Lake Grounds

Anyone who cares about the Lake grounds cannot deny the fact that it is deteriorating due to poor maintenance and just plain engineering mis- management. The lake was obviously designed to take the run off of water from the surrounding area as it is built in a basin. There has been no proper engineering thought put into the council's poor efforts to alleviate the constant flooding of the area and to me there are fairly simple basic cheap engineering answers to at least the lake flooding that can be cheaply and easily installed. A simple level control valve and check valve installed in place of the gate valve, presently manually, operated would automatically control the level of the lake. If a flushing pump was used to ensure the water drainpipe was cleared of debris on a time cycle this would ensure the pipe was kept clean and in working order. If the lake level rose beyond the pipe's ability to cope, the pump could be used to increase drainage flow.I am sure any small engineering company could design this automatic system and it would save enlarging the present drainpipe.This combined with grill covered drainage gullies around the lake at strategic points would, I feel, largely solve the mess that requires constant man hour cost caused by flooding and prove cost efficient in the long run. There are hundreds of very basic engineering answers to flooding of the Lake Grounds and I would be interested in hearing any more ideas your readers might have as it is obvious that our council is not able or is unwilling to solve the problem. My second point is the present efforts by the local council to find ways of ensuring the local teenagers have at least something to do to occupy their time in an interesting way. We have Somerset Hall and the Folk Hall which could be used as weekly dance or pop venues at the weekends. This was done very successfully in the 60s when rock bands first appeared. I am sure most of our councillors are aware most people love to dance and this does not require any financial outlay and could even make a profit .Some charitable organisations could benefit by running such venues or employ an entertainments company to run it This is only one idea but I am sure given thought once again your readers could improve on it. The present efforts by the councillors are very laudable but I fear have more to do with the upcoming elections than anything else but I am sure people are aware of that already. Councillors are busy bouncing around a skateboard park idea and everybody knows the only place they will shove it will be in east Portishead away from the areas a lot of these councillors represent Actually Councillor John H Clark and a lot of our older councillors, I believe, were in on the original planning of the Quays project and did not make sure young people were catered for then, why their interest now? Before the last election they extended the play area on the Lake Grounds. Does that ring a bell? By the way, that also floods and the same local councillors have been singing the same songs for years about the Lake Grounds and only really help the Lake Ground residents not the Lake Grounds.Time for fresh councillors and new ideas. Mike Wilks - Beach Road East, Portishead