Goings On At The Pit Heap

[angechica]

Hi - anyone know what's going on up there? Thing seem to happen quite randomly since the Sustrans path was built ... a few new bins, picnic tables appear... A few weeks ago a digger dumped some boulders and asphalt at the top. This week containers have appeared housing tools and the steep hill to the south east side is being dug up. Haven't seen any planning applications posted anywhere either on the county website or on lamp posts or anything. It seems they have carte blanche to do what they like up there in any case as they let the bike club create a track in the middle of the woods (not that I think this is a bad thing particularly), just wonder what's going on. My only worry would be if they are building a proper surfaced path up the hill it would make it more appealing for the clampets who ride motorbikes around... who already cause great annoyance on the Free Wood path.

[Malcolm Robinson]

They are building the new downhill mountain bike tracks and cycling skills area.

This is the SITA money we got when we registered the Park as a QE11 Park.

You will see more picnic tables, seats, signage, litter bins, new gateway features with a large scale one next to the Gas House.

We are also about to commission an outside body to do a full-scale consultation on Gallagher Park and produce a masterplan for developing it further.

[Malcolm Robinson]

BTW,

The cleared pathways, litter picks and new picnic tables in now have all been done and got by a very small group of volunteers from the Friends of Gallagher Park group.

Last year they got second place in the Love Northumberland awards, this year their honorary chair George Webster got an achievement award.

If anyone is interested in finding out more or possibly doing something get along to the Friends of Gallagher Park meetings held in the East Bedlington Community Centre.