| Calder Holmes Park new pathway – Observations and questions
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From William
Wednesday, 31 October 2007
Anybody contemplating having a successful, on schedule and on budget booze up in a brewery organised on their behalf would be well advised to avoid the team behind the pathway.
Consider the following:
Schedule
It was started late and all works are still not completed.
Budget
At the Friends of Calder Homes Park AGM it was admitted that the budget had been used up, before all of the works announced have been completed. Why? What control was exercised over budget? How was the budget drawn up? How are the works for which there is no money from the budget to be financed? Your council tax?
Pathway surface
Given how treacherous the two small bridges over the canal can be when they have ice on them, it is pity that nobody used any commonsense to have the surface prepared in such a way that the likelihood of anybody slipping and falling on the path, especially during winter, would be reduced. It has been said that a nonslip surface (such as that found in front of the traffic lights in the centre of HB) would not have cost any more than the present surface.
The canal
At the above AGM it emerged that permission had not been obtained from British Waterways to have direct access to the canal. Why was this facility promised if permission had not already been obtained? Indeed, if it is not obtained the whole reason for the topography of the path is called into question.
Areas for benches
One of the areas prepared by the contractors has already been ripped up and is being redesigned. Presumably the one next to it will follow. Why is this necessary? Did the contractors follow their instructions wrongly? If so, surely it is up to them to put right their mistake. Did they even get any instructions? If they did not, who is responsible for this lack of control? As the budget has been used up, is your and my council tax paying for this work? Who is responsible?
Lighting
Why was the option not explored of having the lighting columns prepainted by the manufacturers, Abacus? Abacus could have supplied them with a black acrylic coating (meaning little or no maintenance for eight years and major maintenance only after 15 years) presumably at a fraction of the cost of the two men and materials used to paint the columns. Abacus probably would have also painted the full length of the columns and would not have left parts of unpainted column showing above the surface of the ground, ready to be attacked by the elements, with the inevitable subsequent rusting. In fact patches of rust were seen on the columns before they were painted. On the grapevine I heard that the unpainted (visible) portions are to be painted. When? before or after snow and ice has been deposited around them? Where is the money coming from for the painting of these columns? Is it once again our council tax which is paying? The lights are still not complete and working. What control is exercised by management over the individual responsible for this essential aspect of the project? Seemingly very little (that’s polite for none)!
Remedial works
The project engineer of Calderdale is quoted as having said, on the 18th of JULY, that seeding of the new bankings and reseeding of the strip by the river were programmed for ‘this week’. The strip by the river was prepared only last week, just under three calendar months late. The pile of rubbish in the corner, containing waste from the project is still there, presenting a wonderful vista for any visitors to the park.
Does it really matter? After all the people responsible don’t seem to be worrying and, after all, Calderdale has your council tax to use whenever it wants.