June 2013
Issue 6
40 Years of SHCA!
As reported in the last issue of Headline, SHCA is 40 this year! For new readers, SHCA was formed after a group of local residents united to oppose the demolition by the Council of perfectly good houses in the Richmonds, Manors, Hessles and Thornvilles. (Successfully, obviously!) Since then we’ve tried to “make South Headingley an even better place to live in” to quote Willie Sheridan, the first Chair (and all-time star Headline-seller, door to door. It cost 2p.) The first Headline came out in September 1973. It was a 12-page duplicated magazine written by members, then typed, illustrated and cut-and-pasted (with real scissors and paste!) in various local frontrooms over the years. In 1973 it recorded that SHCA had 15 people on the Committee with subgroups for Fundraising and Housing, plus an Information Service.
Our list of campaigns since then includes: • calling for the pedestrian-crossing outside the Cardigan CoOp • stressing the need for a safer children’s playground on Woodhouse Moor when a 3 year old girl died after falling from a swing on to the concrete base • a joint effort with St Margaret’s Church (now Left Bank) to get our own community centre - the Cardigan Centre • helping set up Friends of Hyde Park Picture House when the cinema was threatened with closure • working in the HMO (Houses in Multiple Occupation) Lobby to deal with the problem of demographic imbalance e.g. through the Article 4 Direction legislation We’ve organised lots of social events over the years, such as the Children’s Xmas Party, the Whitby Trips, International Evenings, visiting theatre groups such as Red Ladder (who used to pack Royal Park School Hall to capacity on a Saturday night!)
NGT Trolleybus have your say!
Save playing fields for the LS6 community
SHCA has a forty year history of opposing plans for a Headingley bypass and other schemes put forward for the A660 which would have been detrimental to its surrounding environment and diverse communities. Let’s continue!! Come along to one of Metro’s consultation events and look at the new plans for the trolleybus route along the A660. Ask the Metro/Council Representatives questions, make your views known to them and fill in feed-back forms. Let them know what you think about the Headingley bypass proposed to go through five conservation areas, through meadows and the remains of Headingley Moor; road widening at Headingley Hill; demolition of shops at Hyde Park Corner; and encroachment onto Monument Moor. Headingley Wednesday 26 June 2013 5:30pm – 7:30pm Headingley HEART Centre, 11 Bennett Road, LS6 3HN Far Headingley Saturday 29 June 2013 10am – 12noon St Chad’s Parish Hall, Otley Road, LS16 5JT Woodhouse Thursday 4 July 2013 5:30pm – 7:30pm
City of Leeds School, Woodhouse Cliff, LS6 2LG Holt Park Tuesday 9th July 2013 5:30pm – 7:30pm Ralph Thoresby School, Holtdale Approach, LS16 7RX Weetwood Tuesday 16 July 2013 5:30pm – 7:30pm Lawnswood YMCA Sports & Leisure Centre, Otley Road LS16 6HQ
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The Chestnut Avenue playing fields and sports facilities could still be lost to our community forever if the planning application for houses and a supermarket is approved at Plans Panel at the Civic Hall on June 20th. Download Hyde Park Olympic Legacy Group’s alternative community plan for the site from hpol.hydeparkonline.co.uk Have your say! 1. Come along to Plans Panel to support rejection of the plans. 2. Join “Community Sports Facilities in LS6” Facebook page.
3. Sign a petition calling for the sports field and facilities to be saved: www.avaaz.org/en/ petition/Save_sports_facilities_ for_Community_use_in_LS6