Ruislip Residents Association

Ruislip Market at Manor Farm and  Ruislip Christmas Shopping Day 13th December
There will be a new Ruislip Market on the Manor Farm site starting in Saturday 13th December to coincide with the Ruislip Christmas Shopping Day run by the Chamber of Commerce. This is just the inaugural event of the Ruislip Market, the intention is that it will be held on the 3rd Sunday of the month thereafter starting January 18th 2009 9.00am - 3.00pm. For more information see www.duckpondmarket.co.uk
 

Ruislip Manor Christmas  Lights Switch On and Fun Fair 10-6 Saturday 15^th November 2008

Ruislip Manor Chamber of commerce invite you to come and bring family and friends along to celebrate the switching on of their Christmas lights with them.

Starting at 10.00am until 6.00pm
There will be various children’s rides along Victoria Road, local charities and side show stalls from the bridge to the roundabout.

From 2.30pm until 6.pm
Santa’s Grotto held in “The Windmill Studio” Pembroke road opposite Kwik - Fit garage.
From 9.30pm until 4.30pm
You can view’ in the library, the Christmas decorations that the local school children have made.
From 3.30pm until 4.00pm
Judging of the Children’s Fancy dress competition in the library.
From 4.00pm until 9.00pm
Bar-b-que  (burgers, sausages, hot soup, jacket potatoes etc) Mulled wine, Beer,Teas and coffees, sausage rolls, mince pies and cakes etc. outside Paul’s café, 122 Victoria road, on the corner of Cornwall road and Victoria road adjacent to roundabout.
5.00pm 
Switching on of the Christmas lights adjacent to the roundabout.

The Deputy Mayor, Cllr Shirley Harper O'Neill and her Escort, Cllr Brian Stead, will attend. They will arrive at 3.30 p.m. at Santa’s grotto then at 4.00pm judge the fancy dress parade at the library in Linden Avenue then onto the switching on of the lights at the roundabout at 5.00pm

Road works in Ruislip High Street, major delays likely, starting 10th November 08

The Great Barn is open for events and workshops, and will be open at other times once a sufficient number of volunteers have been recruited.

Studio 1:Christine Smith : Artist, open daily from 12.00 to 6.00pm. closed Monday and Thursday

Studio 3: Shaun Higgins : Furniture Maker, open daily see www.shaker-maker.com

General Meeting 8pm Monday 20^th October 2008 Winston Churchill Hall

Planning - Ask your questions!

A General Meeting with a talk by the Borough of Hillingdon Head of Planning, Jales Tippell, and her senior DC Manager, Beverley Kuchar, on the process of making a planning application, through consultation and grounds for objection, to approval or rejection, with comments on the appeals procedure.

This will be followed by “Question Time”.  The panel will include the speakers, Cllr. Keith Burrows, Cabinet Member for Planning and Transportation, Cllr. Bruce Baker, East Ruislip and Chair of the Hillingdon North Planning Committee, and Cllr. Philip Corthorne, West Ruislip and Cabinet Member.   Nick Hurd, MP, has also been invited.

This is your chance to ask questions on planning matters, e.g. what is happening in the Ruislip area, details of local and national planning policies, objection criteria, petitions, conservation areas, etc.

The meeting will conclude with further discussion over refreshments and end about 10pm.

Hill Lane – March 2008
The childrens’ play area is now complete.  
There was a “clear up and planting day” at the Hill Lane Park on 6^th April.

There have been significant changes. A fence and new gate arrangement have been erected, playground equipment replaced together with relevant hard-standing, paths have been installed and a small rain shelter erected.

These improvements were achieved by a number of residents local to the park who formed a group in December 2007,
called the Hill Lane Hurricanes, to halt the deterioration and to improve the facilities. They have been supported by Cllr. Corthorne and the Safer Neighbourhood Team. Some minor changes were funded from the small Street Champions budget but the rest were  paid for from the Chrysalis fund.

The Newly Re-furbished Manor Farm Library is Now Open

The library re-opened on Saturday 15th March with a fun day including a coffee morning, children's crafts and competitions as well as a prize draw. More than one thousand people came through the doors that day.

The library now also benefits from longer opening hours which are :

Monday-Thursday: 9-8
Friday: 9-5.30
Saturday: 9-5   

Changes were made to the building for two reasons :

1. To provide disabled access – under Heritage Lottery project
2. As part of the general re-fit of libraries across the borough due to the library review

Accessibility Changes
The entrance door has been moved to be half way down the side of the building, in its original position. There are automatic doors and a new counter just inside the door. There is now a wheel chair lift to the old entrance area, which has being refitted with new shelving specially designed to be in keeping with the existing shelving. There are toilets just inside the new entrance. The walls have been re-painted white and a modern version of the existing lighting installed. There is a new lift at the other end of the building which accesses all 3 levels. ie. children’s, main level and upstairs. The building has also being fully dusted as the beams were very dirty.

General Library Refit
The only areas that could be re-fitted were the extension, ie. The children’s library and the upstairs floor above it. The rest of the building is protected by listed building status. The children’s library has been completely gutted. The cost of refurbishing this extension was approximately £20,000. The extension has been completely re-decorated, re-carpeted and new furniture and shelving purchased. There are no plans for a coffee shop in the annex. The Cow Byre cafe will remain. This information was provided by Alec Kennedy who was interim head of Cultural Services at LBH.

What do you think ?
If you've not already had the chance please come along and see what you think and let us know whether you like the changes. There are forms in the library or you can talk to the new manager Darren Deeks and do email us and give us your opinion.

What are the council's plans for libraries across the whole Borough ?
If you want to understand more about how the council propose to refurbish the libraries across the borough, make cost savings, change their staffing and book stock. You can read this document Libraries Review.

What do you think of the new Ruislip Manor Library ?

Ruislip Manor Library has now transferred from its old building to the new building  in Linden Avenue on the site of the old Victoria Hall. The building doesn't just house the library, there is a new Adult Education facility in the basement and eight flats above. The new library is light and bright with a large area in the middle where you can buy Starbucks coffee. There are new longer opening hours : Mon to Thurs 8.30am – 10pm, Fri 8.30 – 5.30, Sat 9-5, Sun closed.

This is certainly a new look library, some people have commented that it doesn't look like a library. But is this a good thing or a bad thing ?
Tell us what you think, we'd love to hear your views, contact us

Are you taking Adult Education Classes here, what do you think of this new centre ? We'd love to know please contact us