Oxford Canal Basin

Regarding that news piece about the restoration of the Oxford Basin (which until a century ago was the final wag of the southern tail of the Oxford Canal), the BBC have a piece about it here. 

Oxford's Worcester Street car park was once the original basin for the Oxford Canal, which was designed by the celebrated engineer James Brindley, who died before it opened in 1790. The canal runs 77 miles to Coventry, and only a blue brick pillar remains from the canal basin which was once a hive of activity with barges bringing coal for the thousands of rooms in Oxford's colleges.  In 1821 the Park End Coal Company advertised coal as being available in their wharf on the Oxford Canal.  Park End Street, now better know for its clubbing culture, takes its name from the Park End Coal Company who were based in Gloucestershire's Forest of Dean

There's also a short recording with local historian Michael Broadway on the page.  (I've recorded it in MP3 personally in case you can't hear it on the site)

I'm excited by this story.  The Oxford Canal currently peters out into an anti-climax.  What depresses me about so many modern canalside developments is the way they are oblivious to the history - or indeed the potential - of the waterways. 

Look, if you are disappointed with what's happening about the nearby Castle Mill Boatyard and you really want to make a difference, it's no good pitching up to protest at the next Indymedia shriekfest (where the shouting of 'bigot!' is considered a point of view).  In short, you mustn't react; you have to come up with positive ideas to influence future developments. 

Never mind Castle Mill, they lost that one this week.  Will they spend until February 28th licking their wounds, or coming up with positive ideas of what the Worcester Street Car Park could look like in ten years time?   

(Acknowledgement: map snippet is from the very clever - if a bit temperamental - Waterscape mapping)

Comments

[Peter]

Spot on Andrew,

To influence this type of proposal one needs to offer sound reason to ones objections - based on such things as access, mixed useage, parking, amongst many other similar 'planning' related issues.

For the sake of future development, particularly related to the canal system, realistic and 'inclusive' proposals need to be presented for commercial and leisure activity in order for 'alternatives' to be seen as viable.

Peter