Council to spend £2.5m on Queen’s Park Sports Centre

[Pete]

They are going to spend £2.5m on Queen’s Park Sports Centre with £50,000 going into the community sports outreach programme.

For some reason or other councillor Nick Stringer  thinks it would be a good idea for people to "actively engage with sports and recreation."

What makes him think that? Is the Centre over-subscribed?

Sounds like more money spent on those that already have - not on those that have little or nothing.

[Fly]

I'd sooner they put a few more taxi ranks around town centre.
Perhaps one near the escalators 

I've not read the article yet, so shouldn't comment on it really.

[Slacker]

M*nsfield achieved what we couldn't, an Olympic swimmer, because we ain't got the right size pool

[therealjr]

M*nsfield achieved what we couldn't, an Olympic swimmer, because we ain't got the right size pool

and why?
Because the council at the time deliberately built it too small so that it wouldn't be constantly in use for galas and competitive swimmers and would be available for use by the people of Chesterfield.
Right or wrong? You decide.

[Slacker]

In retrospect seems a bad decision. Always thought competitive swimming took place at weekend evenings after the pool was closed to the public.

[k4blades]

Not sure I follow your point, Pete.

If, (if), the council have the money available, I don't see why they shouldn't spend it on facilties for the public to use. I used to take K4jnr swimming at Queens Park, but stopped going, its cold and run down and needs improvement work doing to it.

[Pete]

Re swimming pool - Last year they spent a million pounds on it - so might be worth having another a trip down there.

My point is that they are closing youth clubs and letting youth workers go - and they are promoting sport. What about the youngsters that aren't into sports? What do they have?

Also my experience driving past there every day is that, apart from the pool, there seems to be very much a middle class clientel with their squash/badminton rackets - hardly a deprived class of punter.

[k4blades]

Re swimming pool, in that case might give it another go next week, half term.

Re youth clubs, shouldn't be an either / or situation. Some kids might be into sport, some might be into hanging around a youth club, council should be fair about how they allocate funds, but that doesn't mean this particular scheme is at fault, just the way they allocate money.

Re Middle class clientele, thats just more of your Guardian reading bullshit. I assume they don't have a sign over the door saying "No chavs". And I wouldn't be too pleased if they were spending our taxes on playstations for those people too lazy to get up off their backsides. The council has a duty to provide facilities for the public, and within this dept, their remit includes encouraging people to be healthy and fit, which makes sense, as it in turn, puts less pressure on the NHS. If some people choose not to use those facilities that is their fault, just like with the issue you raised about fresh fruit and veg. Why do you seem to have an issue with the middle classes, poor people have choices as well, they just make bad ones sometimes, (as do the middle classes, but they don't blame every one else). thats not the fault of the middle classes, maybe its because the poor people have got used to silly liberals making excuses for them all the time.

 

[Pete]

>> Re Middle class clientele, thats just more of your Guardian reading b*llsh*t.

No its not - it's what I see with my eyes everyday.

BTW Thanks for the Mail/Express diatribe but I'll pass on that if you don't mind. Unless, of course you are saying something worthwhile in an unoffensive way.

[Gerty Gumdrop]

Now then lads - this looks like handbags at dawn!  Don't get personal!   

[therealjr]

My point is that they are closing youth clubs and letting youth workers go - and they are promoting sport. What about the youngsters that aren't into sports? What do they have?

Unfortunately Pete you've got your local authorities mixed up.
Labour controlled Chesterfield Borough council are the ones who are doing the investment in sport. If I'm reading the reports right the £50k going into the outreach programme is something along the lines of lets spend the money improving the bowling greens in the Annexe so they can be used rather than blocking the sports hall up for bowls (thats just a made up example but you get the point)
Conservative controlled Derbyshire County Council are the ones cutting youth facilities and sacking youth workers.

You can argue that there should be some joined up thinking between the two but it ain't going to happen.

[Pete]

>> Unfortunately Pete you've got your local authorities mixed up.

Never thought of that.

But were the town council not aware of the attack by the county Tories on the Youth Service?

[k4blades]

No its not - it's what I see with my eyes everyday.

I'll ask the question again Pete, I know you don't like answering them but give it a go. Then maybe my point won't be so offensive, if you think they are.

Is the council spending money on a project solely to be used by middle class people, and not to be used by poor people, or is the facilities available to everyone should they choose.
Incidentally, during the summer months we often take our kids to Queens Park, as the play area is very good, sand pits, etc. It gets very busy with parents from all backgrounds, its free to use so not just there for the middle classes, and that's what I see with my own eyes.
So maybe you need an eye test, and I'm sorry if you think my posts are offensive, but maybe you ought to try putting together a logical argument instead of using every single issue that crops up, to have a go at the middle classes. Class war in my eyes is offensive!

[Fly]

When I was a kid, and I can't see much difference today.
I went to the local youth clubs. They had the equipment we could use to play sport etc.
I would never have walked into Queens Park and asked if me and my mate could have a game of badminton.
It would have cost us a fortune.

Perhaps Pete is just stating similiar. What does local lad/lass do.
They can't afford the cost of booking a badminton court.

Just my penneth 

[Slacker]

>> Unfortunately Pete you've got your local authorities mixed up.

Never thought of that.

But were the town council not aware of the attack by the county Tories on the Youth Service?

Very aware. Many of us at the consultation meeting. If the LibDems on the county vote with Labour against the cuts (as some have indicated they will) it can be stopped. Most of the LibDem county councillors are also on Chesterfield Borough.