Community Peace Garden Official Opening Saturday 8th August
The opening of the Community Peace Garden, between the High Street and The Balsam Centre, on Saturday 8th August completes the restoration of the site owned by The Religious Society of Friends (Quakers).
For many years most of the site, including the property on the High Street, was tenanted with the right to assign. This meant that the owners had no effective control over most of their property. This resulted in the grounds being neglected and the buildings run down.
In 2001 the tenant who held the Nursery was persuaded to give up that part of the tenancy so that the newly formed Growing Space could set up a Social and Therapeutic Horticultural Project for those disadvantaged in the workplace, with Nick Truman appointed manager (still in post). That site has been transformed and its work is thriving.
Coincidentally, three years ago, the tenants of the properties on the High Street surrendered their tenancies, allowing restoration and development work be undertaken, which has resulted in two shops and two flats being created.
The next step was to completely refurbish the old building in the centre of the site, part of which had been used by the greengrocer tenant for storage, the rest as refreshment room for the Quakers. That work was completed at the beginning of 2014, providing a new kitchen, a lavatory for the disabled with a shower, together with an attractive meeting room available to any group in sympathy with the Quakers (The Barn).
This left the piece of land behind the shops which had formed part of the greengrocer’s tenancy. It was totally overgrown and frankly an eyesore, with mounds of decaying stonework and concrete. There was much debate within the Society about what to do with it. Gradually the idea formed of creating a Peace Garden which is in line with one of the most important Quaker Testimonies – Peace.
The decision to actively explore the possibility of such a proposal was taken last summer (2014) when views of local organisations including the statutory authorities were sought. When those proved positive we were able to approach possible funders. Again this proved to be encouraging, so that with their guidance we asked a number of local contractors for quotes to clear the site completely and to construct the garden to our design (September 2014).
Negotiations commenced with the contractors and main funder (Viridor Credits), and we were given the go-ahead at Christmas. Work was begun on 2nd January by Mintern Builders of Templecombe, and completed in three weeks (a remarkable achievement).
Since that time the garden furniture has been bought and installed, and the garden planted out. We are pleased with the result and are grateful to Viridor Credits and South Somerset District Council for their financial contribution and encouragement. Of course it would not have been possible without the full support of and help by members of our Meeting.
The whole site is now open to the public and visitors are welcome to rest in the Garden and to explore the remainder of the site, including the Growing Space when open.
The formal opening of the Peace Garden is on Saturday 8th August at 3.00pm. This date was chosen to mark the anniversary of the dropping of the first atomic bomb on Hiroshima 70 years ago.
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Reply #1 on : Fri March 11, 2016, 11:53:24
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