Standing up for our heritage

0 - 0 • Published 21 May 2008 16:30

AGAIN we have news in the Tele of Inverclyde"s heritage being destroyed.

We are told the Kingston Basin is being filled in "as part of the regeneration of the waterfront." What does regeneration actually mean? It seems to mean building houses to make profits for building firms and leads to less and less of Inverclyde being accessible to the people of Inverclyde and its visitors. Why is it "regeneration" always seems to mean getting rid of things? When will regeneration actually include something for all the people of Inverclyde?

The Kingston Basin could have been used to provide a walkway round it for people to enjoy the superb views across the Clyde. It could have been used to allow small boats to tie up overnight as their owners travelled up and down the river in summer.

We have seen the disappearance of the shipyards and the only memorial is on the pedestrian paths in the car park at Tesco in Port Glasgow. Why has the council not put up a memorial?

What part of Inverclyde"s heritage will disappear next? The sugar warehouses at the James Watt Dock when somebody suddenly discovers that, unless the public purse provides huge subsidies, it will actually be too expensive to restore them? The large blue crane at the James Watt Dock because it is in the way of building houses? Or will we just fill in the dry dock near T-Mobile as it is becoming an eyesore?

If this trend continues, visitors to Inverclyde will begin to think this is a commuter town which never actually had any real heritage at all. Are the people of Inverclyde prepared to allow this to happen?

TOM TRACEY

Merino Road

Greenock

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This letter appeared in Greenock Telegraph 21 May 08

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