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Towns have personalities. It can be the buildings, the art scene, leisure, the people or even the businesses that make it home. It can be many of these and in many respects if a town cherishes just one of these things, the others will follow. It is when these are allowed to decline that a town becomes somewhere people live rather than love. Dying towns lose sight of what they are. They lose the sense of belonging, the sense of place.
It can be said that Guisborough is a long way from being a dying town. It is vibrant in many ways. The drive of the townspeople to retain that sense of place means there is a lot going on. But it is also clear when talking to people that much more can be done.
For example, I spent some time walking in Chapel Beck Park (also known as West End Park). It is a wonderful area that provides a pleasant way of crossing the town, is very popular with dog owners and provides a wonderful greenspace away from the noise of Rectory Lane. However it is far from achieving its potential. It has no gardens to add beauty, the paths are in poor condition and it generally looks neglected. Or take Back Fountain Street, running between Walton Terrace and Chaloner Street. This is an ideal route to provide better mobility but it is heavily potholed.
The examples I give are more like outer signs of neglect rather than a full picture of the town. There are many more areas where the town is not receiving what it needs in order to thrive, from lack of police officers to vacant premises.
Anyway less of the negative. Guisra aims to enhance that sense of place. Not just for locals, but also as a place that non-residents see as a town well worth visiting because they enjoy being here. We want to improve arts access, liveability (safety, beauty, mobility) and importantly planning. We want to see every aspect of Guisborough treated with respect. A recognition that there shouldn’t be neglected areas or overlooked needs.
I hope you enjoy our August Newsletter.
All the best,
Michael Dakin
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