It has been a great year for the country as a whole with the Queen celebrating 60 years on the throne and of course, the fantastic summer of sport, beginning with Bradley Wiggins becoming the first ever British winner of the Tour de France, followed by the fantastic scenes from the Olympic Park in London with the Olympics and Paralympics alike.
We have had a lot of good news in Erewash this year; the Erewash Borough Council Green Space team won Silver Gilt awards for both Ilkeston and Long Eaton in the East Midlands in Bloom competition. Victoria Park in Ilkeston won the Green Flag for the second year running and our beautiful traffic islands won a special Diamond Jubilee Award for the patriotic displays.
In the late summer we saw Bradley Wiggins and the rest of Team Sky racing through the streets of Ilkeston in the Tour of Britain, as a year of fabulous success for British Cycling drew to a close. The man behind the success for British Cycling, Dave Brailsford CBE, an Ilkeston Resident, has been honoured by Erewash Borough Council by having the Freedom of the Borough of Erewash bestowed upon him.
Chris would also like to congratulate both Sir Bradley Wiggins and Sir Dave Brailsford on recieving their Knight Batchelor Awards.
The iconic Stanton Wagon has been fully restored and returned to its place at the landmark site in Ilkeston at the end of Chalons Way following a £15,400 project to restore it to its former glory. The restoration was carried out by Derbyshire based Rampart Carriage and Wagon Services. The wagon is a museum piece from the now closed Stanton Ironworks and serves as a reminder of Erewash’s industrial past.
In Ilkeston we have seen the Flamsteed and Abbotsford Community Centres undergo major renovations in a project worth a combined £46,000. Both centres were officially re-opened by Cllr Jennifer Hulls, The Worshipful The Mayor of Erewash in October 2012. Whilst in Long Eaton, West Park Leisure Centre is to undergo a major refurbishment that will see the floor space in the fitness suite doubled and the installation of over 20 new fitness stations and the sauna and steam suite will see a major upgrade. The main swimming pool hall will also receive an upgrade with £45,000 being spent on updating the tiles around the pool with a new cladding.
Elsewhere in Long Eaton the grounds of the library have been given a new look with a new planting scheme designed by local members of the Erewash in bloom group. The existing pergolas and seating have been complimented by a new scheme of plants, herbs and grasses to provide an all year round decorative interest.
Finally, Cllr Corbett would like to wish the residents of Erewash a Happy and Prosperous New Year.