FLASH flooding is becoming an all too-common occurrence for some Downham residents; they, even more so than the rest, are surely very concerned by news that our locality is earmarked by the borough council for hundreds of new builds in future years.
With some established gardens already flooding to knee high, and some roadways often resembling debris-filled, third world waterways, potentially adding to this volume of stagnant water might be seen as madness.
Our drainage and sewerage systems
are literally buckling, spewing at the seams.
Well good news is that two important water studies will be taking place before any sizeable new builds happen.
The first, a water cycle study, is already underway. The second, to investigate surface water issues, comes next. The borough council assures us that it wants to get (current) problems resolved before work starts.
Hurray! So do we! Sandbagging, sloshing and suffering every time it rains are three things residents regularly affected by local flooding issues can well do without. Irksome that it's taken so many soggy years to get to this point but, fingers crossed and wellies away, it looks like Downham might finally be in the pipeline for a well-deserved dry spell.
- Downham Amateur Dramatics (DADS) next production – Snake in the Grass – is being billed as a ghostly thriller, a surprising two-act play.
Cast this time around Kerry Eburah, Cath Duhig and DADS newcomer Caz Taylor, town hall performances are on Thursday, Friday and Saturday, April 30, and May 1 and 2, all at 7.30pm. Tickets costing £7 each are available from Lewks in Wales Court or by ringing the box office on 01366 383535.
- A reminder that this evening the Mayor's Awards for Young Achievers event is being held in the town hall. Starting at 6pm, invited guests will be grandly announced into the main hall to enjoy a celebratory evening of fun and entertainment. Young guests also receive a commemorative certificate. Congratulations to all of them.
- Finally, despite building works to Cannon Square apparently having been going on for ever, you can't fail to notice how much smarter and brighter the area is looking now. Once finished it will certainly be another visually fine gateway into town.
Despite some grumbles, it also looks as though one of its more regular users – Ozzy's Kebab Van – will stay in situ.
Local police have received no complaints directly connected to it and the highways department has no issues with it.
