On a very sunny Palm Sunday (9th April 2017), York Central Action team was very warmly welcomed by Our Lady’s RC congregation in Acomb. After mass we joined those attending the coffee morning and Christening celebrations, where we had the chance to find out the type of questions and comments about York Central that were on people’s minds. Top topics included –
- Concerns about the cost of living locally and the availability of affordable housing
- The location of the new road and the potential loss of a community park
- Uncertainty about whether a new road would mean the loss of all or some of Holgate community garden
- The need for there to be some pragmatism to allow something to happen at the site
- Question about whether the Council should allow new building on a flood plain – and whether creating a new park would be a better option
- Suggestion that at some point there had been plans for a new secondary school on the site, and uncertainty over whether this was still the case
- Interest from people who had worked at the carriage-works to be involved in the plans
- Recommendation that it would be great to include local geography students in the project
- Some interest in holding a more detailed discussion group at the Church
We’d like to say a massive thank you to everyone for making us feel so welcome and for all the really thoughtful discussion and comments. We will make sure that the comments are captured in our work.