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Adventure zone boost for park


A NEW adventure zone and visi- tors’ centre atMote Park will help avoid spending cuts in the future. That was the view of Maidstone Council this week as it continues to conclude ideas for a Sustainable Fu- ture for Mote Park. It follows a series of surveys – the


latest about the proposed café – ask- ing the public what it wants, with some moved to say “leave it alone”, and calls for “more grass, less tar- mac” and park rangers to keep nui- sance dogs on leads. But with no sign yet of the coun-


cil’s transformation plan going out to tender, the scale of the job for the council’s decision-makers is becom- ing increasingly clear. Maidstone Council agreed this


week that the surveys, the last of which closed on November 28, are helping to shape their ideas so that they are sympathetic to its proposed £3.69m investment. A spokesman added: “For us to


achieve this balance, it is helpful to gather the comments and views of residents of the borough to help shape the park’s future. “We are keen to ensure that any


development in the park reflects the needs and wishes of its users.”


However, it said timescales for the


work have still to be determined and the council is still “evaluating infor- mation as part of the tendering and works process”. A spokesman added: “Mote Park


is an award-winning space and we are committed to enhancing any fa- cilities sympathetically, to retain the beautiful scenic views whilst im- proving the range of activities.” She also acknowledged that intro- ducing “revenue earners” at a time of falling budgets would remain a crucial element of the package. “It is a fact that councils are under enormous pressure to offer services with less budget. Our parks play an essential role in our vision for the borough; however, there is an ever- growing need to findways of gener- ating revenue creatively so these spaces can continue to be main- tained and enjoyed for years to come,” she added. “The proposed developments for


Mote Park address many of these concerns, with future additional rev- enues from the adventure zone and a new visitors’ centre used to main- tain the parks maintenance budgets where we may otherwise need to find savings.”


Miri runs out for Chelsea


TALENTED Maidstone mid-fielder Miri Taylor stepped out for Chelsea in the UEFA Champions’ League againstWolfsburg in Germany. The 16-year-old A-level student atMaplesden Noakes in Buckland Road


was the youngest player on the team. She told Downs Mail: “I was


taken aback by my selection. The other team players are in their 20s to early 30s.” She says she was delighted


that the Chelsea management had faith in her ability, adding: “It was a brilliant opportunity for me to prove myself at the highest level.” Miri, who is in her third season


playing for England,was also on stand-by to play in the FIFA women’s Under-17sWorld Cup, which concluded in Jordan, on October 21. The football star chose Maplesden Noakes School for her studies because of its aca- demic form and its Soccer Elite Football Academy. It allows Miri, who has played for Chelsea Reserves for five years, to com- bine her sporting ambitions with her psychology, sociology and PE studies. Stewart Wade, from the school’s PE department, said: “Miri is a fan-


tastic role model for all of our pupils and to be involved in international and champions’ league football is a fantastic achievement.We wish her every success.”


Maidstone Christmas 2016 5     


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