Harringay, Haringey - So Good they Spelt it Twice!
Taking the council to task over street lighting!
On Thursday afternoon a group of local residents marched to the council to demand better lighting in Downhills Park. This was the first action in an ongoing campaign that the community union ACORN have been running in Tottenham. Sick of being ignored they decided to head straight to the council!
Around twenty locals marched to the council building delivering a letter of demands to the council while reading out testimonials they had gathered in and around Downhills park in previous weeks. They read out their demands outside the council building on a megaphone, until the head of the council herself came out of the building and agreed to arrange a meeting with them about the campaign.
Head Cllr Peray Ahmet meets with ACORN
Locals have been asking for better lighting in the park for years, with parents, joggers, cyclists and dog walkers all concerned about their safety. The local school as well as the community cafe in the park expressed support for the campaign and almost 300 people signed a petition asking the council for more lights.
ACORN is a direct action community organisation, that takes on issues around housing, disrepair, transport and more up and down the country. In December they voted on their most recent campaign around lighting, securing a meeting with the council is a big first step!
To get involved with the campaign or media enquiries please contact
Frederik.gentz@acorntheunion.org.uk
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Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by Bob Ruggles on
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While growing number of street lights burn for 24 hours for many months
When others have contacted Lighting Office. Advised that lights are controlled by Lighting section
So why are they still on 24 hours for many months
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Permalink Reply by Kate on
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Acorn have failed to answer the two queries on the impact on wildlife of the lighting they are asking for (see their earlier post) They do say they have thought of it and that lighting can be adjusted - but the impact of the lighting in Lordship Lane rec has been to reduce the four species of bat formerly found there to one - and none in Downhills park.
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I think this is a very salient and often overlooked point. I regularly walk around Downhills Park during the day, but recently missed my window to walk in daylight and so headed over there in the evening. As it was pretty dark in the park (and as a female), I opted to walk around the streets instead. I didn't have an issue with this and actually thought it was good the park was dark for the sake of the local wildlife.
We need to co-exist with wildlife in cities and be considerate of them in our planning and development. There is enough street lighting in London for people to "safely" navigate where they need to go to and from in the dark, even it it is not the most direct route. If we floodlight and concrete over everything in order to convenience humans, there won't be any wildlife left.
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