A story from todays Evening Chronicle here in Newcastle which I have more than a passing interest in as my son plays for Heaton Hawks under 9's. Please bear with me here as this post is a little different from the usual fare served up here but it means a lot to me and I surely should have the chance to have a rant here every now and again!It's a grassroots football club which has scored a goal with hundreds of local youngsters wanting to put their soccer talents to the test.
But organisers and kids say they have been kicked where it hurts after council officials have threatened to lock the gates to their pitches over a traffic dispute.
It’s a blow to more than 250 youngsters between seven and 17 who play for Heaton Hawks youth and junior teams, as the future of their club hangs in the balance.
Their pitches are situated behind the trendy town houses recently built by Bett Homes on the old Heaton Manor School site, off Benton Road in the High Heaton area of Newcastle.
It is understood residents who moved there were fully aware they were buying property with a through-road to the Heaton Hawks pitches at the back of them. But organisers say a handful of upset residents are threatening its future by complaining about the amount of cars that pass their front doors on match days.
Now football organisers have been told the main gates to the football club pitches, known as the Manor, where they have played since 2000, could be locked if the traffic problem is not resolved.
Heaton Hawks club secretary John Bower, 50, of High Heaton, Newcastle, said: “It seems a handful of residents are unhappy with the amount of traffic passing their doors.
“But they were fully aware that the through-road to the pitches goes past their properties when they bought their homes.
“We believe only five or six people have objected, yet the council seems to be taking their side rather than listen to hundreds of kids wanting to play football.
“We have 17 teams and this is a fantastic place for the kids to go, where they get exercise, have fun and learn respect.
“The council says it wants the traffic problem sorted by the end of the month or they’ll lock our gates so we can’t get vehicle access.
“They say if this happens we can use the side entrance where we can access the pitches on foot, but that will throw up the health and safety issue that an ambulance or fire engine can not access the field.”
Mr Bower, who was a founder member of the club in 1997, added: “When Bett Homes were building these houses we had a meeting with the developers and the council and suggested that the through-road should be built at the side of the estate and not directly through the middle, but this was ignored.
“We always said the road which passes through the middle of the estate should have been built elsewhere.”
Club chairman Bob Day, 60, of North Heaton, added: “This could mean the end of our club and the end of football for Heaton Hawks.”
Jack Lowe, 33, of Newcastle, whose two sons play for Heaton Hawks, said: “It seems the council is listening to a handful of complaining residents over hundreds of kids and parents.”
The threat to lock the gates has come from Newcastle City Council’s leisure services department, backed by Dene ward councillors Bob Renton, Sharon Bailey and Wendy Taylor.
Coun Renton has defended their actions. He said: “We have found it very difficult to deal with the organisers at Heaton Hawks. When planning permission was passed for the houses, the planners said there were 70-plus parking spaces for the playing fields. Everyone thought that was adequate, but it isn’t.”
Recreational development manager Rob Delap, said: “We’re not planning to lock the gates, and would only do so as a last resort.”
Summing up what it means is that our local council are willing take up a non-existant case of around a half a dozen residents and threaten to close down a club which has well over 200 local children playing football, getting vital exercise and also learning the discipline that comes along with playing football for a team.
If I did'nt know better I would suspect that there are other reasons as to why our council would come down so heavy handed on the side of a few locals against so many kids playing football. I have my ideas why they are doing so but I won't say here in case I end up with a libel case against me.
The one thing I'm not afraid of saying though is that these local councillors should hang their heads in shame and god help them if they come knocking at my door asking for my vote when the time comes around.
Please do me a favour if you are a blogger anywhere in the world and link to this story in our local paper Evening Chronicle - Complaints may mean end for Heaton Hawks Junior Football Club. Thanks.
/RANT
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