JAN 2009:
SAVE CENTRAL GARDENS!
MIDDLESBROUGH COUNCIL:
BEACON OF HYPOCRISY
WATCH NOW !
JAN 2009: After recently sending in the bulldozers to destroy Longridge Wood in Marton, Mayor Ray Mallon and Middlesbrough Council now have Central Gardens in their sights. They are actually planning to build office blocks and a hotel on the only green space in the centre of M’bro. And worse still, fill in the pond and build a multi-storey car park on it ! What “Green Beacon Status Authority” would consider such a scheme and in town full of EMPTY office blocks and hotels NOT full?! A group of local residents, led by Sheila McCarthy and Lynda Bennett, have started a campaign to stop it so I have made this video with them to help get the word out.
10 FEB 2009:
4 ECO-CAMPAIGN FILMS
Plus 4 Guest Speakers
“We would love to hear from you and hope you share in our enthusiasm”
Middlesbrough Council – ‘Green Spaces Action Strategy’ 2006
YOU GOT IT!
MAR 2009:
1,000 DVDS GIVEN AWAY!
Thanks to an anonymous sponsor, a 1000 dvds featuring both the Longridge Wood and Central Gardens films (‘Bulldozing Democracy’ & ‘Beacon of Hypocrisy’) plus a 1000 leaflets were pushed through doors close to both sites and sent out to the media ahead of Middlesbrough Council’s ‘Local Action on Climate Change’ conference on March 10th. THE TRUTH IS NOW OUT THERE !
10 MARCH 2009:
COUNCIL CONFERENCE AMBUSHED!
Campaigners fighting to save Central Gardens, in solidarity with The Friends of Longridge Wood, descend on Middlesbrough Council’s “Local Action on Climate Change” conference with a “Local Action on Council Hypocrisy” demo 🙂
100s of DVDs and leaflets given out to the Council’s guests!
BBC POLITICS SHOW, BBC TEES, NORTHERN ECHO, EVENING GAZETTE all show up as Ray’s spin doctor and bodyguards look glumly on…
BUT WHERE WAS RAY???
We awaited Ray Mallon’s arrival but he didn’t show BUT he was in the building at 9.30 to give his speech. So how did he do it?! He told BBC Tees that he went in his “usual way via the back gate” BUT we checked the back gate just after 9am and it was padlocked. We were also told that the back gate had never been used since the front entrance was put in a year or two ago! So he must have come in the back of the police van that sped through around 9.15. Either way he knew we were there and avoided us!
BBC Sunday Politics Show
Mallon’s hypocrisy and arrogance exposed to the region!
2023:
CENTRAL GARDENS - UPDATE
14 years on and Mallon and Budd are long gone. Their ridiculous plans thankfully didn’t fully happen. Two office buildings have been recently built on the eastern edge of Central Gardens (now known just as part of Centre Square). They totally obliterate the view and direct connection that the residents of Elder Court previously enjoyed BUT at least the lake and most of the green area has survived. That a heron still has habitat in the very centre of Middlesbrough is great to see! Â Â Â Â
