talkclacton.myfastforum.org

frankie · Joined: 31 Dec 2006 Posts: 88 Location: clacton

Do you think spending £13,000 on maintenance for the fountain per year is money well spent?

Lin · Joined: 31 Dec 2006 Posts: 569 Location: Gt Clacton

I think it is a disgrace.
In this town ,have a look at any job vacancies...the cost of running this idiotic fountain is the equivilent of the average annual wages of Joe Average.
Disgusting.

frankie · Joined: 31 Dec 2006 Posts: 88 Location: clacton

so what could this £13,000 be better spent on?

Lin · Joined: 31 Dec 2006 Posts: 569 Location: Gt Clacton

Well ,if £13,000 is the average wage .How about employing a Litter Warden complete with cameras and name and shame the litterlouts .
There was something similar on GMTV this morning.(caught it when I came off night duty).If they don't pay the fine ,they then have the dubious pleasure of having their photo's on the council website.Apparently it has more hits than anything else on its site.
Judging by what TDC have made on parking ,it should eventually pay for itself.
What is the point of 'beautifying'the town centre if it's still full of rubbish ,chewing gum ect...defeats the object really.
'Come to Clacton and watch our Mc donalds wrappers being washed in our municipal fountain/toilet.'

amenity · Joined: 22 Nov 2006 Posts: 775 Location: Dovercourt

Don't want to be a drag but what is the carbon cost of running this needless fountain.

Needless, well have you visited Lowestoft recently?

I would not go there to see that fountain even if the drunks do find it amusing. I went to visit the last deep sea trawler museum. An inspired idea if ever there was one, run by ex fishermen steeped in fishing lore.

How hard life was for these men, even recently.

amenity · Joined: 22 Nov 2006 Posts: 775 Location: Dovercourt

I should have added the last deep sea trawler built at Lowestoft.

frankie · Joined: 31 Dec 2006 Posts: 88 Location: clacton

Lin, will the town centre improvments make you more or less likely to shop in the town centre?
how about my friends from harwich,will you come shopping in clacton?
one thing i dont agree with is the money from the poorer communities fund being used to plant trees in the town centre and cctv camera's being installed,i feel this money should come from a small surcharge being put on the council tax for clacton residents and the fund being used for what i feel it was intended for.
do you feel the council are using this money in the right way?

frankie · Joined: 31 Dec 2006 Posts: 88 Location: clacton

the previous message was posted twice.

EssexGurl · Joined: 22 Nov 2006 Posts: 222

I'm more likely to go to Colchester or Ipswich these days.

In the past it used to be the likes of Argos and Peacocks that drew us there, but now we have them with free parking right outside there isnt much need for us. If we do come to Clacton these days its to take the kids to KFC and the arcades for a treat. I don't think that these days Clacton has that much to offer that we cant get in Harwich. Different shops but all selling similar stuff.

Lin · Joined: 31 Dec 2006 Posts: 569 Location: Gt Clacton

I try not to use Clacton town centre as its dirty ,chaotic and parking is a nightmare.Dodging the unemployed at the Shrine of the Dead Squashed Cow is intimidating too.
If I need to use Argos ( I have a quick look through the Laminated Book of Dreams ,then check it's available on the net) ect ,I would rather spend what I would have paid on parking ,on petrol and drive to Harwich.
Nice drive over there and stop for lunch while I'm there.
No ,I don't drive a gas guzzler so feel it's worth it.

ivan burit · Posted: Tue Jan 09, 2007 5:14 pm Post subject:

amenity · Joined: 22 Nov 2006 Posts: 775 Location: Dovercourt

Ivan, you carnivore Laughing

ivan burit · Posted: Wed Jan 10, 2007 10:31 pm Post subject: TOWN CENTER TRAFFIC FLOWS

amenity · Joined: 22 Nov 2006 Posts: 775 Location: Dovercourt

It has been reported that the installation cost will be £150,000 and maintenance £13,000 per year for the Clacton water feature.

It looks like we have moved to Las Vegas levels of waste.

Has anyone thought whether this type of extravagance is sustainable and if this point has been given consideration for what length of time are we assured it will be feasible?

However compare;

Lowestoft has a similar scheme their costs for the installation are £400,000.

The Royal Plain Enhancements - Fact File

* The enhancement works on Royal Plain have taken 24 contractor staff eight months to complete -starting in September 2004 and ending in June 2005.
* Each fountain head contains complex control wiring, a variable size water nozzle and a multi-colour light source.
* Almost 500 metres of pipework carries the water to the fountain heads.
* Variable water jets will range in height - spurting to almost ten feet in the air at the highest.
* The fountains are supplied from a large underground tank and the water is recycled to reduce waste.
* A full water treatment system has been installed to maintain swimming pool quality water from the fountains.
* An integral filtration plant has been incorporated into the design to trap sharp items, sand and debris.
* Special ridged paving surrounding the fountains is designed to alert visually impaired people to the proximity of the water feature.
* Nearly 15,000 paving slabs were laid to form the plaza area of Royal Plain and its surroundings.
* The fountains will be turned on by a time switch each day and will start very gradually to avoid people crossing the fountain area getting wet by mistake.
· Funding for the project comes from the European Community, from EEDA East of England Development Agency and from Waveney District & Suffolk County Councils.

Why is Clacton’s feature going to cost less than Lowestoft’s is it planned to be that much smaller and the second question, is it funded in the same way?

amenity · Joined: 22 Nov 2006 Posts: 775 Location: Dovercourt

ivan burit · Posted: Wed Jan 17, 2007 10:08 am Post subject:

Lin · Joined: 31 Dec 2006 Posts: 569 Location: Gt Clacton

Cripes Ivan ,wouldnt want to meet you in a parking space war.You should be ok in the revised town centre ,just paint a numer on your car and give it full throttle....
We used to go banger racing down at Point Clear in the 60's .Dad had a Anglia van and we would all pile in (about 12 of us) and have a great Sunday afternoon.

ivan burit · Posted: Wed Jan 17, 2007 2:22 pm Post subject: lazy hazy daze gone by

Lin, i used to love the racing, for my sin`s (oh-no-not that again...lol..) i raced bangers, stock cars and hot-rods, but my true love, apart from the red head with long legs........ooops, lol, start again, was bangers, i just loved it. I never got to race at point clear. It was part of my life that ran from early 1970`s untill 1986. After being under pressure of MRS,work, and 2 young kiddies, i was racing in the banger world finals at arena-essex, not doing too well, and i found myself saying, just what the hell am i doing here, so at the end of that meeting, i never raced again. It was like an addiction for me, i could not talk about it, watch it, or be connected to it for 2 or 3 years though......but remember it with fondness now.... Funny thing is my grandaughter (nearly 7) is mad about it and i have to take her to watch soon or there will be trouble....( too many girlies in my life etc..)...lol...as victor meldue would say, its a funny old world.....lol...
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