Moss Side Christmas Lights (and a secret...)

See you all for the big switch-on next Thursday at the Powerhouse. I even heard Santa was coming!

BUT... I've heard there are plans afoot to get our very own Bowes Street Christmas tree too. Watch this space, and ssssshhhh! Its a secret!

Alexandra Park restoration update

The following information is from Deborah Marsden at Manchester City Council:

Manchester City Council was successful in securing Heritage Lottery Funding for the restoration of Alexandra Park and during the last 12 months we have worked to appoint the contractors and a Design Team.

The work will start on site early in 2013, however, before this happens we need to:

•     Open up the historic buildings to check their condition
•     Survey the culvert which runs under the southern oval (near the pavilion)
•     Carry out some controlled tree felling

What impact will this have?

Opening up the buildings will not have a major impact on the park, you may have noticed some architects and engineers entering the buildings already.

The culvert needs to be exposed in some areas, this will mean there will be areas of the southern oval fenced off while work takes place.  The oval will be returned to normal once the survey is completed.

The tree works are planned to ensure that all the work is carried out before the bird nesting season begins, and no later than the week beginning 10th December.

I would like to invite you all to an open day in the park on Saturday 1st December at the Children’s Centre in Alexandra Park from 11am until 4pm.  There will be an opportunity to look over the agreed plans for the park, talk to the lead designer and walk through areas of the park to get a more detailed understanding of how the park will look on
completion.

Film night: A Farm for the Future

Local campaign group Transition Moss Side are hosting a film night next Tuesday, 27th Nov at the Phil Martin Centre on Princess Road.

The documentary "A Farm For The Future" will be shown at 7:30pm and admission is free.

The aim of the evening is to bring neighbours together and spark discussion about local food growing here in Moss Side.

Clean-up day

Such amazing work today from our team of dedicated volunteers who've helped to transform our little corner of Moss Side.

Thanks to everyone who came along with their rubbish, swept the streets and alleyways, cut down weeds, planted bulbs and baskets and went door to door to spread the word; even bigger thanks to those who kept us fed and watered!

We all want our neighbourhood to look good and be a great place to live. Remember that any issues to do with street cleaning, fly-tipping or bins should go via Environmental Health. The number is on our A-Z page.

Watch this space for our next event!

Alexandra Park Regeneration - Volunteers needed

The Alexandra Park renovation group are looking for volunteers if anyone has the time:

Hello People's Panel Member

This is just a quick note to ask if anybody is interested in volunteeringin Alexandra Park.  We are organising three maintenance sessions in thepark before Christmas, these will be held on:

Tuesday 20th November
Tuesday 4th December
Tuesday 18th December

The meeting point for each of the sessions will be in the car park at theend of Russell Street at 9.30am and we will aim to around lunch time.

If you are interested in any of the sessions please get in touch so I have an idea of numbers and I can make sure we have enough gloves etc.

I'm also looking for a couple of people who are interested in taking photographs of the park before the restoration work starts, again if you are interested, please get in touch.

Kind regards Debbie
Deborah Marsden
-----------------------------------alex.park@manchester.gov.uk

Don't forget to vote!

Voting takes place TODAY for:

• Police and Crime Commisioner for Greater Manchester (more details here)
• A by-election for our local MP (check out the candidates here)

The outcome of both of these could really impact on our local area - use your vote and make your voice heard!

Our polling station is at the Phil Martin Centre on Princess Road and is open until 10pm. Don't worry if you've lost your polling card, you can still vote without it!

Agenda for Tuesday 13th Nov

Dear all,

Here is the agenda for Tuesday's meeting. Please email or post a comment if you would like to raise anything under 'A.O.B'.

Please spread the word to your neighbours too, especially those who don't use the Internet.

Bowes Street Residents’ Association: Meeting Agenda: 13/11/2012

Invited: Cllr. R. Walters, T. Cass, P. Holt, PCSO Harris

1. Minutes of last meeting
2. Updates
3. Clean-up day and planting plans
4. Speed Restrictions on Bowes Street
5. A. O. B.

* Due to widespread concern there will be a short meeting for those
who have concerns about Infusion after the main meeting has concluded.

See you on Tuesday, Jo

Blooming Success!

Our lovely hanging baskets won a prize at the Royal Horticultural Society Awards! Paula went to the ceremony on behalf of the residents' association and wrote us the following report:

The Bowes Street Residents' Association held a hanging basket event in the summer. It was really well attended and the streets looked lovely with a burst of colour outsidethe doors. The plants and the compost were supplied to us through Manchester City Council via the Royal Horticultural Society.

Not long after our event, judges from the RHS came down our streets to see all the hard work from that day. We were entered into a competition and last Wednesday won our first award -  Level 3 in the ‘Developing’ category at the Royal Horticultural Society Awards held in Southport.

The next level in the competition next year is Level 4, then Level 5, ‘Thriving’ and ‘Outstanding’ categories. After that its fancy silver cups that can be won!

Representatives of our association have also been invited to a presentation event at Manchester Town Hall on November 14th - anyone who would like to attend, please say so in the comments below!

Our congratulations go also to Moss Side Community Allotment, who won in a different category.

Massive thanks to everyone who has helped make the neighbourhood look really great so far; plans are under way to revitalise our hanging baskets with donated winter bulbs to give us some colour during the colder months. Watch out for our 'Community Clean-Up Day' on the 18th!