We had our first open meeting last week, June 10th at The Fairfield Resource Centre. It was extremely well attended and very positive. Here is the summary.
We know it’s quite extensive but that reflects on how much can potentially be happening here.
Introduction
The meeting’s aim was to engage people in thinking about Montpelier’s future in the light of two key global issues which will affect us all; Peak Oil and Climate Change.
Transition Montpelier is about this neighbourhood’s resilience to these and the process of change towards being less fossil fuel dependent and more sustainable. The core group, have started developing a vision which will contribute to Montpelier achieving this.
This vision includes:
- Everyone safely enjoying clean outdoor spaces where the role of trees is fully valued;
- energy efficient homes;
- streets where people can cycle and walk safely and easily;
- successful local businesses that maintain the neighbourhood’s character;
- a sustainable community with fun events and a visually attractive central area;
- residents of all ages and businesses actively participating in Montpelier’s Transition and being supported by the council to achieve this.
To move this process forward the meeting featured a series of presentations covering many of these areas above and followed them up with three group ‘breakout’ sessions of 15 minutes in which people could discuss the topic.
The enthusiasm with which people participated and the buzz in the room demonstrated how many of us want to contribute towards the vision. At the end our newly re-elected councillor Jon Rogers underlined how critical our own role is in realising the vision and how it would receive his full support.
Session details are further down this page with project co-ordinators’ contact numbers.
So what’s next?
We want as many people as possible to get involved in the projects outlined and initiate new ones.
We need to set up a constitution so that we can become official stakeholders when dealing with the council. Our web presence is being worked on but in the mean time, can we get more notice boards up around the neighbourhood? (Discuss this with neighbours, there are people who can help you make them). If you know artists who could help us illustrate our visions that would be great (see Living Streets and Picton Square).
There will be more. What can you think of that can contribute to Montpelier’s Transition?
Our next meeting will be in July with a buffet provided by Herberts and Galliford Stores.
Best wishes Bronwen, Ciaran, Dan, Ed, Jane, Jess, Ralph, Richard, Robin, Steve.
Event write-ups
Meeting agenda:
- Welcome and introduction from Dan Weisellberg
- Speed networking (say hi to someone you don’t know)
- Short presentations (6 short presentations)
- Group breakouts (3 sessions of 15 minutes)
- Wrap up and next steps
Break out groups:
- Solar energy
- Montpelier park
- Montpelier bean feast
- Home improvements
- Picton Square
- Living Streets and 20s plenty
Topic: Solar Energy
Host: John Walker
1. Thermal (water): Panels (solar thermal): flat plate or evacuated tube Cost: £3,500 – £4,000 more difficult to design than electric
2. Photovoltaic (electric): Cost: £ several thousand Provide extra power – to battery or grid supply New ‘feed in’ tariffs Payback of costs gets better as cost of energy goes us 2-3K Wpeak: system meets average requirements easier to design than thermal and quick energy payback
3. When: Summer: 08:00 – 18:00 plenty
4. Hot water system: New cylinder or change cylinder Some discussion of coils as well
5. Grants: £400 solar thermal £2,000 PV Part of Big Lottery charity board (50% grant)
6. Other: Better to do energy efficiency work beforehand Some have systems with too much heat in June Sharing and storing the energy; good questions: system not made for that Centralised Montpelier system (?) Old Ashley Vale pub (gas boiler, biomass, solar) Use tarmac as surface for heat collection (?) Store heat in ground for heat exchange (?)
Topic: Montpelier Park:
Hosts: Robin McDowell, Janine Wheatley
Park Consultation Meeting on 26 June – please go to give your view as to whether more tree planting is appropriate for the Park (or perhaps fewer in certain areas, if new trees are to be planted in other areas within or outside the Park) – the BCC website has a weekly list of planning applications – this should detail all applications to remove or change existing trees in the Montpelier Conservation Area – there was discussion around setting up a ‘tree planting’ group, but the key focus was on Montpelier Park which has more pressing needs – regarding the Park improvement plans, need to clarify if there is any scope to introduce new ideas not proposed in the original consultations 12-18 months ago- such as a Market Area and a Wildlife Pond (but can be issues around children’s safety and on-going maintenance); also how about dog-free area(s) ?
Have Bristol BTCV (British Trust for Conservation Volunteers) been involved at all in advising on the plans ? – the contact details of people interested in the Montpelier Park improvement AND Transition Mont is to be passed on by Robin to Shiona MacPherson who is liasing with the Council Parks Dept and will keep the Mont Park Group up to date with outcome of consultations and the design process.
