View through the community library window
Dear Editor
Thank you for exposing the latest attack on Barham Park by the people who run
Brent Council.
It is more than 10 years since Labour Councillors closed the Council run
Library in Barham Park.
They will not find it so easy to close Barham Community Library that local
volunteers have worked for over 10 years to create and develop as an active hub
for our local Community.
THE FIGHT TO SAVE OUR COMMUNITY FACILITIES IS ON!
The attack is not just on the Community Library as the Barham Veterans Club and
the Gurkhas are under threat too - as are all the other local Community Groups
which use our space at affordable rates:
The Dementia Support Group attended by 40 people every week
Muslim Prayer Group attend by over 60 every week
Tamil School Classes
Our Knitting & Crochet Sewcial Group
Our Yoga, Pilates and Exercise Dance Groups
Our Book Club
Our Art Club
Our Rhyme & Story telling under 5s group
Our Chess Club
And all the people who love to borrow books from us that others have donated
PLUS all the other local organisations & groups, such as Brent Friends of
the Earth, Wembley Central & Alperton Residents Association, Carribean
Muslim Group and many others who use our space for their social meetings and
activities.
The Labour Cabinet Plan being presented at the Barham Park Trust Meeting on 5
September proposes replacing all the Community facilities with:
1. A Hotel or Rbnb accommodation for visitors to Wembley Stadium -
despite the fact that there are hotel rooms above the Pub opposite Barham, Park
already
2. A Restaurant - despite the fact that the Pub opposite already has a
Restaurant and there are many food places in Sudbury Town 5 minutes walk away.
3. Supermarket & Shops - despite a Tesco Express & 2 other supermarkets
and many other shops in Sudbury Town already.
4. A Cafe taking up the whole of our Library space - despite attempts to open a
Cafe in nearby station failed twice in the last 5 years.
5. Offices
None of these proposals meet the Barham Park Charity objects of providing
recreation and enjoyment for local people as the local benefactor Titus Barham
intended.
If the Council Leadership gets away with building their Hotel & Supermarket
in Barham Park then it will open the door to building on other Brent Parks too
- as the local environment and recreation is sacrificed for money making
ventures irrespective of how much damage they cause.
Over 1000 local people signed the Petition to Protect Barham Park from over
development recently. The message from local people to the out of touch
Leadership of Brent Council is loud and clear. HANDS OFF OUR PARKS & OUR
COMMUNITY FACILITIES
Come and support us by attending the Barham Park Trust Meeting at the Brent
Civic Centre. Engineers Way Wembley on Tuesday 5 September at 10a.m. (bus No.92
stop outside and other buses nearby) and help us send a message to the
Leadership of Brent Council that our Parks are for public enjoyment and our
recreations and NOT for Rbnb or a "Boutique" Hotels, or Shops and
Supermarkets that local people have not asked for and do not need.
Thank You for your support.
With best wishes
Paul Lorber
Volunteer & Trustee of Friends of Barham Library
