The Council wants to hear your views in support of a bid for funds from TfL’s Liveable Neighbourhoods scheme. The scheme is about delivering attractive and healthy neighbourhoods for residents -in this case residents of West Ealing. It includes improving conditions for walking, cycling and leisure with the aim of improving local air quality and the social and economic vitality of West Ealing.
This is a great opportunity for West Ealing and fits really well with the plan WEN and other local stakeholders helped to draw up to improve Dean Gardens – the plan is here
Dean Gardens is just one aspect of the improvements that could be made if this bid is successful. Time is a bit short as the deadline is Friday 6th October so the more people who complete the online questionnaire the more helpful it is for the Council in its bid. The questionnaire is available here
While I agree there is much improvement to be made in many areas, I do not agree with the proposal to remove the historic iron railings from around Dean Gardens. They are now more than 100 years old, have survived two world wars – as well as an attempt in the 1980s by the Council to remove them, which was thwarted thanks to opposition by local groups such as Ealing Civic Society and Walpole Residents’ Association. As someone who lives along the Uxbridge Road with little local green space nearby, I would appreciate it if the barrier between the noisy, polluted road and the green space of the park was retained and enhanced with more greenery to muffle traffic noise and absorb pollution. The ornate iron railings are attractive, especially now that they have some flowers behind them. In the event that they should be removed I would hope that those seeking to remove the park of its heritage assets would also fight to keep the railings for reuse elsewhere in the local vicinity, rather than letting them end up as scrap metal or be pilfered by someone for their private garden!