merseatopicsseptoct07

Well done to Dougal Urquhart senior ranger at Cudmore Grove East Mersea for being awarded a ‘Green Flag’ A National Standard for parks and open spaces. It is the first time this has been awarded to Cudmore Grove.

In case you haven’t come across Dougal’s wildlife blog spot recounting the day to day sightings go to

www.merseawildlife.blogspot.com

Road Resurfacing (100907)

Last week notices went up that resurfacing of The Strood and Yorick Road is to be carried out from today - at last.

No doubt this will cause a good deal of inconvenience in both areas as when the previous works were ongoing.

Hopefully these long overdue improvements will be worth the wait.

As to promised walkway Coast Road and new improved pontoon (we always call it the causeway)

We are still waiting!!!

Big Mersea Reunion (090907)

This was held on the lawn outside the Victory Hotel and attracted a large crowd including former pupils of Mersea School, Monkwick School and former members of staff from both, along with local families some of whom no longer live on the Island.

The event was sponsored by mersea-island-com (links Page) where I’m sure you can find more details. Much of the organisation and promotion was down to Kay and Sally and Alex via the web site and was much appreciated. A repeat is planned next September at a date to be confirmed

This, as yet undated picture shows the pedestrian crossing which was outside the School gates at the time when Whitings had the Shop. Whitings took over the shop from Slaughters on 6th January 1947 and moved out to be replaced by the Co-op on 30th September 1988. Richard Whiting remembers the crossing being removed and replaced with yellow lines but not when. Mrs Hale of East Road has written to the Community News pleading for a new crossing outside the School for safety reasons. Can anyone tell us when the old one was removed and why?

School Crossing

Resurfacing Roads Well, the resurfacing of Yorick Road has at last been done and is a great improvement. As yet white lines are still to be added but at least yellow lines have been done in Yorick Road although they are still invisible to those who regularly park outside the bank!

Causeway (011007) The causeway (or Floating Pontoon as it is now referred to) in Coast Road is now due to be replaced in late November. The old pontoon is being offered for sale by sealed bids (email steve.collis@colchester.gov.uk)

We are still hoping to hear from anyone with further information about the School crossing

Ploughing Match The Ploughing Match planned for 25th October has unfortunately had to be cancelled. This will be a great disappointment to many after it successful revival last year

There will be no more Farmer’s markets until further notice either

The above picture shows Wendy’s grandfather, Arthur Cock (former butcher), with three of his sons, Glennie, Dudley and Winston. They are standing in front of the then cricket pavilion at Brickhouse Farm which was blown upside down in a storm. Later this pavilion was moved to the Glebe and used as the Tennis Pavilion until it was burnt down a few years ago. The original photo is postcard size and very faded sepia but a bit of computer wizardry shows up most detail including the upside down notice by the door.

Mersea Road from Strood and beyond has been resurfaced and white lined and is a great improvement after all the holdups and road works of recent months.

More works are now being carried out at end of High Street North and Colchester Road to improve pavements - probably best avoided for the time being