Providing something for young people in Diggle should be a priority
I have received an update from Diggle Bowling Club regarding the effect of the sale of land, which includes the bowling green, is having on them and its future.
‘Since the for sale signs were erected we have been plagued almost every night with youths around 18-19 years of age playing football on the green. Others continue to exercise their dogs on the green. The reason given is that they think that the site including the green is now derelict. The incidents are being reported to the Police and a new sign has been ordered to ensure that everyone knows that the green is still being used. The green will be officially opened on Friday 6th April, so we should be able to keep a closer watch on the area. I understand that when the youths are moved on by the Police, they congregate around the back of the Church.’
It is a tremendous shame to the village that this is happening, and emphasises that providing something for our youth must one of the priorities for Diggle’s community and WM:CAG in particular. The DCA have tried so often to provide facilities for the youth of the village to occupy them and help them expend their energy, but every time it comes back to something very simple: they want somewhere to go with basic facilities they can enjoy without being hassled.
They have told us time and again they want somewhere to play football and somewhere to hang out. Simple. Is it any surprise therefore that they see the sale of the land and the building as an opportunity to fulfil their needs?
Whilst we cannot and do not under any circumstances condone this current spate of behaviour, we can hear what they are saying, and if we listen hard enough we might just realise that if the village loses its valuable limited community resources we will be facing further issues just because we did not do enough when we had the chance. We will also have failed our young community and that of the future whilst we sit back and watch this unique opportunity pass by.
Have your say now, before it is too late. The survey is the collective voice of the community. But the wrecking of the bowling green and the gathering of the ‘new Wrigley Mill congregation’ in its back yard, is louder than the results of the survey; its physical and a glimpse of the future life in Diggle village.
The links are:
For the ADULT survey CLICK HERE www.surveymonkey.com/s/NSB8SMF
For the YOUNG PEOPLE’S RESPONSES: CLICK HERE www.surveymonkey.com/s/L6ZFLDJ
Regards
Ray Withnall
The views and opinions expressed in letters to the editor do not represent the views and opinions of the the editor. Letters may be edited.
It’s even more simple than that Ray, I had a discussion with Mrs Covey @ school and older youths were trying to get in school to play with their football nets they had out – not the big red ones…
If they had nets on the ‘tip’ this would at least give them somewhere to kick a ball and hang out – FOR A START… and show them that we will help them and not keep hassling them.
Jo
Hi Ray
They say they want somewhere to play football – and considerable effort was expended to provide it for them on the tip – but they won’t use it, because they say there is too much dog fouling. The area has been drained and is perfect for games – it was our intention to provide this very facility, rather than an expensive dog toilet. Perhaps the DCA could address this issue.
Unfortunately, the Council would not agree to having goal posts on the site, because it causes too much wear and tear to the area around the goal. They play on the bowling green without goal posts..
Hi All!
Just a thought from an outsider – if the problem is the wear round the goalmouths, why not put artificial turf in just those areas?
Regards,
Cllr Alan Roughley
That would be a good option, I would imagine – subject to the Council approval though, as they own and maintain the land.
Pat Cliffe
Whilst I agree, with some of Ray’s comments, I feel I must point out the following-
I think that playing football on the Bowling Green is absolutely ridiculous and quite mindless there are other facilities in the village-
The Tunnel Tip has a larger area on which to play football than the bowling green. We (Diggle 21st Action Group) obtained a grant from the Saddleworth & Lees Partnership to have special drainage channels undertaken and unless we have an exceptional amount of rain affecting the water table, this area is reasonably dry. We often play ball there with our grandchildren so I am speaking from experience.
I very rarely see children playing here. Last weekend children on Sam Road were playing football and I overheard a parent say “stop kicking the ball against my car, go and play in the Car Park”
Jo mentioned having goal posts erected on the tip – well the 21st Action Group suggested this, but we were informed by OMBC, that no structure can be erected on the land due to a planning order affecting the tip. I can look it up but cannot remember it off hand.
Also, the land on the side of the canal, opposite Grandpa Greens is much larger than the Bowling Green and is very suitable for football.
No – I am not very sympathetic to the idea that youths think it o.k. to use the Bowling Green to play football, even though it’s up for sale, it’s still private land!!
Perhaps I’m just an old grump but I have brought up two boys and do very much understand their needs to have an open space on which to play.
Julie
Hi
I agree Julie , there are other facilities they could use and even though the site is up for sale the bowling green does not look derelict, I wonder if it is the same youths that have been using one of the containers on the garage site over the winter months
As you say the tip is an ideal spot for them (we celebrated the Queens Silver Jubilee with a Diggle FC arrangred football match with goal posts) so perhaps as a DCA we could pursue this again if this is what the young people want but also we need to ask them first.
Glenise
Hi,
Its as plain as the nose on your face that our young people do not have a lot of choices about where to go and what to do in the evening. There is a large patch of land next to the adventure playground that would be better than the tip for football, in a way, as the tip is used by all age groups. Whilst on that subject there are some very anti social dog owners in Diggle who do allow there dogs to foul in inappropriate places…and these are middle aged (usually)supposedly respectable citizens.You can understand that the lads do not want to play football on the tip and therefore there should be dog free zones as the two simply don’t mix. Incidently, I own a dog myself and am not anti dog.
Charlotte Coleman