Friends of Stonebridge Park

CRIME fears and dangerous driving are some of the issues that a new residents' group hopes to tackle.

The Friends of Stonebridge Park group will also represent people's views on housing developments and regeneration in their part of St Ann's.

It aims to fill a hole left by the Stonebridge Park Tenants' and Residents' Association, which folded in December.

^{From left, Nottingham City Homes Patch Manager Carol Dworzanski
with local residents Sylvia Miller, Richard Pearson, Dave Mawere and
Lucy Auma-Okia.}

The group held a preliminary meeting last week at Bluebell Hill Community Centre and will have a full meeting to discuss aims and objectives next month.

Lucy Auma-Okia, of Dennett Close, is coordinating the group in its early stages.

The 47-year-old said: "We're trying to set something up. It's not a typical residents' association; we've extended it by allowing more people interested in the area."

The group is set to elect its leadership and outline a constitution at its next meeting.

Mrs Auma-Okia said: "At the moment, we are just getting started. We need to get t the core members elected and start putting forward issues and getting people interested.

"One of the issues brought up was crime in the area and dangerous driving. We're trying to see if we can get traffic-calming measures and we just want to represent the community."

The group has been formed to supervise the city council's regeneration scheme for the estate and also several proposed housing developments.

These include overseeing the £11,000 revamp of new equipment at Rocket Park and giving views on the construction of 15 new homes in Limmen Gardens and 110 new homes at Jersey Gardens and Flewitt Gardens area of the estate by Keepmoat Homes Ltd.

Mrs Auma-Okia said: "We can give feedback to the planners and learn from each other."

Richard Pearson, 55, who lives in Belle View Court, said: "The new Friends of Stonebridge Park group allows us to invite former tenants who once lived on our estate to come along to our meetings, and see how much has changed.

"It will also enable us to link in with community events organised by Friends of Stonebridge City Farm and the Blue Bell Hill Community Centre."

The next public meeting will take place on April 17 from 7pm-8.30pm at Blue bell Hill Community Centre.

The meeting will feature updates on Crime and plans for a new Asda supermarket in Carlton Road.

A spokeswoman for Nottingham City Homes said: "This new association is a real opportunity for people living in the area - not just tenants, but all our residents - to get involved and create an even more vibrant community."

By Peter Blackburn