The Friends of Lowndes Park

Posted by Julie Voyce on November 12, 2007 10:41 AM

Open letter from the Chair of the Lowndes Park steering group

To all of those people who donated money towards the restoration of the Elm Avenue in Lowndes Park.
I have recently been sent a copy of a letter addressed to you all from the Chairman of the Chesham Society.
The letter expresses sadness that this particular project is not to be taken forward and returns the money that you had previously donated.
It also offers two options of how the money might be spent should you still retain the wish to donate the money.
I realise that you must all be disappointed and I wish to assure you that the decision was not taken lightly. I do not know how wide the original consultation was for the planting of the avenue, but I do know that we asked for opinions on the planting or otherwise of the avenue in the current proposal and that the overwhelming view was against.
As the Chairman of the Chesham Society points out in his letter, any sum that can be raised towards the bid will be increased by further 75 per cent if we are successful in winning the Heritage Lottery Bid.
Lowndes Park desperately needs trees. It is important that trees are planted each year so that we can hand the park over to future generations to enjoy as we ourselves have enjoyed it.
Failure to plant more trees will see an aging tree stock fall over at roughly the same time, bequeathing a park without trees to take over and provide a structure for the landscape.
So if you could be persuaded to donate the returned money to the park it would be put to very good use for the enjoyment and benefit of many of the residents of the town.
Whatever you decide to do, I am more than happy to discuss with each and every one of you how the final decision was reached and what the arguments were put forward.
My contact details are available through the town council or from the Chairman and Treasurer of the Chesham Society

Michael Rowan
Chair of the Lowndes Park Steering Group and Friends of Lowndes Park

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