmets, or supervision needed. There’s enough bumps and whoops, to challenge the most experienced rider, and for the kiddies there’s a narrow piece of road that’s smooth, and small. There’s plenty of room for a live audience as you can sit at PawPaws, or the nasty new gas station and watch the activities.
Please leave this space alone. They have corny island, adjust that track.
4 – 8 year olds dont need motorised vehicles of any form.. so don’t spend any of my tax payer dollars on a track to appease them. Kiddie pedal bikes? Have you ever tried to ride a bike on a grassy hill? Or are you planning on removing anything Green and putting in concrete? Dog park? OK, that I’m open to… This just hasn’t been thought through in any fashion. Oh and one more thing – along that stretch is a 4 – 10′ rock cut depending on where you are dropping onto South Shore Road. So IF this goes through, how exactly are you going to stop the little tykes from ending up on South Shore Road when they “miss the nip”? 8′ chain link fence perhaps? That would be attractive… NOT!!!!
Must be some very wealthy parents in Warwick if these little ‘pit’ bikes are what they can afford to buy for their kids.
What ever happened to the little “bmx” track on north shore road in between barkers hill and watlington warterworks? Surely the gov’t could fix that up as its sole purpose was for bmx/mini dirt bikes!