From the Editor, Dave Smallshaw

It's certainly been a busy time for us in the last few months. There have been highs and lows and the publication of the magazine has been held back somewhat so that we could at least give members some snippets of news of the events up and down the length of our waterway.

The canal hit the headlines both locally and nationally with the decision to go ahead with placing a feeder bridge (left) to a new development in St Helens at a non navigable height, as reported in our last issue. The result of which found SCARS' officers invited to meet the leader of the St Helens Council at the town hall and led to plenty of activity afterwards.

Pat Robinson, who is an executive member and has a long and distinguished record of serving the local community, puts it well...

"What a furore has been going on over the past few months since an innocent comment in Canal Cuttings appeared. That comment resulted in a flurry of activity and a resolution and amendment being tabled at a full council meeting in September, chaired by the mayor, Councillor Terry Shields, who represents the Parr ward, which the Sankey Canal runs through.

The resolution resulted in a lively, lengthy debate but it was defeated and was tabled again at the November meeting where the work of SCARS and the status of the restoration commitment were given the full support of the St Helens Council.

The whole issue was featured widely, certainly in the IWA national member's bulletin, the Waterways World and Canal & Riverboat magazines, and the local free press, therefore raising the profile of the canal on a local and national scene.

The executive are hoping that all the commotion will result in the forming of a working group consisting of council officers and elected members from each of the boroughs, who, in liaison with SCARS, will, hopefully put the eventual re-opening of the canal as a high priority in their business and economic development plans and also into their tourism and leisure agendas.

The old adage states that 'There is no such thing as bad publicity'... Watch this space!"

There's more... Exciting developments are occurring along the line.

Halton Borough Council have, once again, stated that it is their intention to press ahead with the full restoration to navigation of their stretch of the waterway in controlled phases, and have currently allocated the funds to remove one of the barriers. They plan the replacement of the fixed Carter House accommodation bridge (below) with a swing bridge in the near future. They have also revealed wide-ranging plans to improve facilities at Spike Island. We will report more fully on these events as the plans progress.

In Warrington things are also stirring, with the release and adoption by the Council of the recommendations resulting from the extensive survey of the canal and the Sankey Valley area undertaken in the last year by consultants. Aspects of this plan could mean real improvements in the status of the waterway environment in the near future and some work is scheduled to happen sooner rather than later.

The unfortunate bridge event early this year in St Helens has certainly provoked the council there to some proactive action in linking with the other authorities to form a steering group. Halton is acting on its long-standing plans for full restoration of the waterway, and positive action in Warrington is promised — both are warmly welcomed.

It is up to us, too, to become more constructively involved with these initiatives and to ensure that the temperature is kept high on these local authority ambitions. If ever there was a good time for those who have the restoration of the canal in their ideals to step forward and help the small active band of warriors who take up the cause, then it is now. I make a heartfelt plea to members to consider how they can help as all assistance, great or small, will make our eventual aims much more attainable. Why not make a New Year's resolution?

With best wishes for 2010,
Dave

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