The Boat Yard Project

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The Boat Yard Project

 

MANCHESTER may boast of having England’s first canal, but for the boater trying to finding the accessible working facilities in the city nowadays is a problem. But this could soon alter with the Boat Yard Project, with David Hardman explaining:

 

"The industrial powerhouse of Manchester we know today has seemed to forget its proud and fascinating roots, which are directly linked to the historic waterways of the city. Over the last 30 years Manchester has seen great change, the classic Coronation Streets which used to line the canal network were once the personification of the inner city with cotton mills and big chimneys doted across the horizon are slowly disappearing under new canal side luxury apartments, and today it has become a sterile cash generating development 'ghost like' corridor which is changing the magic atmosphere of the canal."

 

But not everything is sweetness and light amidst the existing regeneration, After the recent closure of the last boatyard within the city area due to many years of poor neglect, it seemed to be the end of a community based boater facility until a small group of canal enthusiasts David Hardman and James Strangeways decided to try and do something about it, as the need could not be more stark, with David announcing:

 

"The Boat Yard Project has been developed as a local response to meet an urgent need, to develop a community led facility that brings back the magic atmosphere. Despite excellent work by British waterways, Peel holdings, the Trafford Open lock project and by others we believe that we have hardly begun to realise the contribution that the waterways can make to social problems in Manchester."

 

Inspired by the success of the Sobriety Project in Goole, the group have started to develop the new vision of 'The Boat Yard' for the modern needs of the community. The project aims to use the heritage, arts and environment of Manchester as a resource alongside traditional based skill and services to bring the community closer. Our aim is to provide access for people who would not otherwise think of using the waterway.

 

"The Boat Yard Project will provide people with a waterway attraction; A place to enjoy arts, culture, entertainment, sports and nature; A lively and attractive place; A place to invest, to work and to visit.

 

"During the next few months we are trying to gain support and advice from local authorities and other organisations but the priority now we feel is to find a new suitable location to start. The Boat Yard project we feel will not only restore an important asset to the inland waterways of Greater Manchester but will empower the local community in securing its waterway heritage.

 

"We are also looking for volunteers. Whether you are interested in narrowboats, local history and heritage or more active sports like kayaking or interested in working with a wide range of people who would like to put something back into your community."

 

Please contact:

theboatyardproject@hotmail.com or www.shellfen.co.uk for further details. 10/08

[Liam]

Does this mean that all of the boaters currently hogging occupying all of the visitors moorings on the YMCA arm will be moved so that visiting boats are able to moor up and access the two water points that are currently being blocked? Maybe if they are moved, visiting boaters won't be made to feel unwelcome and have to put up with the rudeness fired at them when asking those that run their generators until after 1am.

 

On the other side, Castlefield is very local to me, and the moorings and I would be very interested to find out more about such a scheme.

[Smelly]

I take it that means Essex boats was closed down then?

 

Shame, when I was around there it always looked like boat yards should, i.e. out of place in the yuppieville that Castlefield's becoming.

 

I trust the Jericho crowd are in touch to see how a different and arguably more dynamic forward looking city is looking to take forward and modernise it's existing waterways infrastructure, instead of just filling bits in.

[Glennbrown]

Liam,

 

I thought all the boats occupying the two arms where their because Peel moved them from round the corner

due to the building work.

 

I know the guy in the big red barge is having to run his genny late since i believe his wife is very poorly and needs

mains till late.

 

It does seem that boaters run gennys late at castlefield due to the ambiant background noise from trains traffic etc

[Liam]

Hi Glenn,

 

Yes that's right all of the boaters now occupying the arm, were, before hand, minding their own business and getting on with it but then Peel Holdings wanted to shift them on to build another eyesore they don't have anywhere to go.

 

I don't mind the boats being there, even permanently as I beleive they will be allowed back in once the building work is complete (whether they are or not at the end of the day is a different matter) but I do appreciate little courtesy. I didn't bang on his boat with demands, I knocked, and asked politely. This wasn't the red boat, but all it would of taken is a quick explanation - even if they don't want to tell me about the womans illness... not a tyrade of abuse and being told "piss off I'm watching tele".

 

I don't mind putting up with the railway and metro overhead, as it's not a constant sound, I do draw the line at a cheap petrol genny revving it's ass off on the fore deck of a boat moored about 10ft across the way.

[gaggle]

i stopped at castlefield at the ymca waterpoints to fill up and was told right away by what i assume were long term moorers that there would be hell to play if i did not move as THE TRIP BOAT will need to get there.

trip boat man has powerful friend at peel and he will get him down to sort you out was the message , told i could not give a monkeys tuck about the trip boat i just continued to fill up with water.

the position where my boat was at the water point is at the open end of the arm , so this would mean no one but the trip boat is allowed to use it and the space could acommadate about ten narrowboats.

great place castlefields if you ignore the would be bully boy moorers.

[Liam]

One of the arms is now used by both the widebeam and the narrowbeam trip boat as an unofficial loading and unloading point for passengers... but there are no signs to inform you of this. A pretty daft place for either the water point or the trip boat temp mooring. One or the other needs to be relocated I think.

 

Nice of him to be friendly and explain politely!

[Troll]

i stopped at castlefield at the ymca waterpoints to fill up and was told right away by what i assume were long term moorers that there would be hell to play if i did not move as THE TRIP BOAT will need to get there.

trip boat man has powerful friend at peel and he will get him down to sort you out was the message , told i could not give a monkeys tuck about the trip boat i just continued to fill up with water.

the position where my boat was at the water point is at the open end of the arm , so this would mean no one but the trip boat is allowed to use it and the space could acommadate about ten narrowboats.

great place castlefields if you ignore the would be bully boy moorers.

 

Love the spirit gaggle

[Liam]

Just wondering how the Boat Yard Project is going?

[Liam]

Any updates?