What has happened?
SpICE has come a long way in the last nine months. Site cleared and graded, grass seed planted, information board erected, gate installed, temporary toilets provided, tool shed erected, water butt installed, benches assembled to mention just a few jobs completed! Thank you to all the volunteers and helpers, funders and site maintainers.
When you consider that the site was overgrown with brambles just nine months ago, the community really has achieved miracles!
Throughout June, July and August we hosted five events on site. The Canal Festival was the highlight at the end of June, when the space was enjoyed by the community and many visitors. In July, three “Sun Days” events were held, including Street Art Day, The Door Takeover, Stories from the Ship Inn – interactive heritage & Nature Day, and the re-birth of the Stonehouse Regatta. Thank you to Cotswold Canals Connected, which organised the “Sun Days” and has been key in supporting the site and the community’s requirement to create a vibrant, useful, social space for all. Thank you also to all exhibitors, stall holders, artists and canoeists that helped to make these events so successful. SpICE volunteers worked hard in marshalling, organising and transporting a freezer to keep everything cool in the hot weather. We also ran a BBQ and sold Winstone’s ice cream, and managed to raise £1,300 towards the site progress. Well done to all!
What is next?
Stonehouse Town Council engaged Cotswold Surfacing to create a new pedestrian entrance at the Downton lights junction. SpICE volunteers will be creating an accessible surface onto the northern edge of the space along with a sprung gate to stop accidental egress onto the road. This is planned to be completed in September and the barriers will then be removed.
Stroud Valleys Canal Company (SVCC) and Cotswold Canal Trust (CCT) are planning a 20m pontoon set at three levels to allow boats, canoes and paddleboards, and Boatmobility access to the space. Once given the go ahead, work will begin this month to clear the bank (with an ecologist) ready for CCT volunteers to commence construction.
Plans are being drawn up to erect some solar PV panels on the work shed roof to provide much needed power for some activities on site.
Gallop & Grind Coffee has been attending the site daily serving fresh coffee, tea and cakes throughout August. Pippa has been experimenting with what times are most suitable and has been attending from 7am – 2pm weekdays and 10am – 4pm at weekends. On weekdays she is up at 4.30am baking croissants freshly for the day! In September the plan is to attend 10am – 3pm all week to see if that is more suitable for you all. Please help support this facility. SpICE now need your help in supporting phase 1 of the boardwalk construction. This is to create a level all-weather, off-ground surface so that all abilities can access the planned facilities on the space. Phase 1 is from the gate up to the notice board with a platform under the information board. We are running a “Plank and Stamp” campaign to help us fund this construction, and if you are able, we would welcome your support.
Please keep enjoying the space!