As part of the Abingdon Arts Festival the Big Weave has been working with Larkmead School, and with the local community creating a tapestry for Abingdon Guildhall.
It was being filmed by a passing TV reporter, as local colour, for a report about something completely different.
In January 2010 the district council consulted on options for the Abbey Shopping Centre.
It was announced today that an agreement has been signed for a £53M redevelopment of the favoured option. According to the district council’s press release…
Proposals for the Charter area (starting around 2013) include:
* a new large supermarket
* a new decked car park of about 400 spaces
* other retail floor space
* a replacement library, day centre and medical centre potentially at first floor level.
Proposals for the Abbey Shopping Centre (starting around Jan 2012) include:
* improving the choice and range of shop unit sizes by converting and combining some of the existing units into larger stores
* creating a new unit of 4,500 sq.ft. and another one of 2,000 sq.ft, both with first floor sales areas
* creating a more attractive street area by alternating roof heights and removing the existing canopies
* repaving and replacing street furniture, lighting and signage in the shopping centre.
This comes hot on the heals of an agreement to double the size of the Orchard Centre in Didcot at a cost of £125M. The two district councils involved (Vale of White Horse for Abingdon and South Oxfordshire for Didcot) have shared executive staff so they must have been busy.
In May 2009 it was announced that the campaign to save Thrupp Lake had succeeded. Since then the Northmoor Trust has taken over the site. Habitats have been protected, fences built, as has a hide, and a visitor shelter shaped like a water lily. The Save Radley Lakes group has been reconstituted as Friends on Radley Lakes to support this work and protect the area.
At the Annual general Meeting of the Friends of Radley Lakes, this evening, people seemed pleased with the work of the Northmoor Trust – recently renamed The Earth Trust. A new circular walk will be be officially opened on June 17th.
The Earth Trust are seeking planning permission to replace the cottage, Sandles, with a visitor centre. Fund raising is needed to make that happen, and the Friends will be doing their part.
Abingdon has a great recent tradition in wood carving thanks mostly to Brian who teaches all the other wood carvers. I last saw him with a half finished Medusa at a Didcot art event a few months back. The Medusa, made from a Yew tree bole, is now finished, and after Abingdon will be on display at the Royal Academy.
Also on view at the Community Shop are the panels from the Oxfordshire 2007 (1000 years old) celebration piece. There are various pieces round the walls, and a medieval style low relief, shown above, with some nice quirky detail.