Working together to make West Ealing a better place for residents, businesses and visitors.
I just went to check the blackberries in the bunny park – and got some lovely photos of rural Ealing – the blackberries aren’t far off ready (another couple of weeks till the Big Pick -if you’re interested in getting involved in this community activity and maybe subsequent cooking, email wenabundance@gmail.com). Anyway, thought you might like the pix (click images to enlarge).
Local historian David Shailes continues his look at the history of West Ealing’s street names.
It should come as no surprise that many of our names have royal connections, partly for patriotic reasons but also reflective of the fact that Duke of of Kent (1767 -1820) Edward Augustus, father of Queen Victoria lived at Castle Hill Lodge from 1801-12. A replacement house was built in 1845 and a small part still exists and is now occupied by St David’s Home. So we have Kent Gardens, Regina Road/Terrace and Victoria Road/ Cumberland Road in W5/W7.
Continue reading “It’s about the apples and pears: more history of West Ealing street names”
Last night I attended the first Ealing Council LDF Advisory Committee Meeting. The Local Development Framework is our National Government’s ‘vehicle’ for Local Authorities to define their preferred use of land within their borders for the next 15 years.
Attendees attending the meeting who were allowed to speak were seven Councillors and a handful of Council Officers. I was one of a precious, small group of residents who were invited to attend as observers. It reminded me of attending a lap dancing club where you could watch the girls ‘dance’, but you were not allowed to touch them.
Chairing the meeting was Leader of the Council Councillor Julian Bell. He was on his first day of holiday from his day job at The Houses of Parliament.
Continue reading “The Grim Reaper could soon be in charge of Ealing’s heritage”
The first floor studio at OPEN Ealing was absolutely packed last night with over 100 people coming for the premiere of Opera Viscera’s Narcissus and Echo. I make no claim at all to be able to write a review of the opera’s music and song but having managed to squeeze in right at the back I do know I thoroughly enjoyed the performance and did not find myself fidgeting or looking at my watch. Without doubt it was what I would call a modern opera so some sharp edges and notes but totally listenable to and watchable. The sustained applause at the end said it all for me and talking afterwards to people who do know about opera the verdict was one of universal approval for a thoroughly well written and professional production.
And from one high note to another, if I put my OPEN Ealing hat on, I can honestly say the opera company brought the building alive during their three week stay. They showed just what a buzz there can be in this one-time office block if we can get the building full of people and activities. Opera Viscera gave us a glimpse of our future if we can make the venue a success and I like what I saw – and heard. Thank you Opera Viscera.
David Highton
Local artist Nadja Gabriela Plein is working on a series of
portraits of people who live and work in Ealing. She is looking for people
willing to sit for her in her studio at OPEN Ealing on the Uxbridge Road. The
pictures will be shown in an exhibition early next year. Everyone she paints will be given a free photograph of their portrait.
Anyone interested in sitting for a portrait please contact Nadja at nadjagabrielaplein@yahoo.co.uk .. You can see Nadja’s work at www.nadjagabrielaplein.co.uk
David Highton
I’ve been meaning to write this up for a while so have finally managed it. If you’re ever looking for someone to frame your pictures keep in mind an outfit called Accession. Accession is a local social enterprise that works with highly marginalised long-term unemployed people. So, for example, their picture framing unit is based down at the West London Mental Health unit near Ealing Hospital.
One of our artists at OPEN Ealing uses them regularly and says they are good quality and excellent value which sounds good to me.
You can find out more about Accession at http://www.accessionpartnership.com/
David Highton
For well over a year, probably even two, the stalls in the weekly farmers’ market have been waiting to plug in their lights and equipment to the specially installed power points in Leeland Road. Some years back when Leeland Road was smartened up with new pavements power points were installed in some of the street bollards. The trouble is, so I’m reliably informed, the last time someone from the Council turned up to give access to these power points, which was some months ago, they had the wrong key and so this dismal saga still drags on.
On top of this, almost 18 months ago, the Walpole Ward Forum agreed to set aside about £10,000 to pay for power points in Melbourne Avenue for the traders there to use. As with Leeland Road the traders were more than happy to pay for the power they use but, as yet, almost a year after the completion of the improvements to Melbourne Avenue there is still no sign of any power points being put in.
This has been dragging on long enough. Please Ealing Council can this all be sorted out soon!
David Highton
If you want to read up on the public meeting that took place on 11th July they are available on our main West Ealing Neighbours website.
http://www.westealingneighbours.org.uk/index.php?option=content&task=category&id=70&Itemid=95
I’ve just had a phone call from my wife Elizabeth to say she just came out of Wilkinson’s with some shopping and she walked straight into Boris Johnson who was doing a walkabout. I think Boris’s main reason for coming here was to visit the Lido Centre and hear about their London Ambassadors Recruitment project. The volunteer Ambassadors will be welcoming visitors to the Olympics and Paralympics.
David Highton
Just a brief report back on last night’s meeting for the moment. We had about 30+ residents come along and we heard from the police and Council’s Community Safety team.
Some useful ideas came up about the importance of high-visibility policing, the need to document local hot spots for various anti-social behaviour (such as the bus stop by Dean Gardens on Friday nights and weekends) and an offer by the Community Safety team to walk round some of these problem spots with local residents so they get a good feel for why people feel able to deal drugs etc in certain places.
As ever, the question is will any of this happen? WEN wants to keep a close eye on this so we plan to include a progress report on these ideas and initiatives at our next public meeting in the autumn.
We’ll publish fuller notes of this meeting soon.
David Highton