If you go down to Blundellsands and Crosby subway…you will hardly believe your eyes! For the walls are clean and painted and the overgrown weeds have been cut back. A local artist has been engaged in designing and painting a mural to enhance what was one time a drab and dirty subway.
The bid for this work to the National Lottery Grants for Heritage was undertaken by a local artist working in partnership with Valewood School and was successful in securing £10,000 for the Sefton Coastal Community Connections Project. The purpose of which was to engage students in a local community project, highlighting the heritage of the local coastlines, flora and fauna. Being a local artist she was familiar with the environment and apparently some additional art work will be completed in Valewood School.
The National Lottery Community Fund is a grant maker and does not operate projects itself but awards funds to organisations which operate projects. As part of the application process, it requires organisations to outline the difference that should come about as a result of its funding.
The walk along the subway is now a lot brighter and let us hopes that the art work is enjoyed not only by local residents but also visitors to our coastline.
The artist has spent considerable time and effort in trying to improve the environment. Working in cold conditions, she has been very visible to the public and has accepted the variety of comments from passers-by.
But what has Sefton Council done? The pathway is still dirty, the drains are still overflowing and the leaves and debris still pile up. This flooding is exacerbated when there is a high tide making walking through the subway especially difficult, particularly for people with prams or wheelchairs.
The Council has acknowledged that the drains are their responsibility yet for years have done nothing to alleviate the flooding. The Labour led Sefton Council and our Ward councillors must now work together to improve the tarmacadam footpath and solve the dirty pool of water that seems to become larger during heavy rain.
What will our local school children think as they look at the pictures on the walls but feel their feet getting wet as they stand in a pool of stagnant water? Perhaps they too will appreciate the picture of the frog trying to escape the dampness!
Merseyrail, too , should play their part and expend some money on painting the stairwells, handrails and the edges of the steps, all of which in their present state detract from the efforts of the local artist.
The council must demonstrate its willingness to work with other partners when carrying out works in the community. Without this commitment, the efforts of willing groups such as Valewood school will be a lost opportunity.
