Three Cheers for Peter Clarke

Mill Dam Park users in Ulverston will be indebted to the conscientiousness of our SLDC Parks Engineer, Peter Clarke; the guy who singlehandedly manages all the parks for this area stretching from the far side of Kendal, Sedbergh, Ambleside, Grange and Ulverston. During the last ten years Peter has had responsibility thrust on him to do more and more with less and less - and no doubt be cursed for inaction in the process.

We at Mill Dam have been working in the park for over three years now providing all the flowers, bulbs, picnic tables and doing some repairs. We have had an outstanding safety issue for two years with a gate opening outwards into the road with no catch that has withstood vandalism. Our previous Councillor, Colin Hodgson agreed that something needed to be done, in fact he agreed that the gate should not open outwards onto the road but the reverse thus reducing the chance of accident from small children that elude the attention of their parents. For two years now we have struggled with inaction from others than ourselves. Bingo we have now hit the jackpot having at last reached the right person to do the job. By return of email only two days ago we got an immediate commitment to action and today, Thursday the new catch is in place. Similarly a bench that has sat sadly vulnerable for two years with only one seat slat is to have the correct three pieces of new substantial wood in place.
Peter Clarke provided the required wood today and we will drill, provide bolts and fix the new timbers in place on Saturday afternoon at our work, play and eat party organised by local parent Cathie.

Now after many phone calls, emails of barking up the wrong trees of councillors and management we have finally found the person who actually gets the job done - someone no doubt that no one has heard of before whilst the people who should be doing something get their name on the front page decrying how  Ulverston is going to pot.

Mill Dam Park is set to be the most supported and maintained park in Cumbria. Ulverston in Bloom you've seen nothing yet with new 400 bedding plants promised in June. People  bring their children from Backbarrow, Dalton and other outlying areas because of the friendliness of the environment. It's obviously one that is cared for by the local people.

What we all need are action men rather smooth talkers. Let's hope the new bunch of politicians meeting at the Town Hall to share the jobs out, this next Monday evening will demonstrate in the future that things now will start to happen in Ulverston.

Will the new Labour Councillors be any different to the old Conservatives? In four year's time we will know.