Welcome to Garforth Residents Association Web site.  
 

Sports and Leisure Facilities in Garforth and Kippax.

Following recent media coverage regarding the proposed plans for the closure of sports facilities in both Garforth and Kippax.

Garforth Residents Association are disappointed and concerned about the lack of consultaion that Leeds City Council appear to have engaged in to date.

There would appear to have been little consultation and no thought of asking the communities what they want.

The facilities at present are thought by most to be less than adequate for the local population and those from the wider communities in surrounding villages who are deserving of better.

These communities consist of hardworking people who contribute an enormous amount to Leeds |City Council through tax and rates payments. We have excellent schools and Colleges in this community with pupils who no doubt could benefit from improved and up to date facilities.

The elderly and retired people should be encouraged to make use of activity focused pastimes to help maintain health and fitness.

The future health and welbeing of all our people is a major issue which is discussed Nationally every day in news and current events, from diet to exercise and the future Olympic Games in 2012.

We are asking that the Council Leisure Services start again , broaden and extend their consultation process to include users of the facilities they are planning to close. Ask those local groups, schools, clubs, organisations, community groups and individuals what they want, after all it is those people who use the facilities now.

We expect facilities to improved not removed.

We would like to suggest that the Leisure services hold a local consultation meeting, which Garforth Residents Association will be happy to facilitate. Inviting Planning Officers, Local Councillors, User Groups and members of the Public to attend and express their thoughts on the matter.

Our immediate thoughts are a wish that the sports facilities be improved and expanded to include a Swimming, Fitness and Leisure Centre that can be used by the wider local community and is open and affordable to all.


Philip Dunwell
Chairperson
Garforth Residents Association

  
 

 

GRA kick starts Garforth in Bloom. Garforth in Bloom Website
Garforth Residents' Association is hoping to set up a Garforth in Bloom group and wants to hear from people who want to help.
A meeting takes place later this month for anyone interested in making Garforth a more attractive town.
Garforth Residents' Association is hoping to set up a Garforth in Bloom group and wants to hear from people who want to help.

 

Chairman, Phil Dunwell, said: "The projects we are aiming for at the moment are to plant flower beds at the new Welcome Stones and to carry out bulb planting in the autumn. But we want more ideas from people.

"There are 36 other towns and villages around Leeds which have an In Bloom group and we want Garforth to join them. It will be good for community spirit."

All the bulbs and equipment were being provided by Leeds City Council's parks department, he added.

The meeting takes place at Garforth Leisure Centre on Ninelands Lane on Monday, July 28, at 7.30pm.

 

Garforth welcomes its Welcome Stones.

Garforth now has three Welcome Stones based on major routes into the town.
Two are based on the A63 and on the A642 as you leave the M1 for Garforth.

They were developed jointly by ward Councillor Mark Dobson (Labour, Garforth & Swillington) working with the Garforth Residents Association.

Councillor Dobson said: "When I was elected in 2007 one of the first things I wanted to do was to let visitors know when they entered our community. I could not think of another town or village locally that does not have such a scheme in place.

"Once I had secured the funding I approached the residents association for ideas and a public consultation exercise was undertaken. The end result are three large bright and attractive stones with ironwork that leave visitors in no doubt as to where they are'.



Phil Dunwell, Garforth Residents Association chair, with Associaton members Shirley Raisey & Ian Forster with Councillor Mark Dobson.

 

 

Phil Dunwell, chair of Garforth Residents Association, added: "We are delighted to have been involved in this scheme. We have committed ourselves to develop and maintain flower beds around the three stones and are hoping to use this as a springboard for the development of a 'Garforth in Bloom' scheme.

"We will be holding a meeting very soon and hope to attract residents who want to get involved or already have a garden or a piece of land
they wish to show.

"We are also seeking support from our business community with a view to sponsoring hanging baskets on completion of the Main Street regeneration project. Our neighbouring communities all run 'in bloom' contests through the 'Leeds in Bloom' scheme and I feel Garforth needs to be at the forefront of such activity."

* For more infirmation contact Richard Gill at Leeds City Council on (0113) 2375301 or by e-mail at: Richard.Gill@leeds.gov.uk