Topic: Picton Square:
Host: Richard RMF
Over recent weeks conversations have developed amongst the group with local shops and eateries and people working at the health centre, on how to improve the area between Gallifords and Bells. More than 20 people expressed an interest altogether across the three sessions.
There were some overlaps with the Living Streets group, mainly traffic management and car parking issues. We created a list “Problems to address” and a list of “Possible improvements”.
Strategy: I suggested a strategy approach as the list of problems grew longer, perhaps with three stages.
1. The first stage addressing the area from approximately Radford Mill Farm Shop on Picton St., up York Rd. to the Thali cafe, the first few yards of Wellington Av., and the lowest few yards of Richmond Rd taking in Bell’s Diner back gates, and then the first few yards of Bath Buildings.
2. Stage 2 could be extending down Bath Buildings to the Health Centre car park, the beginning of St. Andrews Rd up to the park entrance, further up Richmond Rd and York Rd, and down Wellington Av. to Shaftesbury Av (Herbert’s Bakery).
3. Stage 3 might be the rest of Picton St., and further extensions. Problems to address: — Loss of car park spaces for nearby residents/shopkeepers. (Richard estimated that about 10-12 would need to be eliminated for the “stage 1″ plan.
This was the single most talked-about problem also apparently the same in the Living Streets group). — Re-locating commercial bins elsewhere (Happy Shopper, Chemists, Bell’s and Thali cafe). — Encouraging dossers to not be there. — Street furniture to be vandal-proof, car-discouraging, dosser-discouraging, friendly and inviting. — Increased maintenance costs: flowerbeds, sweeping, dog-shit, etc. — Getting City and Health Centre to agree to neighbourhood rubbish bins at edge of car park. — Finding a friendly street architect to draw up possibilities. (Does anyone know one?) Possible improvements: — Traffic will be encouraged to move very slowly with shared-use pavements. — Fewer straight lines of cars parked (encourages fewer cars for residents?) –Permanent flowerbeds and trees. — Permanent benches and seats and tables. — Coffee and cakes served on the Square by a friendly merchant. — More attractive bike racks, and more of them. — A central symbolic feature (ornate street lamp, a water clock, French-style poster-obelisk, etc.) — Chessboards built into the tables. Montpelier annual chess championship? — Changing Picton St and bottom of York Rd to slow down cars (eliminate straight sight-lines, etc.). — A couple of permanent market stalls with rain-shelter roofs.
Topic: Montpelier Bean Fest
Host: Sally Jenkins
The Bean Feast: a community festival for Montpelier
Intro:
The idea is to hold a street party/community festival on St Andrews Road in Montpelier, incorporating the park, station approach, Monty alley and garages at the top of the road. This was inspired by a historical reference about the 1700s, found in an account of Bristol’s old pubs: ‘The Old England became a rendezvous not only for swimming but also for its recreational facilities, for the tavern was outside the city boundaries and was not subject to any of the civic restrictions. Week-end holiday makers flocked here to enjoy all the amenities of a country retreat but the most famous event was the annual bean-feast at which a mock mayor, sheriff and other civic dignitaries were solemnly elected and much ale was drunk by the delighted spectators.’
This seemed like a great opportunity to resurrect an old tradition, whilst incorporating more modern concerns and interests!
Timing, logistics and costs:
Ideally we would like to aim for September, as this is the heart of harvest time, families will be back from holidays and the weather for that month appears to be relatively reliable (touch wood). This gives us enough time to apply for street closure and perhaps a little funding to get it started. Help with logistics arrangements will be requested from Streets Alive who specialise in street parties and community festivals. Money for costs could be raised from: suggested donations on entry, charging a fee for stalls pitches, community grants, sponsorship from Montpelier businesses and auction of promises.
