Youth and sport facilities
This page is not about the Walks Action Group's objective, but some members feel strongly about this issue.
3rd December update
We noticed a new supplement to the lottery bid, dated October 2004, placed at the front of the stage two folder. This looks purely at "youth activity provision" (p2). It describes Lynnsport, St James, College of West Anglia, North Lynn Discovery, Providence Street, KES, River Lane, Kingsway, Gayton Road (KL Cricket Club) and St John's Church as all being forms of youth activity provision "in close proximity to the Walks".
Nevertheless, it suggests a new hard court area, probably taken from the recreation ground by St John's Walk, containing: 10m x 8m tarmac, 10m x 2.2m metal kick-wall and 1 basketball hoop. Elsewhere in the park would be a log-based "trim trail" (both on page 6).
Surely the current courts are larger than 10m x 8m? There is definitely more than one basketball hoop there. This is still a reduction of sports facilities against national government policy at a time when more sport is supposed to be encouraged and Lynn's Citizen Panel wants more and cheaper facilities.
There has been a "trim trail" in the Walks in the past, but it was removed (source: Civic Society booklet "The Walks")
The council still doesn't seem to be considering general sports provision, only a limited form of youth space. Are they following government guideines?
20th July update
(as explained by Richard Hales, the council's project officer) The Football Club won't release their carpark, so that's the teenage area, the hard surface ball court and the car parking gone. Just leaves the old toilets!
The Teenage Area: don't get excited
Good news! The council's plan* for the Walks includes (under the heading 'Teenage Area') :-
'New facility adjacent and linked to the football club. This will include a hard court area, .........and informal recreation space'
I guess this 'new facility' must be what's marked on the
masterplan as 'Youth Area'.
Here's a pic: 
Good, eh? But wait, there's more! Not just that, but also:
described in the masterplan as 'toilet provision (refurbished existing facilities)'
Now it is possible that this is exactly what the teenagers of Kings Lynn have always dreamt of. I'm not a teenager and I wouldn't presume to judge. But if it isn't, this would be a good time to make your views heard about what you do want. Whatever it is, go for it! - the council are planning to spend £4.6million in total, so you might as well have facilities you actually want (just assuming this isn't it!)
* the reason it's on Scott Wilson's website and not the council's is that Scott Wilson are consultants for the plan. The council's web info just links to Scott Wilson's site