Save our Stow: Open Letter In Support of Negotiations to Restore E17's Dog Track
TO WHOM IT MAY CONCERN
I write in support of the view that the restoration of Walthamstow Dog Track as a viable commercial enterprise is both possible and desirable, and would be in the best interests of the people of Walthamstow.
For many visitors and tourists the Dog Track defines E17, and the story of its development is for many the story of the changing East End of London. It has entertained not only local residents but brought people and investment to the area. It was also one of our major local employers with many jobs that were part time or flexible, so suitable for those with family commitments. Its closure in 2007 meant Walthamstow lost an iconic piece of local heritage and nearly 500 people lost their livelihoods.
Regeneration should not only be about the physical investment such as transport links or high quality housing but also the provision of "places to go, and things to do". Walthamstow struggles to offer many activities to fit this description meaning local residents often leave the area for leisure pursuits. This also means there is a lack of inward investment from visitors. Despite the challenging economic conditions of the last eighteen months, there has been persistent interest from commercial organisations in restoring the Dog Track. This highlights how there is not only a social but an economic case for action and that any such development would be highly likely to prosper. Indeed, the site is well suited to such activities, being close to main roads and transport hubs yet contained away from nearby residential properties.
I recognise that Waltham Forest is in desperate need of affordable housing and I want to participate in finding viable solutions to this challenge for our community. I also know it is difficult to identify other sites locally that could provide the opportunity for large-scale leisure facilities. I am hopeful that an acceptable deal for the site could be reached which could in turn finance alternative local housing provision.
As a local community activist I fear Walthamstow becoming a "dormitory town". It is why I have campaigned for many years to retain and expand the provision of venues that can offer jobs as well as entertainment for local residents. I hope that both the prospective buyers and the current owners of the site, London and Quadrant, will commit themselves to negotiations to see if a sale could be achieved for the benefit of our local people and ultimately our local economy and community.
I write in support of the view that the restoration of Walthamstow Dog Track as a viable commercial enterprise is both possible and desirable, and would be in the best interests of the people of Walthamstow.
For many visitors and tourists the Dog Track defines E17, and the story of its development is for many the story of the changing East End of London. It has entertained not only local residents but brought people and investment to the area. It was also one of our major local employers with many jobs that were part time or flexible, so suitable for those with family commitments. Its closure in 2007 meant Walthamstow lost an iconic piece of local heritage and nearly 500 people lost their livelihoods.
Regeneration should not only be about the physical investment such as transport links or high quality housing but also the provision of "places to go, and things to do". Walthamstow struggles to offer many activities to fit this description meaning local residents often leave the area for leisure pursuits. This also means there is a lack of inward investment from visitors. Despite the challenging economic conditions of the last eighteen months, there has been persistent interest from commercial organisations in restoring the Dog Track. This highlights how there is not only a social but an economic case for action and that any such development would be highly likely to prosper. Indeed, the site is well suited to such activities, being close to main roads and transport hubs yet contained away from nearby residential properties.
I recognise that Waltham Forest is in desperate need of affordable housing and I want to participate in finding viable solutions to this challenge for our community. I also know it is difficult to identify other sites locally that could provide the opportunity for large-scale leisure facilities. I am hopeful that an acceptable deal for the site could be reached which could in turn finance alternative local housing provision.
As a local community activist I fear Walthamstow becoming a "dormitory town". It is why I have campaigned for many years to retain and expand the provision of venues that can offer jobs as well as entertainment for local residents. I hope that both the prospective buyers and the current owners of the site, London and Quadrant, will commit themselves to negotiations to see if a sale could be achieved for the benefit of our local people and ultimately our local economy and community.
The loss of the Stow needs to be seen within the context of the massive and fundamental demographic change that has affected the area within the past ten to fifteen years. You say that 'As a local community activist I fear Walthamstow becoming a "dormitory town".', but the fact is that it it has always been so. Walthamstow came into existence as suburb of London because of the railway, and a significant proportion of residents have depended for their income on work outside the borough. The coming of the Victoria Line forty years ago only cemented this long-term trend.
In more recent years the availability of relatively cheap accommodation has meant that Walthamstow's population has become increasingly dominated by a transient element (principally, but not exclusively, from former communist bloc European countries) whose background and culture does not make them natural customers for amenities such as greyhound racing. This argument also applies to the issue of a local cinema. Our demographic is now so fragmented that no single customer group forms a sufficient critical mass to support such amenities. The consequences for the local economy are inevitable, with the viability of large-scale amenities fundamentally impaired.
In the face of this harsh economic reality, mere campaigns (however well-organised and laudable) are unlikely to prove effective.
The policy requirement is a difficult one: unless it is based on a relatively sophisticated analysis of underlying causes (economic, demographic etc.), then it is bound to fail. You are absolutely right when you say in your other blogs that we need to generate reasons for people to come to Walthamstow (I take it from this that you would be a vigorous advocate for the preservation and upgrading of the William Morris Gallery - is that so? Or have you worked out that, given Walthamstow's challenged demographic, there are very few votes in such a position?), but those reasons need to be based on a vision for the future of the area that is built around a fundamental regeneration of the local economy. It would be interesting to hear your views on this issue, and to know whether you have any ideas that might prove effective in contributing to change. Your background in Walthamstow's local politics means that you should be well-informed as to the problems - as a new PPC it would be reassuring to see some leadership and creative thinking in addition to the usual nods in the direction of local pressure groups and perceived electoral power bases (I do not denigrate this, by the way, I know it is part of the game - it is rather that I believe that WAlthamstow needs, and deserves, much more!).
I believe that local politicians have, in recent years, failed to:
1. Identify the real underlying causes and issues that have led to the decline in the local economy.
2. Address these issues intelligently and come up with appropriate policy responses.
3. Identify any significant pro-active initiatives to reverse the decline.
I subscribe to an online monitoring service ('They Work For You') that alerts me to any any parliamentary questions asked by my MP. Neil Gerrard's activities seem to have revolved exclusively around asylum seekers and people on probation. This may reflect his perception of the local demographic, but it also demonstrates a lack of ambition for Walthamstow.
In the light of these comments, I would be most interested to learn, Stella, what future news I might expect from 'They Work For You' as to your priorities if you are elected.