Minutes:
Cllr Chris Best Chair of SEE3 told the meeting that the SEE3 funding finished last March. They have now successfully re-applied for funding from the Mayor of London’s High Street Fund and will receive £113,000.
V22 partnered with us on the bid and the funding will help improve public space on Dartmouth Road and will help to develop a long-term cultural strategy. We are now working to draw up plans to animate the underused spaces outside Forest Hill library, Louise House and Forest Hill pools, to ensure they are a key feature of the place.
Cllr Best stated that in Sydenham there will be an Easter Bonnet Workshop from 12-2pm on Easter Saturday and from 2-3pm young people under 10 can wear their Easter bonnets on the high street. Participating traders will provide them with an Easter egg and we will also be joined by some Easter bunnies. This creates a great community buzz and once again it is fantastic that the traders are supporting us.
The following Saturday 11 April sees the return of the market, you may have noticed some hot food traders on Queensthorpe Road and these will be back. For £25 you can bring your own stall or have a SEE3 stall on Venner Road for £35. It is really important that residents support the market and this time we are working with Sydenham Arts to bring some animation.
On Thursday 16 April at 7pm there will be a Town Team Meeting and we want to get more residents involved and ascertain what you want for your high street. You can also email us at info@see3 and tell us what you would like.
Q Can you say something about the proposed road improvement scheme in Dartmouth Road and Kirkdale?
A This is a local improvement scheme and Dartmouth Road will receive £600,000 over 2 years. Like Sydenham some of traders would like to see some parking bays and we would like to develop some of the spaces such as outside the Sylvan Post, we want to do things that add value. I think that our experience here will help Forest Hill.
In Kirkdale there is a smaller sum of money to look at improvements such as parking and traffic flow.
Q (Pat Trembath) In the past 10 years there have been 25 personal injury accidents in the Kirkdale area from Peak Hill to the roundabout. In comparison there have been 6 in the adjacent area, so Kirkdale does need looking at. In addition Kirkdale does not appear to belong to anybody as it is on the border of Forest Hill and Sydenham ward
Q (Annabel McLaren) Going back to Saturday 11 March, there will be a pop-up shop at Here for Good 18 Sydenham Road where crafts people and artists can have tables, so please contact us if you are interested.
(Cllr Best) It is so important that we continue to support the traders as there is so much going on within the area and we really appreciate what they doing.