Town’s boost for
Olympic bid
by Gary Skentelbery
A NEW ?1.25 million community sports facility in Warrington is exactly the kind of development which will help Britain’s bid to host the 2012 Olympics and produce stars of the future.
Built thanks to lottery funding, the community use facility at Boteler C of E School, is one of 2,000 similar facilities springing up all over Britain.
At the official opening of the Boteler Community Sports Centre in Latchford, Culture Secretary Tessa Jowell, said:”Not only will facilities like these provide greater opportunities for youngsters in the local community but they will increase the numbers taking part in activities.
“When you think that this is one of 2,000 such facilities opening up all over the country it is bound to have a profound impact which can only help our Olympic bid.”
She added that it would also allow special scholarship programmes to provide funding for young people.
While at the centre the minister tried her hand at Badminton, chatted with a team of netball girls and listened to some impressive drumming from the school band.
After opening the sports hall the minister went for a boat trip on the Mersey – to see how an ambitious rowing club plans to make Warrington the Henley of the North.
Together with Warrington South MP Helen Southworth, she took the opportunity to go and see the progress being made by members of Warrington Rowing Club, on the banks of the Mersey at Howley.
The club was launched less than 20 years ago with just two boats but has grown to become one of the most successful rowing clubs in the North West.
Ms Jowell was shown the club’s plans for a ?1.1 million new clubhouse with facilities for storing boats, a gymnasium and changing facilities, etc.
She was taken out on the river in a launch to watch junior rowers in action and expressed her delight at the progress the club has made.
Junior rowers from Warrington won six gold medals at the recent North West Indoor rowing championships at the Velodrome in Manchester – with 14-year-old Chris Johnston picking up a gold medal and improving on his own British National record in the junior men’s four-minute event.
MP wins pledge of
drugs crackdown
by Lesley Wilkinson
A PROMISE that drug problems around a notorious Warrington street will be tackled was given to MP Helen Jones.
The Warrington North MP helped gather 150 names supporting her campaign for drug problems in and around O’Leary Street, Warrington, to be stamped out.
She secured support from Warrington Borough Council’s chief executive David Whitehead who agreed to discuss the issue with other agencies, after receiving the petition.
The petition calls for CCTV to be installed to monitor the phone box in O’Leary Street, which residents claim is used for drug dealing.
People interested in joining the campaign, can still sign the petition at Beamont Junior School from 10.00 am to 3.00 pm every weekday during term times, or by contacting Ms Jones directly at Gilbert Wakefield House, 67 Bewsey Street, Warrington.
Mr Whitehead said that he supported the determination of people in the area to stamp out the unacceptable behaviour. He is also as the chairman of the Safer Warrington Partnership and of the Warrington Drugs Action Team, and promised to raise the issue with those agencies.
To assist the campaign, Ms Jones has secured action from BT to block incoming calls to the phone box in O’Leary Street.
She said: “I welcome Mr Whitehead’s comments. People are, rightly, demanding action and I expect to see some positive measures being introduced to tackle the problems in the area.”
The MP has asked senior representatives of the council, Golden Gates Housing and the police to join her and the ward councillors on a walk through the area to discuss anti-crime strategies and ideas for regeneration.
“I was delighted to learn from BT that they are taking positive action by barring incoming calls to the phone box. Incoming calls to drug dealers were a common occurrence and BT’s actions will at least prevent that from happening in the future and will make the activities of these people more difficult,” she added.
Sporting peace links
by Gary Skentelbery
A special soccer match took place in Warrington as part of the ongoing peace and reconciliation projects with Ireland.
Crewe United from the Derighy sports club in Northern Ireland visited Warrington to play a select team called “Genesis” who help promote mental health issues through sport.
Organised by The Bridge and Peace 93, two organisations set up in the wake of the Warrington IRA bombing in 1993, helped organise the event which took place at Vida Sport on Long Lane.
Crewe United won the match 5-2 and were presented with their trophy by Coun Mike Hannon and Rev Stephen Kingsnorth representing The Bridge and Peace 93, who continue to make funds available to promote peace and reconciliation initiatives in the town.
Crewe United were the first sporting team to visit Warrington in the wake of the bombing when Coun Hannon was deputy Mayor in 93-94.
Coun Hannon said he would like to thank the North West Development Agency, Warrington Borough Council and warrington Borough Transport for helping sponsor the event, which also included a civic reception at the town hall and an evening at LA Bowl.
Children’s nursery
plan put on hold
by David Skentelbery
A CONTROVERSIAL proposal to convert a house into a children’s day nursery in Knutsford Road, Grappenhall, near Warrington, has been put on hold.
Members of the borough council’s development control committee deferred consideration of the scheme after hearing that late representations had been made which were not covered by officers’ recommendations.
The plan involves a house adjoining the Grappenhall Motor Company garage and would provide a nursery for up to 50 children.
Grappenhall and Thelwall Parish Council has lodged objections on the grounds that it would increase traffic and parking at a dangerous junction.
A number of objections were also received from nearby residents concerned that increased traffic visiting the nursery would worsen congestion which already existed and could create an accident black spot.
There was also concern that children attending the nursery would be exposed to fumes, noise, etc from the garage workshop and at a wire cloth workshop at the rear.
The house has a large rear garden and planning officers say although an increase in noise could be expected, this would not be sufficient grounds to refuse planning permission.
Highways chiefs also raised no objections.
Shotgun terror
at corner shop
by staff reporter
MASKED men armed with a sawn-off shotgun held up staff at a convenience store at Lowton, near Warrington.
The raid took place as security guards were delivering cash.
Police are appealing for information following the raid in Church Lane, Lowton.
The guards were threatened at gunpoint by two men wearing balaclavas. Neither the shop staff nor the security men were hurt, but all were badly shocked.
News in brief
Men trapped
FIRE crews were called to Slutchers Lane, Warrington, following a collision between two cars. Five men were released from the damaged vehicles and taken to hospital.
Shed fire
VANDALS are believed to have started a fire which destroyed a garden shed at a house in Gerrard Avenue, Bewsey, Warrington during the night. Firefighters extinguished the blaze.
Public inquiry
A PUBLIC inquiry will take place on Tuesday, July 12 into an appeal against the refusal of planning consent for nine detached house on land adjoining 81a Grappenhall Road, Stockton Heath.
The hearing will be at Warrington Town Hall and following the borough council’s decision to refuse the outline application last y
ear.
No waiting
A NO waiting order has come into force in Davies Way, Lymm, near Warrington, close to Lymm Library, following complaints from nearby residents that motorists were blocking access to their homes when the Davies Way car park is full.
Road closure
THE southbound carriageway of Winwick Road, Warrington, is to be temporarily closed from Monday, March 28 on road safety grounds to minimise the number of vehicle manoeuvres at the access point to a nearby construction site.
Garage block
PLANS for a five-car garage block at Culcheth Hall Farm, Withington Avenue, Culcheth, have been submitted to Warrington’s planning department.
Disabled parking
WARRINGTON Borough Council has made an order to introduce disabled persons parking places in Earl Street, Padgate Lane, and Grasmere Avenue, Warrington.
