Latest news with #improvement
BBC News
a day ago
- Entertainment
- BBC News
Flimby boys collect 600 signatures to improve playground
Two boys who describe their local playground as "broken, boring and full of graffiti" are campaigning to have it Ethan, and Kaelan, 13, have been knocking on doors and asking people to sign a petition calling for Flimby Playground in Cumbria to be have collected almost 600 signatures and plan to take their petition to Cumberland council said it welcomes suggestions on how to improve its play areas and will meet with the boys to discuss how it can help put their plans into action. Speaking to BBC Radio Cumbria, Ethan said: "We want some better stuff that's not rusty, and some more stuff for the older [ones] and little ones."If we put an AstroTurf football pitch [in the park] then the children of Flimby could use it to play football on. "Then, if it is winter and raining, Flimby rugby team can use it too." Kaelan's mother, Nicola, said news of the boys' campaign work had "spread through the village"."Flimby is a very, very tight community. We all know each other and we all speak about each other's children," she said."I work at the local school, and I have had people come up to me and tell me how proud they are of the boys." The campaign has won the support of Labour's Josh MacAlister, MP for Whitehaven and Workington, who said he had written to Cumberland Council asking for "funding to be allocated for investment in the park"."I'm hopeful of a positive response from the council, and to make it a fantastic playground for local children and young people of all ages once again," he Council said it maintains dozens of play facilities and does all it can to make them "welcoming and safe sites to visit"."We will soon be meeting up with the youngsters from Flimby to see how we can support putting their plans into action," a council spokesperson said. Follow BBC Cumbria on X, Facebook, Nextdoor and Instagram.
Telegraph
2 days ago
- Politics
- Telegraph
James Heale
Unless improvement is forthcoming, Starmer's own political death will start to look like a real possibility
The Sun
5 days ago
- Business
- The Sun
English train station to shut for 2 years ahead of major £11.5million revamp to make a ‘railway that's fit for future'
A RAILWAY station is set to close for two years ahead of major £11.5m improvement works. It comes amid major investment in stations and trains across the country with services affected across the UK. 1 Deighton Station in Huddersfield, West Yorkshire, will shut on August 30 and reopen in 2027. The work is part of the multi-billion-pound Transpennine Route Upgrade (TRU) programme of railway improvements being carried out by Network Rail. This includes the closure of Ty Glas station in Cardiff until spring 2026, part of the Welsh Government's £800 million investment in new trains. TRU sponsor Gareth Hope said the upgrade of Deighton Station "will allow the station to be brought up to modern standards and accommodate better rail travel across the North". The rebuilt station will boast two new tracks to allow faster services to overtake slower ones. It will also extend platforms to accommodate longer trains with more seats. There will also be a new footbridge with lifts for step-free access to both platforms. A new forecourt, including a drop-off point, accessible parking and improved waiting shelters, will also be built. 'Fit for the future' An hourly rail replacement bus service will operate between Huddersfield and Deighton while the station is closed. The service will stop at Brighouse from September 29 2025. Moment delivery driver lobs water bottles to passengers through windows of broken-down train after it got stuck in 33C As part of the work, Whitacre Street – which is already closed to vehicles – will be closed to pedestrians from August 20 until July 2026. Rob Warnes, strategic development director for Northern, said the work would support its aim of an "inclusive, accessible railway that's fit for the future". He added: "We recognise that delivery of works on this scale can cause disruption to the lives of our customers, and we are grateful for their continued patience." In Cardiff, improvements at Ty Glas will include five new, quieter Class 756 tri-mode trains rolled out on the Croyton and Caerphilly to Penarth lines. There will also be a new level crossing at the station. During the works, passengers will be directed to nearby Birchgrove station where they can seek alternative routes. Those needing to cross the railway will be diverted towards the Caerphilly Road bridge.
CBC
13-06-2025
- Business
- CBC
'Struggling' Bank Street could be in for a facelift
Social Sharing Storefronts along a struggling section of Bank Street in downtown Ottawa could soon be in for a facelift if city council approves a half-million-dollar improvement program aimed at revitalizing the area. If passed on June 25, the Centretown heritage facade improvement pilot program will draw $500,000 from existing funds over the next two years to help property owners restore and conserve their properties on Bank Street from Albert to Catherine streets, as well as a section of Somerset Street W. The project would span two conservation districts, and properties must meet certain criteria to qualify for funding. If approved, grants awarded under the pilot project will cover 75 per cent of a property owner's eligible costs, up to $75,000. Eligible upgrades include new signage, lighting and other additions that improve accessibility. Heritage conservation projects could also include upgrades such as structural improvements, restoration and repainting. 'Appearance matters' Earlier this week, staff told the city's built heritage committee the revitalization project is aimed at making the area more inviting, green, vibrant and safe for all. City staff said one of the pilot's key objectives is to encourage private investment in the area, which has deteriorated noticeably in recent years as businesses close and storefronts remain vacant. Sabrina Lemay, executive director of the Centretown Business Improvement Area (BIA), said while the area is home to some of the city's most beautiful heritage buildings, it has faced "unprecedented challenges" including the COVID-19 pandemic. "We have growing commercial vacancies and a shifting downtown dynamic that has left many businesses and property owners struggling to stay vibrant and visible," Lemay told the committee. Lemay said Bank Street currently has 30 empty storefronts, and attracting new tenants has been difficult. "Right now, people don't want to open businesses in Centretown," she said. "It's not creating a sense of community. It looks empty, it looks abandoned and feels unsafe." Lemay said the improvement program could help attract new residents, visitors and longer-term investment. "Facade improvements may sound cosmetic, but they have ripple effect and are profound," she said. "It increases pedestrian engagement, boosts foot traffic, instills pride in places and sends messages that Centretown is open, alive and worth investing in." 'A glimpse of hope' Jerome Duquette, owner of grocer Herb & Spice at Bank and Lewis streets, also welcomed the program. "It took them a long time, eh?" he joked over the phone. Duquette agreed the once-bustling shopping district has been decimated by the pandemic. Having something that's pretty on the street, it's inspiring for people, even if it's not much. - Jerome Duquette, Herb & Spice "There were a lot of people, families, workers, and it was very vibrant," he said. "[The pandemic] affected all the businesses on the street, and then people never really came back fully." Duquette said he has noticed an increase in homelessness and open drug use in the area. He said he and his co-owners think about moving "very often," but are staying put for now. If his business is eligible for the improvement project, Duquette said he hopes to improve the grocery's signage, lighting and brickwork. He described the project as a "glimpse of hope" for the beleaguered area.
Zawya
13-06-2025
- Zawya
Temporary road closure on Al-Khor interchange for 44 days in Doha
Doha: The Public Works Authority (Ashghal) has announced a prolonged temporary road closure on Al-Khor I/C towards Doha road for 44 days, starting June 17, 2025. The closure will occur between 12am to 5am each day, until July 31, 2025, and will take place to carry out maintenance and improvement works. Ashghal urges all road users to seek alternative routes to reach their destinations and to exercise caution and follow directional signs for their safety. © Dar Al Sharq Press, Printing and Distribution. All Rights Reserved. Provided by SyndiGate Media Inc. (
