he big neighbourhood yyimprovement story this year is of course the GLA's Outer London Fund work on Green Lanes. One or two features of the scheme have caused some ripples locally, but by and large the work is universally welcomed. So far what we've seen has in the main been pavement improvement works, although the long-awaited Falkland- Frobisher crossing is also now complete.
This coming year, will witness the work to create the "piazza" outside the Salisbury, the Allison Road insect hotel sign, improvment works to Harringay Bridge and the limited shop fronts work.
Bookies Averted
Much to everyone's surprise, we all narrowly averted the arrival of a huge betting shop opposite the Salisbury this year. Thanks due to Kinleigh Folkard Hayward for listening to HOL's campaign and our collective community voice.
On the Ladder, Justin Guest has been leading an initiative to take advantage of the Council's trial Play Streets scheme. Pemberton Road was closed on three occasions in the Autumn, allowing kids to play out and adults to socialise on the street. The successful trials here and elsewhere in the borough mean that the scheme will be rolled out more widely next year.
Harringay's Finsbury Park (yes it is officially in Harringay ward) has been in the news too this year. It'll depend very much on your own perspectiive as to whether the news is good or bad. The Council is making some hard choices about how to capitiaise on this great community asset. "Sea of Wee" headlines following the Stone Roses concert certainly raised concerns about the park's use as a music venue. Love it or loathe it though, the Council has decided to host more events to help plug budget holes and has already lined up some big evenst for 2014.
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The issue of dealing with Harringay's traffic rumbles on. In addition to the drama about changes to Hewitt Road, changes are afoot to completely seal off the Gardens from any traffic and community disquiet about HGV vehicles using the Ladder continued to be voiced.
As you might expect, Harringay wasn't crime free in 2013. There was a continuing burglary spree at the start of the year and later in the year we had a nasty rash of muggings in The Passage. However, with community anxiety being aired on HOL, the police reacted quickly and caught the offender in a locally run sting.
Rivers & Tunnels
You can read elsewhere in this review about the New River's 400th anniversary celebrations, and this year an equally significant modern-day utility engineering project carried on largely unseen in Harringay. The National Grid's electricity superhighway suffered some drama early in the year when there was a collapse in the a tunnel being dug under Eade Road. Later in the year came the good news that the tunnel was complete
The final word in this section goes to HOL's most viewed thread of the year in which John McMullan has been challenging the results of the Labpour Party process for selecting St Ann's ward candidates for next year's local elections.
HARRINGAY
Snakes & LAdders
neighbourhood improvements and threats
Harringay 2013 7
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Opposite (Clockwise): First signs of regeneration work on Green Lanes, Tunnel works for the National Grid's Superhighway on Eade Road, (both by Hugh Flouch), Pemberton Road Play Street day (by Justin Guest)