A dinghy has been left high and dry on a busy roundabout at Gosport, in Hampshire, but it has nothing to do with the recent high tides!
Surrounded on three sides by water, one might expect the odd boat or two to wash up on the shoreline at Gosport. But the dinghy currently moored on the roundabout at the junction of Grange Road and Portsmouth Road in Gosport, was left there by man power not wave power.
“We wanted to make changes to our roundabouts, bring them alive and use materials that are not going to need constant watering or maintenance,” said Councillor Dennis Wright, Chairman of the Community & Environment Board at Gosport. “We must all look to reduce the amount of water we use in our gardens and as a local authority it is up to us to lead by example. So we are looking at different varieties of plants, ones that can withstand hotter, drier conditions and less water. But we also thought it might be nice to add a bit of design - perhaps give it a nautical theme.”
The Council were able to achieve that thanks to Gosport Cruising Club, whose donation of a dinghy makes the perfect addition to the display.
“We would like to thank Gosport Cruising Club very much for their generosity in donating the boat,” added Councillor Wright. “It has made such an impact and really helped to lift the whole display. My thanks also go to Caroline Smith the Council’s Landscape Officer, who did an excellent job on the design and to Enterprise Plc, the Councils Landscape Management Contractors, who not only sponsor the roundabout, but funded the plants and the work. I am sure that, once in bloom, both residents and visitors alike will enjoy the new display.”
This is the first of several roundabouts to get a make-over. After recent discussions with Hampshire Highways on safety matters, the winner of the Brockhurst Roundabout Competition is due to be announced shortly. It is then hoped that work will soon commence to improve the view and the safety of the two roundabouts and central reservation at one of the town’s busiest junctions.
If you want to have your say on the Grange Road/Portsmouth Road roundabout, why not log on the website at
www.gosport.gov.uk and vote.
