A RALLYING cry has been issued to Clean Up St Ives.
John Packard from Halsetown, a former chairman of St Ives Chamber of Commerce and the St Ives Archive, has already recruited a number of volunteers to tidy up the town.
They have stripped the rotten woodwork from the Malakoff, the seating area above the railway station offering views over St Ives, and plan to build new seats for the site over the next week.
Mr Packard launched the initiative after hearing the town council had had to spend £300 replacing one wooden bench.
“I thought a few well-intentioned and experienced DIY people could do this themselves for the town,” he said. “If we have a problem now it’s not going to get better any time soon, with the squeeze on funding and spending. It seems like repairs for public facilities will go on the back burner more and more.”
After contacting mayor Ron Tulley he issued a call for volunteers, and a team of people from the town came together to sort out the Malakoff.
They are now looking at other projects they can tackle without getting in the way of visitors as the holiday season hits its peak.
“There are a great many locations around the town that need attention,” Mr Packard said. “It’s our town. You wouldn’t leave your backyard in a terrible state. Our visitors turn up from all over the world and we want them to go home having had a good impression of St Ives.
“There is a cost and the town council have said they will look after some of the costs, but we’re trying to help rather than incur them further expenses.”
The initiative is still looking for more DIY-minded volunteers, and also for businesses that might be interested in sponsoring the team by donating materials or tools.
One shop has already expressed an interest in maintaining one area nearby once it has been renovated.
Mr Packard said: “Through that, I hope we will have enough funding to get on with the job, but we need more volunteers.
“I’m not asking people to turn out for days or a week: just a few hours and I’d be delighted.”
Mr Tulley said: “I think it’s a great idea, and we’re grateful to John for taking the initiative and getting the scheme under way.
“In any town there are always some things which can doing with a bit of tidying up and it would be great if we could get some volunteers to help with those tasks.”
To contact Mr Packard. telephone 01736 797009.
Source: http://www.thisiscornwall.co.uk/DIY-skills-needed-tidy-town/story-16633892-detail/story.html
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