Harringay, Haringey - So Good they Spelt it Twice!
Green Lanes Strategy Group
A statement from Founder Members of the Green Lanes Strategy Group
It is with great disappointment that we announce that the founder members of the Green Lanes Strategy Group (GLSG) - Woodlands Park Resident Assoc. (WPRA), Ladder Community Safety Partnership (LCSP), Gardens Resident Assoc. (GRA) and Harringay Green Lanes Traders Assoc. (HGLTA) - have voted to withdraw from the GLSG. Sadly this means the end of the Green Lanes Strategy Group.
We have reached this decision with great reluctance and sadness but equal determination. We find that we no longer have the energy, effort and will power needed to continue in the face of the relentless criticism, lack of trust and conflict that the whole GLSG issue has caused in recent months particularly on social media. We are all volunteers and, having given thousands of hours of our time since 2002, have every reason to be proud of our record and achievements, whatever our critics may say. We believe that we owe it to ourselves to step aside from the anxiety, stress, and general unpleasantness.
The Green Lanes Strategy Group (GLSG) was originally setup after the Green Lanes incident where rival gangs fought a pitched battle on the high street with knives, clubs and guns, which resulted in numerous injured and one fatality. Green Lanes was cordoned off for that entire weekend and it made national headlines on TV. This was Saturday, 29th November 2002.
GLSG was tasked to claim back Green Lanes by working with Councillors, council officers, Met Police Borough Commander, Flying Squad, Customs officers and other external agencies. The Council strategy was to set up the HET team (Heavy Enforcement Team) to help address the protection rackets, crack houses, torture chamber, 24hr culture and unlicensed premises with over 17 social clubs which then turned into scores of empty shops.
After crime and safety issues were addressed, GLSG turned its attention to greening initiatives by piloting new ways of refuse collection, tree planting, flower baskets, passage signage and cleaning, removal of bridge graffiti and pigeon mess and installing pigeon proofing enabling the bridge to become a gateway.
In 2009 GLSG delivered the first ever Green Lanes Festival before the Council cuts started in 2010 and, without Council support, continued to deliver the second Festival in 2011 and the first Winter Festival that same year. In 2012, GLSG won a £1.7m bid from The Mayor of London’s Outer London Fund (OLF), £1.2m from the Transport for London (TFL) Corridor scheme for Green Lanes regeneration, and £40k from TFL under the Pocket Park scheme.
We would like to thank the elected members, other residents and council officers who have done great things with us over the years. We would especially like to thank Cllr Nilgun Canver for providing leadership in setting up of the GLSG and chairing for most of its life, for her commitment to the area and for using her influence to ensure co-operation from the Council.
Committee members of all our associations, as appropriate, will continue to ensure that the outstanding OLF & TFL regeneration is brought to a successful conclusion. This includes shop fronts, the bridge, highways, paving, micro-squares, street furniture, plantings and the pocket park. As associations we will also liaise with Council Officers to ensure that any other incomplete work of the former GLSG, such as the Insect Hotel, is completed.
Regrettably it will not be possible to proceed with future projects such as the Green Lanes Food Festival planned for this September. We know that this will be disappointing news for many local people, who were already looking forward to this event.
Of course, none of this can ever take away the outstanding success of the GLSG over the past 12 years, culminating in our winning bids for the regeneration of Green Lanes. We also have no intention of abandoning our commitment to the area through our individual and prize-winning associations, which will continue to serve the best interests of local people for many years to come.
Regards,
WPRA
LCSP
GRA
HGLTA
17 April 2014
Tags for Forum Posts: glsg
Replies to This Discussion
-
Permalink Reply by Andy Newman on
-
Hi I think you will need to speak to the HGL Traders Association and Lbhc it's their high street. The GLSG is obviously a trusted group who delivered it for the community so you would need to convince them initially I guess. Andy
-
Permalink Reply by Hugh on
-
I'm very sorry to read this, Geoff. As I've said a thousand times, the GLSG has done so much good work locally for which I personally am grateful.
Whilst I know from my own experience how challenging it can be to deal with criticism, whether it be face-to-face, by whispering campaign or on social media, usually it is just coming from a very small number of people. All members of the GLSG have shown true commitment and passion. I know that the decision to disband was not a single issue one and I'm quite sure it wasn't taken lightly, but with great issues at stake, it is a real shame to see the group's commitment even partly derailed by a few voices.
I do hope it's not too late for the GLSG to rethink this decision and reform.
-
Permalink Reply by Geoff Amabilino on
-
First off, thanks to everyone for the positive messages.
To Hugh's point about the possibility of the group reforming, I don't sense that any of the 'founder members' have the appetite right now.
I can say that after the meeting in Selale where we decided to withdraw I felt that a burden had been lifted. Let me share here something I wrote on the WPRA email list earlier when I was reporting our withdrawal:
From a personal perspective, I realised from discussions at the Area Forum and online that there was a fundamental lack of trust in the GLSG from various parts of the community. We had been attempting to open the GLSG up to other organisations, but this was proving to be a fraught process and I saw little prospect of a cohesive solution when there was so much animosity and conflict.
It may be that another group will be formed, and it will be up to us whether we participate. In my view there is a need for a ‘group of groups and individuals’ to look at things like regeneration and planning for the wider area. We shall see.
Signing off for Easter - the hills and caves beckon. Have a good one.
-
-
Cheers Geoff. From what I've observed around London and elsewhere, trader/resident groups can work really well and I do hope something locally picks up the good work done by the GLSG.
-
-
Thanks to everyone on the GSLA . What a fantastic job you've done.
I remember my pregnant wife coming home from green lanes on the day of the gang war. What a low point in this community. Since then the GLSA have been a constant, supporting local groups and community projects up and down Green lanes. They have made a huge difference. You'll be missed.
Thanks xxxxxxx
-
Permalink Reply by matt on
-
I find it incredible that this group has decided to disband because of a few people carping on from the side lines. Apart from that I echo many contributors comments on this thread about the excellent work the group have done since the bad land days. I along with many were really looking fwd to the festival in September. As Hugh says, surely it's not too late for the GLSG to rethink this decision. But if not, step forward those that have been moaning and lets see what you can do ...
-
Permalink Reply by Peter on
-
I would also like to pay tribute to everyone in the GLSG, not least "my" GRA representatives, for everything they've done over more than a decade for our neighbourhood. Shame about what's happened and how. Great work and a big thank you!
-
Permalink Reply by Carol Tennant on
-
I find I am deeply saddened by this news. We've lived locally for over 17 years now, and I can pinpoint the timing of the positive changes in this area to the development of this group. I have no idea what negativity the group has been subjected to, though perhaps we had a flavour at the beginning of the comments here, but I am truly sorry to see the GLSG go. And please accept my thanks for all your efforts.
-
Permalink Reply by Sapphireblue on
-
I am really sorry to hear that GLSG have decided to fold following all the controversy on HoL. We have all benefited from the GLSG 's fantastic work making the area safer, cleaner and more prosperous. This is a great loss and so sad for the community. I do hope they will reconsider.
-
Permalink Reply by John McMullan on
-
Apparently the real reason it disbanded was not the criticism from three witty(sic) New Zealanders on HoL but the fact that they couldn't come to an agreement on what to do with the bollards in the gardens.
-
-
What a load of old bollards. Where do you get your information from...
-
-
So it was the criticism from three witty(sic) New Zealanders? Ha ha ha. Anyway, I have impeccable sources. :)
- ‹ Previous
- 1
- 2
- 3
- Next ›
© 2024 Created by Hugh.
Powered by
