Does the community want a new stadium? (From Bucks Free Press)
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Does the community want a new stadium?
8:07pm Thursday 18th March 2010
Do you know there is nothing I hate more than when the marketing and PR people get to work.
Things that are plain and simple suddenly take on a meaning that is purely intended to fool the wider public into buying or participating in something.
Now it seems the PR people have been to work on the new stadium proposal for Wycombe.
Did you see the news story on this site yesterday about the plans for the new stadium?
We all know the stadium is being built primarily for the benefit of the rugby and football teams but now the stadium is being branded as the “community” stadium.
By using the word community no doubt many people will be fooled into thinking it will be something that will be useful to them.
How many members of the community have you heard calling for a new stadium? I haven't heard anyone.
If it is going to be a community stadium then surely it would be built in a central place in the town and not possibly miles from the town centre at the aerodrome where the outskirts of Wycombe meet Marlow.
The word community also suggests that everyone will be able to take part however sports are something that only the fittest and most agile members of the community can take part in.
If this is to be a community stadium then maybe the local community should be asked if they want it?
How about a local referendum on the matter before any more money is wasted on the project?
I also see the amount of money allocated to the planning of the project has risen to £750,000. My word this project is just eating money and nothing has even been built.
What do you think the chances are of the feasibility study finding that the aerodrome is not suitable? I have a feeling it is very low so why spent the money in the first place?
Anyway why does the stadium have to be in Wycombe? The Wycombe District is a very large place and surely there are more suitable locations that can be found.
I am still flabbergasted that the powers the be can simply use public funds on a project that our town does not really need. Let's face it a sports stadium is not a necessity.
I feel the money would be better off spent re-opening the A&E department at the hospital.
What do you think?
Comments(36)
ivor
says...
8:30pm Thu 18 Mar 10
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It's not going to be very easy getting from the railway station to Booker!
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Why not build the stadium at Princes Risborough? That is just a few minutes down the railway line and would be just as easy to get to.
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Any stadium has to be in the town centre so the fans milling around after the match visit the shops and spend their money.
Ulky
says...
8:42pm Thu 18 Mar 10
Why don't you go watch a game? That would be a contribution to this blog, and you might have a clue what your talking about for once :)
ivor
says...
8:45pm Thu 18 Mar 10
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I fail to see where the contradiction was. Please enlighten me.
Ulky
says...
8:50pm Thu 18 Mar 10
"Any stadium has to be in the town centre so the fans milling around after the match visit the shops and spend their money"
Princes Risborough is not a place away fans will spend their money, there's hardly anything there?
ivor
says...
8:53pm Thu 18 Mar 10
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But there are some shops at Risborough. I was merely using the town as an example of a town a little further down the railway line that would have access by rail nearly as easy as Wycombe.
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Perhaps Beaconsfield would be a better example then?
OllieNewbury
says...
10:43pm Thu 18 Mar 10
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I don't really care about this stadium. I'd rather be able to boast that Wycombe has a high-quality aerodrome and a national coach station (hopefully).
ivor
says...
11:03pm Thu 18 Mar 10
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Due to circumstances beyond my control over the past two days I have been unable to give as much time to my blog as I would have liked. I will answer the comments on my outstanding blogs as soon as possible.
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Indeed I fully agree that it would be better for us to have a high-quality aerodrome and a coach station. In my opinion the stadium is a waste of money.
demoness
says...
11:20pm Thu 18 Mar 10
OllieNewbury wrote:God Ollie, who cares whether he answers his blogs or not?
Your other two most recent blogs have comments that need answering. - I don't really care about this stadium. I'd rather be able to boast that Wycombe has a high-quality aerodrome and a national coach station (hopefully).
ivor
says...
12:34am Fri 19 Mar 10
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Oh, please don't be so negative.
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I am sure there are lots of readers who care whether I answer my blogs.
Phredd
says...
8:48am Fri 19 Mar 10
Oh and I am a Wasps/Wanderers ST holder who will be supporting both teams wherever they play.
tom.marlow
says...
9:27am Fri 19 Mar 10
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Its just in the wrong place.
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From the public transport perspective - there isnt any apart for the park and ride which doesnt work very well because....
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From the road traffic perspective the ground is at the end of anot very accessible road that goes nowhere, hence huge traffic problems.
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A ground next to the station would be great, at least for away fans and I guess many home fans too.
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A ground at Handy Cross somewhere would deal with a lot of these issues.
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Booker is not ideal but is probably better than the current location.
J B Blackett
says...
11:41am Fri 19 Mar 10
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The reason the current ground is in the totally inappropriate Adams Park area (previously The Causeway , previously Adams Park) is because of underhand devious dodgy dealing twixt the planning dept , councillors and developers (allegedly). And it go on still. Nothing changes.
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My estimate is that :
1. 33% of Football League clubs are owned/run by dubious international people with access to money (eg Man Utd allegedly).
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2. 33% are run /owned by developers / alleged gangsters / business people, possibly local to the area.
