Thursday, 29 March 2007
Basildon's Own Art Gallery
I, along with around 70 other people, attended a meeting at the Towngate Theatre last night to discuss the conversion of the Gloucester Park swimming pool into an arts space for Basildon and south Essex- The Essex Gallery Basildon. I want to see a proper art gallery in Basildon, this would be a bonus for our town, but I do understand other points of view expressed, on which I still have an open mind.
Mike Harrington and Vin Harrop have a long history of pressing for a gallery in south Essex. There have been talks in the past with Chelmsford, Southend and Brentwood, but these have come to nothing. It seems to me that when it comes to making any financial investment in the arts in Essex, in particular south Essex, we are seriously lagging behind other parts of the country. A renowned local historian said that if the Gloucester Park building goes the only remaining building to give the people of Basildon any real sense of their history would be Brooke House, now a listed building. Because, 50 years ago, when Basildon Development Corporation started work on the new town they demolished years of history in one fowl swoop. Ken Porter also said that when he visits schools to talk about the history of Basildon, the Plotlanders’ etc the children are enthralled with an interest in the subject.
The Chairman of Basildon Sports Council was all for keeping the swimming pool for other sports uses. I believe that the future decommissioning of the Gloucester Park swimming pool offers the people of Basildon a chance for their own art gallery. It would cost much less to convert an existing building than to create a new build, and we would be saving a valuable piece of Basildon’s heritage at the same time.
Not forgetting the plan for part of the gallery to be a museum, apparently we are gathering a large collection of historic relics, which need housing too.
With the Olympics on the horizon sport has a real chance to gain further prestige for the town.
I agree, to build a new sporting facility with an Olympic size pool is a brilliant investment, but why not build it further into the park and let us keep our history, not demolish it for a 5 star hotel. Basildon people have a huge collection of paintings and other arts works in store, kept in trust for them by The Basildon Arts Trust. Why not let these be seen in all their glory in a stunning art gallery.
Let us imagine for a moment a grand opening of our own beautiful art gallery in all its splendour, reflected in the waters of the duck pond below, with fireworks shooting upwards in celebration. What a wonderful occasion this would be for Basildon and for the people of Basildon. For once we would be able to walk tall, to show pride in where we live, and no more feel inferior to anyone. That’s what the arts and culture can - and should do, for us.
(I sent this to the Evening Echo - Lisa)
Mike Harrington and Vin Harrop have a long history of pressing for a gallery in south Essex. There have been talks in the past with Chelmsford, Southend and Brentwood, but these have come to nothing. It seems to me that when it comes to making any financial investment in the arts in Essex, in particular south Essex, we are seriously lagging behind other parts of the country. A renowned local historian said that if the Gloucester Park building goes the only remaining building to give the people of Basildon any real sense of their history would be Brooke House, now a listed building. Because, 50 years ago, when Basildon Development Corporation started work on the new town they demolished years of history in one fowl swoop. Ken Porter also said that when he visits schools to talk about the history of Basildon, the Plotlanders’ etc the children are enthralled with an interest in the subject.
The Chairman of Basildon Sports Council was all for keeping the swimming pool for other sports uses. I believe that the future decommissioning of the Gloucester Park swimming pool offers the people of Basildon a chance for their own art gallery. It would cost much less to convert an existing building than to create a new build, and we would be saving a valuable piece of Basildon’s heritage at the same time.
Not forgetting the plan for part of the gallery to be a museum, apparently we are gathering a large collection of historic relics, which need housing too.
With the Olympics on the horizon sport has a real chance to gain further prestige for the town.
I agree, to build a new sporting facility with an Olympic size pool is a brilliant investment, but why not build it further into the park and let us keep our history, not demolish it for a 5 star hotel. Basildon people have a huge collection of paintings and other arts works in store, kept in trust for them by The Basildon Arts Trust. Why not let these be seen in all their glory in a stunning art gallery.
Let us imagine for a moment a grand opening of our own beautiful art gallery in all its splendour, reflected in the waters of the duck pond below, with fireworks shooting upwards in celebration. What a wonderful occasion this would be for Basildon and for the people of Basildon. For once we would be able to walk tall, to show pride in where we live, and no more feel inferior to anyone. That’s what the arts and culture can - and should do, for us.
(I sent this to the Evening Echo - Lisa)
Labels: Basildon, Lisa Horner, Standing up for the Arts
# posted by Lisa : 01:07
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