Dropped into Northern Meeting Park tonight (Tuesday 3rd June) on the way home and watched Northern Cricket Club practising — along with local schools they are the main users, and have been there for many years.
Every time I visit I am greatly impressed by the size of the Park, which comprises about four acres of green space right in the town centre, and also growing more aware of the users and its importance to the community. The fact that it is being considered for building, even for a Museum and Art Gallery, is a scandal.
Apart from cricket, the three local schools who lack playing fields — St. Joseph’s, Bishop Eden, and Central — all use it during the week and for their sports days. It is also used for the Marymas fair and maybe the Tattoo could return there.
It has been atrociously maintained by Highland Council with only minimal maintenance, and suffers periodic vandalism from intruders after hours.
Saving it from being destroyed for a Museum we don’t actually need is essential, and I was glad to see Fields in Trust (formerly National Playing Fields Association) members in action in Eastgate recently collecting signatures for a petition against building on the Park
The BBC website has an item on the Northern Meeting Park controversy, linked to the launch of the Inverness Greenspace Strategy:
http://tinyurl.com/2ysv2h
Dear David
Many thanks for the update, though I am concerned that the P&J carried this before members were informed.
The proposal to build over the Northern Meeting Park is quite outrageous. I am completely at a loss to understand how one of the few green spaces in the town centre can even be considered for building over.
You can be assured that at least one member of the Council is totally opposed.
Best wishes
Alex
An Inverness councillor has stepped into the debate over secret plans for a £15 Highland Museum and Art gallery.
“The Northern Meeting Park must not used for this building, or any other development,” Inverness West councillor Alex Graham.”It is an irreplaceable piece of green space close to the town centre and must be retained.”
Councillor Graham, who is also campaigning for the nearby Bught Park to be protected, claims that the Northern Meeting Park has been the victim of “benign neglect”.
“It has not been promoted properly as a leisure and local amenity. It should be for the use of local people first and foremost.”
Councillor Graham hopes to get support from other local councillors in Central and West Inverness and will take the issue to the Inverness City Committee if necessary.