Colwyn Bay Waterfront Redevelopment

[BMD]

In the Colwyn Bay Pier thread, I've posted a link to a newspaper article about a new council grant for the development phase of pier.

Councillors voted 11 to five in support of the grant application, and some of the questions asked at the council meeting seem valid enough, I suppose. But, again, I'm struck with the difference in approach between the pier and Porth Eirias. With the pier, it seems there's resistance from council members at every step. Yet with Porth Eirias, it appears to be: money no object, no resistance, no awkward questions asked (and it's now clear that a lot things weren't thought out properly, if at all).

Here's the link again, to save you going to the other thread: http://www.newsnorthwales.co.uk/news/126162/bay-town-council-votes-to-support-pier-with-20-000-grant.aspx

[Merddin Emrys]

As I said earlier,

'I get the feeling that they had some money, wondered what to spend it on so built The Skip, now they are wondering what on earth to do with it?  Was a need for this building identified in the first place? Was there a business plan in place for it? What compels water sports users to use it? Will they pay to use it? '

[Yorkie]

As I said earlier,

'I get the feeling that they had some money, wondered what to spend it on so built The Skip, now they are wondering what on earth to do with it?  Was a need for this building identified in the first place? Was there a business plan in place for it? What compels water sports users to use it? Will they pay to use it? '

In question order

1. Indeed they are!
2. No!
3. No!
4. It's Free!
5. No!

Please address further queries to CCBC or the Harbour Master's Department. 

[FatAndy]

Disappointing news....Porth Eirias has failed to win the Carbuncle Cup.  The award has gone to a block of student accommodation in London.  Typical really, London always gets everything while the North gets nowt  .

[Trojan]

Disappointing news....Porth Eirias has failed to win the Carbuncle Cup.  The award has gone to a block of student accommodation in London.  Typical really, London always gets everything while the North gets nowt  .

 

[Fester]

Apparently we only use 10% of our brain.......

And as you get older you find that the percentage you do use, gradually loses some of its effectiveness!   

Not if your performance at Scrabble is anything to go by!

[Yorkie]

Apparently we only use 10% of our brain.......

And as you get older you find that the percentage you do use, gradually loses some of its effectiveness!   

Not if your performance at Scrabble is anything to go by!

You cannot place that assumption on just one game!   Give it time.   

[snowcap]

am i right in thinking the battle of the brain of the year has started and that it is one nil to the elder?

[viv]

Well Viv,  seeing as bugga-all else is happening within that edifice, we might as well pass the time with a game of Scrabble!

Well Carwyn Jones is coming to open it (again!) on Monday lunch-time - hope there are refreshments or he will have to use the drinks machine!

[viv]

In the Colwyn Bay Pier thread, I've posted a link to a newspaper article about a new council grant for the development phase of pier.

Councillors voted 11 to five in support of the grant application, and some of the questions asked at the council meeting seem valid enough, I suppose. But, again, I'm struck with the difference in approach between the pier and Porth Eirias. With the pier, it seems there's resistance from council members at every step. Yet with Porth Eirias, it appears to be: money no object, no resistance, no awkward questions asked (and it's now clear that a lot things weren't thought out properly, if at all).

Here's the link again, to save you going to the other thread: http://www.newsnorthwales.co.uk/news/126162/bay-town-council-votes-to-support-pier-with-20-000-grant.aspx

Different Council = town council have voted to give the £20K to the County Council in order to let Shore Thing do a full bisuness plan and feasability study. They had to approve the decision of the Finance committee - I was actually one who opposed it at committee, but unfortunately was unable to attend the full council meeting but would have voted against if I had been able to get there. I asked for a recorded vote so that people could see who voted which way.

[Fester]

Correct Sir,  a crushing first game defeat for me.... and I am also trailing badly in game 2.

The sad thing is, I have never even heard of half of the words used against me!

The games versus SDQ however, are much closer.

I am enjoying all these games immensely, especially when I win!

[Ian]

I've merged all the Scrabble postings into this thread.  In fact, Scrabble probably ought to have its own topic in Games, but I'll see how many more postings appear.

[Yorkie]

The sad thing is, I have never even heard of half of the words used against me!

You have to bear in mind the game is AMERICAN and there are lots of words that we do not come across in everyday use.
Just using trial and error will often produce a word that works and that is "legal".  Also gen up on the 2 and 3 letter words they can be very useful.

You also leave yourself open to big scores by giving access to the premium score squares.  Sometimes a tactical move is better than a large score word.

I also play a lot with other people and on average I probably lose as many as I win.

We are only on our second game so give it a chance.   ZXZ

[BMD]

Different Council = town council have voted to give the £20K to the County Council in order to let Shore Thing do a full bisuness plan and feasability study. They had to approve the decision of the Finance committee - I was actually one who opposed it at committee, but unfortunately was unable to attend the full council meeting but would have voted against if I had been able to get there. I asked for a recorded vote so that people could see who voted which way.

I'd be grateful if you could expand on this a little, Viv. Between the town and county councils, who is responsible for what (regarding the pier and Porth Eirias)? Did the town council have no say at all over the way Porth Eirias was developed?

There's also an issue over who is feeding what information to the local press. I get the impression there's a lot of public confusion regarding the pier - due perhaps to contradictory information appearing in the press week by week. But at least we're hearing about all the things that could go wrong, and all the reasons why it shouldn't be renovated, and why it would be such a burden on public finances, etc, etc. The exact opposite was the case with Porth Eirias - resulting in almost universal ignorance (until it was too late) of the fact that the original (publicly approved) plans had been drastically altered (for the worst), and a general lack of questioning over how it's going to financially justify its highly expensive existence.

[viv]

Porth Eirias - no Town Council involvement at all. We had a presentation which explained all the sea defence work, and an opportunity to vote for the winning design ( as did the general public) but no money was given towards this project by the Town Council. I personally didn't vote for this design - I voted for the glass yacht design!

The Pier - a grant was given to Shore Thing for a Pier specialist (?) to draw up plans for the Pier. Unfortunately I can't remember the exact figure so won't quote it on here - it was about 2 years ago. This apparently led to them getting the Lottery Grant which was towards doing a business plan/feasibility study, and also some emergency repairs. Rob Dix from the County Council then asked us to pay £20K over 2 years towards this. I am on Policy and Finance and voted against this, but it was carried and then had to be ratified by the full Town Council, which it was.

My personal views on the future of the Pier are well known I think. The plans include building on the repaired structure, and a partnership with Llandrillo college to put on concerts,art and photography exhibitions. I worry that the reductions in education funding which happen regularly put the sustainability in doubt, and wonder if people are going to visit the pier every week in the year to make it pay - buildings need maintenance and management. As a student at Bangor in the 60s I bought a plank on their pier, and helped to paint the railings - sadly Bangor Council didn't ring-fence the money from the turnstile to cover future maintenance which is once again causing problems.

I like to go back to basics when looking at public opinion. What do people actually mean when they say they want to save the pier - is it an iron structure that juts out into the sea that they can walk along in the summer and looks nice when you look down at the Bay from Penmaenhead? Or is it nostalgia for the olden days of shows and concerts in the Pavilion which has looked a mess for the last few decades ( I know because I used to sing on stage one night a week at the Dixieland Showbar!)?

Of course now the Pier and Porth Eirias could be competing for the same customers, and I think that the timing of these 2 projects has been unfortunate. Was Porth Eirias created to replace the pier - if so it should have been more aesthetically pleasing  - or has it a completely different function what will not compete and may even complement the Pier if it is renovated? I am not sure at the moment what that function is, but hope that it won't be long before it has its own identity for the right reasons, and not just for its appearance.