The Leader's blog

A summer of cheer for cricket, football and our green spaces

As we head into the second summer of the pandemic, things may not yet be quite back to normal but some of our favourite summer staples; cricket, tournament football and the great outdoors are giving us plenty to celebrate and look forward to.

 The cricket fans among us will be cheering at the news that Lancashire Cricket Club has had the go ahead for ambitious expansion plans that will make it one of the largest sporting arenas in the country. This is a key piece in the jigsaw of our Civic Quarter Masterplan and will provide huge benefits to the local area in terms of employment and improved local amenities, as well as enhancing Trafford’s place on the sporting world map.

 Meanwhile this week sees the start of the one year countdown to the UEFA Women’s EURO 2022, with the opening game to take place at Old Trafford on 6 July 2022. This week more than ever we know how football can give the whole country a lift and it’s going to be fantastic to host this key game here in Trafford next summer.

Away from sport, there’s also been good news for nature lovers with the announcement of funding for a huge improvement project at Wellacre Country Park in the west of the borough. Better footpaths and signage will make the site more accessible, habitats will be enhanced for wildlife and residents, schools and community groups will be able to get involved and play their part in the conservation. Our green spaces offer multiple benefits for both mental and physical health and preserving them will be a key part of our post-pandemic recovery.

Trafford’s high streets have had a boost too, with our exciting redevelopment plans for Stretford recently nominated for a national ‘Future Place’ award. In Altrincham, the Not So Secret Garden is also proving a big hit, bringing a buzz to the town with live music and street food in a family-friendly pop-up space – well worth a visit! It’s a great example of how Council investment in our town centres has allowed us to rethink public spaces and put residents and users at the heart of town centre plans.

Whether you’re a sports fan, nature lover or dedicated shopper, one thing that unites us all is the need for cleaner air and a reduction in pollution. That’s why Greater Manchester’s Clean Air Plan, which will introduce the Clear Air Zone from May 2022 is vitally important. As a Council we will be doing all we can to support its measures to make Trafford a more healthy and sustainable place to live and work.

We also need to use these summer months to keep our vaccination rates up and get as many people as possible protected against Covid before the autumn. Our take-up is good in Trafford but we can’t let up our efforts. One jab helps, but two jabs give much higher protection so please make your appointments, keep them and encourage everyone you know to do the same. The vaccines are safe and effective and are our best route out of the pandemic and back to normal life.

We have recently published Trafford’s Corporate Plan report for the final quarter of 2021, which highlights how we are doing in each of our seven strategic priority areas. Please do give it a read to understand what has been achieved over the last three months. Looking forward, we’re now reviewing our corporate objectives to ensure they continue to align with our residents’ and businesses’ hopes and aspirations - look out for more on this in the coming months.

 

Enjoy the summer, Andrew.