I am angry today, Aylesbury Vale District Councill, not content with constantly screwing up our road systems, creating half baked and now half empty shopping centres and their last venture was "Bourg" bridge, a faux suspension bridge with the central concrete pole built on the slant. When I say on the slant, it actually looks as if it's falling down or was made that way by accident, a bodge job. The Councill actually had the audacity to create an award for it so they could call it award winning. It couldn't win a legitimate, recognised award because it is a half baked horror.
This brings me neatly on to the reasons for my anger. They are currently building a new Theatre in Aylesbury. If you visit Aylesbury you can't miss it, a looming grey hulk of doom, squatting near the town centre. Pebble dashed with flint and wood, it looks like a 1970's reject. As with everyone, I stupidly held my tongue, then we saw that they had one of the London Orchestras visiting and the program was custom built for me. I enquired about tickets and pricing and I am sure you can guess the rest, despite the fact that we have paid for this new Theatre, the tickets are overpriced. For a family of 4, I can see the same Orchestra play a similar program at the Barbican in London, including tickets and train fare and still save a considerable amount of money left. High Wycombe and Milton Keynes Theatres are both cheaper. I let that ride and said nothing but then saw the rest of their plans.
The original plans had been to build cafes and small shops, creating a small community centre for the Canal front houses that have been there since forever. Those plans have changed and they are moving the Barges from the Canal basin after a 200 year association and building Aylesbury's 5th Superstore, a Travelodge and a massive car park.
Aylesbury has 2 beauty spots left, St Marys Square and the Canal. The AVDC are determined to ruin the Canal, that takes the best part of Aylesbury away. To build the Theatre, Travelodge and car parking they have already destroyed protected Black Poplar trees. The residents are up in arms because they will have a huge concrete flyover overshadowing their homes. I wouldn't buy a house under a flyover and to have it forced on them is just plain wrong. It devalues their homes and potentially way of life. I feel compelled and obliged to help them fight the the very real threat from this new "Mordor" as it will take away something very special.
The real shame of all this is that they are knocking down a huge old building that has been used for gigs, classical concerts and plays. This building is less than 40 years old and is just over the road from the new Theatre. It has parking and is accessible from the town centre. Why didn't the refurbish that? In a time of recession when the High street is dying a sad lonely death and shops that have been there since before I was born, have suffered from the AVDC's high rents, shops that are now either derelict or charity shops, the population at large is having a tough time financially, where do they get the money to spend on rubbish? If they had to spend this money, why not create something for everyone? How about a leisure centre with bowling, laser quest and ice skating? Would that not have made more sense?
No-one likes being ripped off and taken for fools. If you're on Facebook, please look up the Waterside Residents Group Aylesbury - Say no to Waitrose, Travelodge.
I don't live in that part of town but it is part of my morning run. It is peaceful and teeming with swans, grey herons, ducks and even a kingfisher further up the Canal. In the mornings I see the same male swan banging his beak on the sides of the barges asking for breakfast, it is idyllic and it is criminal that anyone "takes" the right to change it. Please support the residents and one of the last bastions of beauty in this town before it's too late.
