As part of their improvements (most of which are definitely anything but) the local council has decided to return the river to something like a natural waterway, with a park alongside. Yesterday it was so sunny I decided to take a few pictures.
This is the view either way from a footbridge halfway along the newly landscaped stretch.
You can just see the fish all lined up where the sunshine and shade meet. I've seen some that were up to 2 ft long.
This is a shot of the length of the opened up length of river from the road bridge towards the park and the main road. You can clearly see some of the picturesque litter people are already using to decorate the river and its banks.
At the far end the council (and especially the mayor) is determined to build flats, shops and shops to overshadow and eclipse the lovely new environment they've created, not to mention make the already crowded and congested area even more crowded and congested. No-one seems to have told them that they are OUR REPRESENTATIVES, not people who can impose their own half-cocked ideas on the local populace.
Same thing here Val. I live near the River Trent, which has a flood plain the same size as the Amazon. The council planners have been trying to make a 'nature' walk along it's banks - it is a VERY nice walk - to be honest, but the local builders have different ideas. Even when the council and Parish council turn down applications for yet more houses and 'luxury apartments' (apparently, there are no other kind!), the Government overrules them. We're stuck between 2 motorway exits of the M1 and on a main rail link to London, so they keep on building, the house prices keep on going up, and our precious green spaces keep on dwindling; not to mention we get lots more flooding in the area than in the past.
ReplyDeleteWell that's typical of the council and mayor isn't it? They just plow ahead with these grotesque projects and steamroll over what the people want. I deal w/ it in my own town.
ReplyDeleteRiver Quaggy is a great name, although when I say it out loud, it wants to come out "Wiver Quaggy". lol I sound like Elmer Fudd.
julie...
ReplyDeletethat is very pretty around there. I love the fish.
Looks like a lovely spot! I love the name...Quaggy.
ReplyDeleteyour town council sorta sounds like our federal gov't...those bozos in washington imposing a costly war on us, in human lives and money, that we, the electorate do not want to be in! canNOT wait until the 08 elections when we can vote their sorry egotistical and arrogant asses outta office.
ReplyDelete(sorry for the speech!)
oh, and i love that name, river quaggy...do you know where that name comes from?
ReplyDeleteJean-I like the River Quaggy too, thats neat. Your pictures are great Val, and thanks for the history lesson once again, really enjoyed it. No matter how nice they make it, someone always has to throw trash or something, or wants to build flats and cover it up.
ReplyDeleteI live by the Susquehanna River, it has parts of the old Erie Canal still showing and they have made a nature walk along it as well, it is behind my house and really enjoyable.
Beautiful photos, Val. Love the fish!
ReplyDeleteForgot to mention . . . watch out for any bridges . . . there could be TROLLS lurking under them!!! Watch your back! LOL!
ReplyDeleteCall me cynical but when I hear of such council plans I always think 'follow the money'. It seems to me that a lot of councillors look upon their time in office as little more than opportunities to line their own pockets.
ReplyDeleteI imagine that quaggy comes from quagmire. I guess it was a bit boggy before the area got built up.
ReplyDeletePauline, surely you don't think any of our politicians are corrupt? I'm convinced they only do it to serve.
I also believe there are little green men on Mars.