Post by admin on Sept 3, 2006 20:00:52 GMT 1
PLANS for Rossendale to be the hub of extreme sports in East Lancashire have been scaled down.
Since losing a bid for £47M of Lottery funding, partners in the Adrenaline Gateway scheme have had to review their ambitious plans to relocate Ski Rossendale and have a large amphitheatre and village in Lee and Greens Moor Quarry above Bacup.
At a public meeting at Bacup Leisure Hall new proposals were outlined which will still see the Adrenaline Gateway being developed as a brand, but focusing on building on what is already provided in Rossendale – miles of mountain bike tracks, hill walking and the ski slope, which is scheduled for major refurbishment.
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Dan Anderson from Tribal Industries, which carried out a feasibility study into the original plans, gave examples of how getting the brand right had led to the regeneration of towns and cities including Cardiff.
Concerns were raised at the meeting, but the objections centred around the use of the quarry; when it was realised that these plans were not on the current agenda, some objectors spoke in favour of the scheme.
Sheila Sivieri, owner of Who Dares Pins in Burnley Road, Bacup, said: ‘I have had a business in the town for seven years and, at the moment, I still haven’t taken a wage.
‘I can see the potential of this is to bring more people into the area; a lot of these people will spend money here, in the shops in Bacup.’
Ronnie Barker, former managing director of E Sutton and Son in Bacup, urged people to see the bigger picture.
He said: ‘I have seen industry die throughout Rossendale.
‘We have a group of people who have sat down and thought about what we could do to improve Rossendale by working with the moors, because that is our strength.’
He said his children had moved away to get jobs and said something had to be done to give young people in Rossendale something to stay here for.
His views were echoed by resident June Jones, who said: ‘I have grandchildren and I don’t want them to go to the big city to work.
‘This could work like the Eden Project in Cornwall has worked – from having a completely depressed economy to having everyone with a spare bedroom renting it out if they want to. We could have the place people want to come to for leisure activities.’
Rossendale Council chief executive Carolyn Wilkins said the scheme had already got Rossendale better known throughout East Lancashire.
Further meetings will be held as the scheme develops.
Catherine Smyth
First published by the Rossendale Free Press
www.therossendalefreepress.co.uk/news/s/217/217091_extreme_sports_plans_rethink.html
Since losing a bid for £47M of Lottery funding, partners in the Adrenaline Gateway scheme have had to review their ambitious plans to relocate Ski Rossendale and have a large amphitheatre and village in Lee and Greens Moor Quarry above Bacup.
At a public meeting at Bacup Leisure Hall new proposals were outlined which will still see the Adrenaline Gateway being developed as a brand, but focusing on building on what is already provided in Rossendale – miles of mountain bike tracks, hill walking and the ski slope, which is scheduled for major refurbishment.
Advertisement
Dan Anderson from Tribal Industries, which carried out a feasibility study into the original plans, gave examples of how getting the brand right had led to the regeneration of towns and cities including Cardiff.
Concerns were raised at the meeting, but the objections centred around the use of the quarry; when it was realised that these plans were not on the current agenda, some objectors spoke in favour of the scheme.
Sheila Sivieri, owner of Who Dares Pins in Burnley Road, Bacup, said: ‘I have had a business in the town for seven years and, at the moment, I still haven’t taken a wage.
‘I can see the potential of this is to bring more people into the area; a lot of these people will spend money here, in the shops in Bacup.’
Ronnie Barker, former managing director of E Sutton and Son in Bacup, urged people to see the bigger picture.
He said: ‘I have seen industry die throughout Rossendale.
‘We have a group of people who have sat down and thought about what we could do to improve Rossendale by working with the moors, because that is our strength.’
He said his children had moved away to get jobs and said something had to be done to give young people in Rossendale something to stay here for.
His views were echoed by resident June Jones, who said: ‘I have grandchildren and I don’t want them to go to the big city to work.
‘This could work like the Eden Project in Cornwall has worked – from having a completely depressed economy to having everyone with a spare bedroom renting it out if they want to. We could have the place people want to come to for leisure activities.’
Rossendale Council chief executive Carolyn Wilkins said the scheme had already got Rossendale better known throughout East Lancashire.
Further meetings will be held as the scheme develops.
Catherine Smyth
First published by the Rossendale Free Press
www.therossendalefreepress.co.uk/news/s/217/217091_extreme_sports_plans_rethink.html