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3. 33% are run / owned by people with an apparent genuine interest in football , possibly for sentimental / nostalgic reasons.
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I wish Wycombe Wanderers was in the latter group , but I don't think so.
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Regards
PS I don't know what the remaining 1% are up to.
stephan
says...
12:01pm Fri 19 Mar 10
wayneo
says...
12:41pm Fri 19 Mar 10
OllieNewbury wrote:Top Man
Your other two most recent blogs have comments that need answering. - I don't really care about this stadium. I'd rather be able to boast that Wycombe has a high-quality aerodrome and a national coach station (hopefully).
blueh
says...
3:56pm Fri 19 Mar 10
ivor
says...
11:37pm Fri 19 Mar 10
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You make a very valid point. Why isn't the same amount of money being spent on the amateur clubs that are the backbone of sport in this country?
ivor
says...
11:37pm Fri 19 Mar 10
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A stadium at the aerodrome would also be in the wrong place. We need a stadium in the town centre.
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Any new stadium should be a prefect stadium and not suffer from transport problems otherwise it is a waste of money.
ivor
says...
11:38pm Fri 19 Mar 10
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I read your comment with interest.
ivor
says...
11:38pm Fri 19 Mar 10
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You are perfectly correct. The money should be spent on the community and not spent on building a stadium that we simply do not need.
ivor
says...
11:38pm Fri 19 Mar 10
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Spot on!
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Where has the money suddenly come from for such a frivolous scheme.
tom.marlow
says...
11:36am Sat 20 Mar 10
ivor wrote:What do you mean by a "prefect stadium"? My daughter is a prefect. Does that mean she would be allowed in for free?
Re the comments of tom.marlow at 9:27am ~ A stadium at the aerodrome would also be in the wrong place. We need a stadium in the town centre. ~ Any new stadium should be a prefect stadium and not suffer from transport problems otherwise it is a waste of money.
angiestone
says...
1:05pm Sat 20 Mar 10
ivor
says...
7:48pm Sat 20 Mar 10
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Of course I mean perfect and not prefect.
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The spelling checker is playing up again.
ivor
says...
7:48pm Sat 20 Mar 10
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Of course the £750k is public money. Where else would that money have come from?
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With such large sums of public money involved surely the public should be consulted first before any of it is spent?
wayneo
says...
8:21pm Sat 20 Mar 10
ivor wrote:Yes, you and Angiestone are right in that the money is public/taxpayers money, of course it is, the Council like to believe they are corporate player but i'm afraid they answer to us.
Re the comments of angiestone at 1:05pm ~ Of course the £750k is public money. Where else would that money have come from? ~ With such large sums of public money involved surely the public should be consulted first before any of it is spent?
They won't ask us because they feel that they do not have to, in the same way that they believe that standing orders can be broken on a whim, the problem with having those with a self-interest, is that they quite frankly couldn't care less what you or I think.
ivor
says...
8:22pm Sat 20 Mar 10
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Well said.
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Surely there must some mechanism for the public to say no and stop the silly ideas?
OllieNewbury
says...
8:25pm Sat 20 Mar 10
ivor wrote:I think you mean your brain is playing up.
Re the comments of tom.marlow at 11:36am
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Of course I mean perfect and not prefect.
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The spelling checker is playing up again.
ivor
says...
8:26pm Sat 20 Mar 10
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I can assure you that my brain is functioning perfectly as usual.
OllieNewbury
says...
8:45pm Sat 20 Mar 10
ivor wrote:I'd respect you more if you admitted your own mistakes instead of blaming a computer.
Re the comments of OllieNewbury at 8:25pm
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I can assure you that my brain is functioning perfectly as usual.
ivor
says...
9:07pm Sat 20 Mar 10
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You have to believe me when I say that the computer keeps changing things. It’s far too intelligent for its own good.
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I find that things are more likely to go wrong if a computer is involved.
tom.marlow
says...
11:38pm Sat 20 Mar 10
ivor wrote:Are you sure its not working prefectly?
Re the comments of OllieNewbury at 8:25pm ~ I can assure you that my brain is functioning perfectly as usual.
ivor
says...
2:22am Sun 21 Mar 10
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Well, the infernal sell checker has done it again and my eyes didn’t spot it because they are tired.
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It really is becoming embarrassing for me. I do wish the computer people would come up with some better software.
faisal mahmood
says...
9:51am Tue 23 Mar 10
mikesmith
says...
1:39pm Tue 23 Mar 10
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Do you think they might allow the Liberals their open air swimming pool back if a new one was built alongside the stadium?
wayneo
says...
6:15pm Tue 23 Mar 10
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The perfect wife and mother, Rebecca runs a home, a bad temper and is working on her novel. She enjoys photography, playing the piano and likes almost anything that's out of fashion and uncool. She lives in Amersham with her husband and youngest child (aged ten). Her eldest, now 27, lives and works in Buckinghamshire.
Ulky says...
8:27pm Thu 18 Mar 10