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December 2003
The
AGM was held at the end of September with a healthy attendance of
around seventy members. A wide range of topics were raised and
enthusiastically discussed and these will be covered in this update.
The
main aim of the Friends is to encourage the Government to restore
Queen's Pier so that the public can use it for recreational purposes.
It is as simple as that. However, the costs are a major
consideration when there is such competition for public money. Our
main focus continues to be that we keep the issue of the Queen's Pier
in the public eye, cultivating meaningful dialogue with the
appropriate Government Departments. Individually these Departments
are constrained by financial budgets and the fate of
Queen's Pier will not in all likelihood be a priority for any of
them.
Ultimately of course, Tynwald
will make the decision, so we
must therefore attempt to establish a convincing argument in favour
of restoration that can be brought before Tynwald.
The
Department of Transport (DOT) is responsible for the Queen's Pier,
with the Department for Local Government and Environment (DOLGE)
responsible for its protection under the listed buildings
legislation.
The
Minister of DOT, the Hon John Shimmin MHK, promised at a meeting
held in April at Ramsey Town Hall, to hold another meeting with
interest parties, once his staff had considered the issue in greater
detail. True to his word, this meeting duly took place at the Sea
Terminal on 17 October and was attended by representatives from DOT,
DOLGE, the Victorian Society, Ramsey Commissioners and the Friends.
The sole purpose of the meeting was to discuss and agree a brief
that would be given to the BWB Partnership, to provide a cost
quotation in producing a further report with more defined and fully
agreed guidelines. You will remember that BWB were commissioned by
the Friends to supply us with a report last year, so it is
gratifying that they are to be approached by DOT rather than other
firms that have produced reports in the past, some at huge expense.
Agreement
was reached to continue this particular debate with one named
individual representing each interested party; another meeting will
be held shortly. The Friends would like to thank Mr Shimmin for
allowing us to make a direct contribution to discussions, an opportunity that has not
previously been made available to us. In general, we also welcome
his willingness to address the issue of the Queen's Pier. We shall
keep you posted on this encouraging development.
It
came out very strongly at the AGM that members would like to be kept
informed a little more regularly than has been the case in the recent past.
It is also intended that we send new members a welcome letter.
There
was also a discussion on the merits of keeping our members advised by e-mail,
with it being both cheap and efficient. This is something that we
shall look at if we
can find the necessary specialist help and expertise. For those of
you that use email regularly, please let us have a note of your
address in case we are able to contact you in this way, sooner
rather than later.
To
help us achieve this we need an I. T. Iiterate person to manage the
membership database for us. Practically, this is likely to take only
a couple of hours a month. Any volunteers please??
In
August, as we were unable to obtain permission to access the Pier,
the Friends held a very successful "Day under the Pier".
It was felt that we should continue to hold our customary summer
event although we were not allowed to walk on the Pier and our
patron Sir Norman Wisdom was otherwise engaged. All went very well
and we should like to thank all those that helped in any way.
Additionally, we were able to donate the proceeds of £317 to the
Mighty Oak appeal.
Some
time ago, our Vice Chairman Michele Tramontana painted a picture of
the Pier, and its owner has very kindly agreed that one hundred
prints of it could be produced. The number one print of this limited
edition run was officially presented in early November to the
president of Tynwald, the Hon Noel Cringle. It will be displayed in
the refurbished offices and will be viewed by, amongst others, all
our politicians. We are sure that Michele would be pleased to sell
the remaining ninety nine prints that will be available from his
Ramsey Gallery!
Increasing
the membership was considered to be an important measure in
demonstrating that support for our cause was greater than ever,
rather than on the decline. You can help us to achieve this by
encouraging new members. Thank
you in anticipation. On this point, we are very grateful to the
Victorian Society that has canvassed its membership resulting in
many new members for the Friends.
We are
even more optimistic than we were a year ago, and very much hope
that in our next newsletter we shall be able to report on some real
progress.
Your
chairman and committee would like to wish you all a very happy
Christmas and prosperous New Year.
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