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21
May
Residents withdraw from Yorkshire In Bloom due to collapse of Viaduct Terrace
Residents of Waterside in Knaresborough say they won’t be taking part in this year’s Yorkshire in Bloom competition due to the collapse of Viaduct Terrace.
Angela Mountain of Waterside Residents Association said the decision to withdraw from the competition was due to the “loss of access to many of our planting areas” caused by the collapse, and added that residents were still waiting for North Yorkshire Council to confirm when repairs would be completed.
Viaduct Terrace collapsed into the River Nidd in February following a long spell of rain, and the area has been cordoned off ever since.
The collapsed section of Viaduct Terrace.
Last week, North Yorkshire Council said the cause of the collapse was “yet to be identified”, and North Yorkshire councillor Matt Walker, who represents Knaresborough West, said work was “unlikely” to start this year.
Ms Mountain told the Stray Ferret:
We entered Yorkshire in Bloom for the first time last year as a stand-alone group and received glowing feedback from the judges. Residents were enthusiastic to enter again but are now disheartened.
The Waterside Residents Association and residents on Water Bag Bank have worked tirelessly over the past two years on the maintenance and upkeep of this iconic tourist attraction.
Volunteers have swept the street, removed weeds, built rockeries, bought and planted barrels and railing planters. We have added solar lights, painted lampposts, handrails and benches.
Residents will continue to look after the area but feel taken advantage of due to the lack of support and action from NYC.
The terrace is the main area for tourists to sit and view the river and viaduct. The work we carried out to make the area clean and attractive has been destroyed.
The view from the opposite bank.
The repair work to Viaduct Terrace looks set to be neither quick nor cheap. The Stray Ferret understands it is likely that a cofferdam will have to be installed around the collapsed section and the water pumped out, down to the riverbed, before work to stabilise the bank can proceed.
Ms Mountain added:
NYC say nothing will be done until next year! With winter flood waters, the damage will only get worse and inevitably become a bigger problem and cost more. It is a mess.
NYC need to act this summer while the river is low, and they need to give us some support to retrieve or replace the planters we have lost.
Viaduct Terrace on Waterside before the landslip.
Responding via email to the residents' decision, Liz Kenny, coordinator of Yorkshire in Bloom, said:
We quite understand your decision, it is such a shame. Let's hope that repair work takes place soon and that you are able to return to the competition in the near future.
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