Suggestions for elements to include are: • Election of mock dignitaries, such as ‘Montpelier Mayor’ or the ‘Bean Queen’, who will be elected early in the day (following manifesto speeches?!), dressed in ceremonial garb (made with veg?) and officially open party procedings. This could be combined with a procession through Montpelier. • Celebration of local garden and allotment food, by hosting a home-grown/homemade food exchange based on credits not cash (possibly to become a monthly event). This could include raw produce (fruit, veg, honey…) and recipes (chutneys, jams, homebrew?!) • Music areas to showcase local talent • ‘Design a Garage’ competition for young people to transform tag covered garage doors into an outdoor art exhibition, inspired by Stokes Croft. Get advice/artist involvement from PRSC and possibly link up with local schools. Designs could be theme-based and will be approved by garage owners before the day of Bean Feast so they can be painted on that day. • Activities for children and young people – consult them on what things they would like. Suggestion of temporary skate ramp to draw in young people. • Storytelling for all ages, ideally with an element of Montpelier heritage • A giant freecycle/swapshop, including kids’ items, clothes, books, plants, furniture… • Skills sharing workshops, from wacky to practical to creative to culinary • An Auction of Promises for specialist help (e.g. computers, plumbing, therapeutic treatments), along with a time bank displaying requests/offers for general help • A street veg garden, using loaned container grown veg – could incorporate suggestions from Living Streets initiative • Walkabout performers • Stalls and information about local groups/campaigns/projects • Information about personal actions to tackle climate change/fossil fuel dependancy • Montpelier crafts people showing and selling their work • Cash market stalls, prioritising sustainable, ethical stuff • A bar selling locally made cider, beer, fruit wines etc • Launching a non-plastic Montpelier shopping bag (and other eco-merchandise?!) • BBQ in the park with free baked bean handouts Potential issues raised were: • The need to request residents to move their parked cars for the street closure • Important not to have it too spread out – consider keeping the event down the bottom of St Andrews Road if there isn’t enough going on to fill it (although this would cut off garages) • Freecycle – it must be stressed that things not taken must be collected by original owners so there isn’t loads of old stuff just left on the street (some things can be taken to charity shops)
Topic: Home improvements
Host: Simon Lewis
In response to the high level of questions a building science surgery has been added to the practical skills workshop.
The workshops will be approximately 2 hour and be can be tailored to those attending. A risk assessment will be undertaken and a disclaimer will need to be signed.
Workshop 1 – Saturday, 1st August 2009, 10am Draught proofing How to fit… – vinyl draught strip – letter box and door brush – expanding foam filler How to use… – hammer & nails – screwdriver & screws – cross cut & mitre saws. Building science principles… – air infiltration – thermal stratification – cross ventilation
Workshop 2 – Wednesday, 5th August 2009, 7pm Insulation How to fit – loft insulation, floor insulation and wall insulation – pipe and cylinder lagging How to use… – hammer & nails – screwguns & drills – ripping saw & jigsaw Building science principles… – u-value – thermal mass – convection, conduction, radiation and condensation
Workshop 3 – Saturday, 8th August, 2009, 10am Water How to fit… – drop valve toilet & retro fit low flush syphon toilet – change a tap washer – fit a water butt How to use… – wrench – grips – seat cutter
Workshop 4 Wednesday, 12th August, 2009, 7pm User Control How to fit… – thermostatic valves – locating and destroying filament light bulbs – stand by, washing machines & fridges How to use… – wrench
Workshop 5 Saturday, 22nd August, 2009, 10am Lime How to… – lime mortar & lime render – lime wash – hemcrete Building science principles… – breathability – hygroscopic – ventilation
Workshop 6 Wednesday, 26th August, 2009, 7pm Greenroofs How to… – epdm rubber membrane to FLL greenroofing standards Building science principles… – reducing rain water – biodivercity & food – evaportransporation & the urban heat island
Topic: Living Streets and 20s plenty
Host: Steve Meek
This is the perfect time for residents to visualise how they want Montpelier streets (especially but not only the shopping area) redesigned.
We are in the proposed 20mph pilot zone and so there is funding for street redesign. There are further issues around bins, rubbish, and overgrown trees/street safety.
Comments from workshop: — ‘Kids can’t play out in street – even on pavements as cars on them’ — ‘Too many cars – more car club presence?’ Upper Cheltenham place mentioned specifically as a location — ‘Can we have a Home Zone like Southville?’ — ‘Try staggered parking in roads to slow traffic’ — ‘Picton St dangerous, cars drive along the pavement’ — ‘Main problem is bins on the pavement and torn open bags of rubbish’ –’Need more car sharing. How do we find out about it?’ –Top of York rd dangerous as streetlight obscured by trees and big vans parked’ –’I prefer to walk in the street, its easier and at night safer’ –’Always the same vehicles parked badly – esp’ top of York Road and Picton Sq’ –’We need a residents parking scheme’ –The tendency to merge schools into larger and more distant sites encourages driving. We need a local primary school and secondary school in Montpelier’ (discussion as to whether St Barnabas was enough, or another primary school needed)
Summary
1. Steve will make enquiries about bins on pavements, rubbish, street cleaning and tree pruning.
2. Links to be established with group planning changes to Picton Sq.
3. Outline dream plan for ‘Home Zone’ type plan to be drawn up and put to group at next meeting anyone interested in helping with this please contact Steve
4. In particular, an artist who can draw an inspiring impression of our outline proposal for the ‘Home Zone’ area would be especially welcome!
