A wet and windy evening in Mill Hill and the committee of the
newly reformed Mill Hill Resident’s Association were unsure about just how many
people would turn up at their inaugural open meeting at St Pauls’ School on the
Ridgeway on Tuesday 29th January. Leaflets had been distributed and Chairman Richard Logue
spent two hours on Saturday speaking to people at Waitrose supermarket, trying
to garner support for the meeting, yet still the committee was slightly
unprepared and very pleasantly overwhelmed by the numbers who showed up in
force to hear about the Association’s plans and to air their own views and
issues.
The Mill Hill Resident’s Association was first established in
1909 and served the community in an effort to help the area retain much of the
charm and heritage that still exists today. Longstanding Chairlady Joan Ellis
recently retired from her very active role as head of the association and has
taken on the role of President, handing the baton of chairmanship to Hammers
Lane resident Richard Logue. The Association has identified certain key areas for concern
including specific issues such as the unpopular pay by phone parking system,
the chaotic Mill Hill Circus road works, parking problems on Saracens match days,
the future of Mill Hill Fire Station and the redevelopment of Inglis Barracks,
together with general issues such as crime and anti-social behaviour and public
transport. There were presented to an attentive audience which squeezed in to
the school hall, where there was standing room only.
Councillors John Hart and Suri Khatri were both in
attendance, as were residents representing all areas of Mill Hill. During an
open floor session residents expressed their concerns for the erosion of our
greenbelt, for the lack of public transport to Barnet Hospital and the lack of
disabled access at Mill Hill Broadway Station, not to mention the difficulty
getting up two flights of stairs for the elderly and those with heavy
suitcases. Other issues included concern over the ongoing uncertainty at
Belmont Farm, ......
One lady suggested that the Association might also like to
focus on the positive aspect of uniting the community and creating a network
where we can help each other and try to be more community spirited. This was
met with much approval by the committee and the room in general. Commenting on the extraordinary success of the meeting,
Chairman Richard Logue said: “I think it is very significant that 250 people
care sufficiently enough about Mill Hill to come out on such a dreadful night
to attend this meeting and contribute to what was a very positive event. I am
absolutely delighted with how the meeting went and the committee and I very
much look forward to following up on the suggestions and actions we have taken
away from it.”
At the end of the evening the committee received over 50
household membership applications. Annual membership has been set at £10 per
household or £5 per household for over 65s.
The Association welcomes the views and concerns of residents
and anyone with issues they would like explored by the Association should
address them by email to: millhillresidents@gmail.com or visit the website at
www.millhillresidents.org.uk
For further information please contact: Richard Logue on 07771
507325
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This blog is a press release from the Mill Hill Residents Association
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