Controversy has been stirred up by the approval of a planning application by Rossendale Borough Council for a new sculptural bike rack at the entrance to Futures Park, marking the gateway to Lee Quarry. The rack, which is intended to complement the other sculptures in Lee Quarry, is designed to provide safe storage of bikes for riders using Poppies Cafe across the road. The rack is designed to take D locks and be in full view of the cafe so riders can keep an eye on their pride and joy.
Robin Dobson, an artist from Sheffield, has worked with Rossendale Borough Council to come up with the concept design for the rack. The sculpture titled 'Bounce' is based upon 'the parabolic trajectory of a moving bouncing wheel' according to the planning application. The 7.5m long sculpture, coloured grey and lime green, will be situated on the grass to the right of the entrance to Future's Park.
Despite the planning application being submitted by Rossendale Borough Council officers and being approved by the council's planning committee, some of the local councillors seem to be less than keen on the scheme. Councillor Peter Roberts is quoted as saying 'The design of this so-called sculpture is completely bizarre. It's a monstrosity' whilst councillor Jimmy Eaton remarked that the rack is 'more like the Loch Ness monster than a bike rack'. Shame they don't seem to be backing the mountain biking developments in Bacup like some of the other councillors. Hopefully they'll be a bit more enthusiastic when the plans go in for the new trail hub.
The rack itself is being paid for from a performance reward grant and not with council tax payers money. The money was awarded several years ago and has been earmarked for this development since then with the intention of tying the trails into local business (in this case Poppies amongst others) so Bacup can also benefit from all excellent development in the quarries.
Submitted Comments
| In agreement with the sculpture, a safe location for bikes would be ideal for the local town business. Car park and VC would be well appreciated as well. - ChrisThe sculptures at the park are fantastic and it sounds like this would be a dramatic doorway that people would remember. I support this type of forward thinking for our valley. We don't want to be Skipton we are Rossendale Valley and that means we have some of the best mtbing in the country. I wonder if the objectionable councillors have seen the modernist shapes of the very expensive bikes that we ride! - Julian |
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