£900k Spent on Groves School Maintenance
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Right from the off this space was earmarked for housing it seams to me this would be an ideal spot for an appartment complex to bring Wrexham into the future. There is always some old duffer trying to save things that don’t need saving and it always results in the taxpayers money going west. A perfect example of this is that old chimney down Tuttle St. who’s idea was that! it looks terrible now and it will have to be maintained or flattened before someone gets hurt and who wants to pay ??. But not to worry we will probably pay for that eventually. The old Groves building will look awfull in ten years time for all our sakes let it go stop this money wasting.
I don’t think all the people against the demolition of this old building are “old duffers”. On the contrary, I think they are Wrexham People, Wrexham Voters who happen to take an interest in what makes wrexham Wrexham. If you maintain that old buildings should be demolished to make way for housing, wrexham will become one big scattered housing estate. Why not demolish everything that is over say 40 years old, perhaps starting with that old stone edifice in what was the centre of Wrexham …. St Giles Parish Church.
Perhaps some of you philistines would applaud and cheer that on also.
A side note about the condition of buildings: Not so long ago consultants, hired by Wrexham Council and paid for by our council taxes, stated that Plas Madoc Leisure centre was unsafe and not fit for purpose. Odd that now it is a successful enterprise without the major repairs that these ‘consultants’ stated were a must!
In respect to The Groves. I would suggest that there are many local construction experts, both retired and still working, who would offer their services on a pro bono basis. Services that would include the inspection of the building and produce a genuine, honest and unbiased report and analysis of the true condition of The Groves.
I am really shocked at some of the replies on this post. First of all “why would you want a school so close to the town centre?” – Grove Park has been a school since the 1930’s when it was built.
Then there is the accusation about “old duffers” who want to retain the past. Well, I’m an old duffer then. It’s a pity there were not a few more old duffers when the heart was ripped out of the town with (for example) the demolition of the veg market or the Hippodrome.
Grove Park girls school is an iconic building with a beautiful art deco style staircase. Sure it needs work to adapt to a new, modern school, better that than a new “shed” which will look dilapidated in 10 years.
I also realise, not everyone will have warm memories of their time at this school. I too was bullied at the then Bryn Offa school, but I wouldn’t want it pulled down. Time heals if you let it.
It is a crying shame that the Groves School has been left the rot and now the Council (elected by the people) think they can single headedly demolish a beautiful historic building, yet again blowing away attractive architecture from the heart of Wrexham. If the Councillors and those working within the council on behalf of the electorate are not up to the job, then a third party should be brought in to examine the business case for a new school taking into consideration the catchment area, traffic planning, bus routes and so forth. Personally, having witnessed day after day all the fetching and carrying in cars to and from schools and the transport hassle created, the school should be built on a brown field industrial site close to the edge of town to the highest standards we can afford. Transport routes would be simpler and other anti-social problems minimised. The beautiful Groves building could be turned into very nice apartments of varying sizes with lots of parking for residents and visitors alike. Of course, my idea would need a decent sized purse from a property developer, but it is possible.
This solution I proposed would keep the facade at least and remove the traffic issues from the centre of town that is already bulging at the seams and certainly not a nice prospect getting around between 8.30 and 10.00 and 2.30pm – 6.00pm.
Unanimous decision by all Board members to demolish the old Groves site, completely opposite to all the Councillors that spoke eloquently to at least consult before final decision taken !
Surely this is illegal? Or was it a done deal and just a load of hot air for the little people? So shameful.
This has been the face of the Council since the “cabinet style” decision making was introduced by Tony Blair’s government. Time it was replaced by the old system where decisions were made in the Full Council Meeting and every Councillor’s vote counted!
Indeed. Otherwise, what is the point of debate and voting. A shameful state. They’re the ones who will regret the decision when another part of the town looks like a patchwork quilt sewn by a bunch of angry monkeys. x Let’s just hope a local Architect with vision and a sound background is brought in the deliver a good looking and functional school that the children of Wrexham will be delighted to learn in.
Can anyone supply the names of the members of the so called board?
Name and shame. Maybe a check on their credentials for making such a decision.
Maybe an investigation into whether or not there are vested interests involved.I also wonder whether or not any of these inept members have any history with
the school or the Boys School equivalent.The make up of the Executive Board is public and on the Council’s site http://moderngov.wrexham.gov.uk/mgCommitteeDetails.aspx?ID=129&LLL=undefined
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