Reflection Park Sculpture: 30th September

Oadby Community Stakeholders invite you to join them for a celebration of the installation of a new sculpture in the Reflection Park opposite St. Peter’s Church.

The park belongs to Oadby & Wigston Council and was created on the site of former housing. The planting is kindly maintained and enhanced by Pride of the Borough and the Rotary clubs of Oadby. There is decorative bench in memory of those who died in WW1, and a tree commemorating those who assisted their country in WW2. There are also benches donated by PAL International and in memory of Edward James Jones-Fenleigh, who founded Invicta Plastics.

A sculpture has been added through a partnership between Oadby Community Stakeholders (a voluntary community networking group) and Oadby & Wigston Council, with funding from Oadby Residents’ Forum, Oadby Village Hall Trust, Oadby Community Stakeholders and Oadby & Wigston Multicultural Group (now disbanded). The project was led by Jo Knight, who was very actively involved in community development work within Oadby. Sadly, Jo died after the work had been commissioned. A quote from Jo has been added to the sculpture in recognition of her hugely positive energy in life, ‘If opportunity doesn’t knock, build a door’.

Please join Oadby Community Stakeholders to mark the installation of the sculpture on Friday September 30th 12-12.15pm at the Reflection Park 12.15-1pm for refreshments at Oadby Baptist Church. Please RSVP to swans (at) swansweb dot co dot uk to give an idea of numbers.

The park is on London Road, Oadby on the right as you walk from the mini-roundabout/ Fox Inn towards The Parade, LE2 5BD.

Old Oadby Pool Site & Oadby Youth Club

Ellis Park Oadby
The plans may provide funding for new play equipment and extra trees for Ellis Park.

Photo: cc-by-sa/2.0 – © David Hallam-Jones – geograph.org.uk/p/3290083

The budget papers for February’s Oadby and Wigston Borough Council meeting contained outline proposals for a new larger community building as a replacement for the current Bowls Club pavilion at Ellis Park.

The bowling club and green will stay, with the new building serving as both a pavilion and community centre. New tennis courts are planned elsewhere in Oadby, probably at Uplands Park or Brocks Hill Park.

A new community centre would allow the current sites for the elderly buildings of the Youth Club and Walter Charles Centre to be used for expanding the Oadby Cemetery (Youth Club site) and much-needed housing (Walter Charles).

The former Oadby Pool would also be redeveloped for housing. However, there are no plans to build over Ellis Park. In fact, some of these changes may enable the Borough to fund new play equipment and more trees for Ellis Park.

The council has strict government targets for house building due to the national and local shortage of housing. If the Borough Council does not meet these targets, the government can step in and ensure the targets are met, regardless of the views of local people. We hope to include affordable housing in this plan.

There is also a potential lack of civic cemetery provision in our area. Residents tell us that this is a service that they wish the council to continue to provide locally. Using services outside the Borough may not be what families want and can incur additional costs for council tax payers.

All nine Oadby Liberal Democrat Borough Councillors live in Oadby. Both I and Councillor David Carter live within the Oadby St. Peter’s ward that we are elected to represent. Between us, we have lived for over sixty years in the town. We or our families have benefitted from using the old Oadby Pool, Youth Club and attending events at the Walter Charles Centre.

The council meeting was the first step for these proposals. Affected clubs and groups were then contacted by the council. Next, we believe that detailed proposals will go out to consultation with interested groups and residents.

When I and Councillor Carter have these details, we will ensure residents and interested parties are kept informed through social media and Focus leaflets.