Holme Pierrepont Nottingham
HOLME PIERREPONT NON TECHNICAL SUMMARY
Holme Pierrepont White Water Course – Proposed upgrade. 17 October 2008.
An update from Chris. Hawkesworth.
Since the formation of the HPP WWC “User group” at the public meeting of early August a lot of water has passed down the course. The “User group” has met 4 times and is due to report back its findings at the next public meeting to be held on Wednesday.
MEETING DETAILS
Public meeting - Rugby Club Wednesday October 22nd at 7.00 pm. All Welcome.
The rugby club is located on the left just before the North side barrier into HPP.
It has a large room with a limited number of seats. Will you please bring your own. Sorry.
AGENDA.
1. Welcome by Chris. Hawkesworth.
2. Presentation of the “In course” proposals by Andy Laird.
3. Comments by “User group” members”
4. Questions and answers from the floor.
5. Proposed programme.
Ending 9.30pm.
You will find, on this web site, hopefully by Monday, a number of new documents, including:-
Please download this information and bring your questions and comments to the meeting.
I do not propose in this short update to go into all the ins and outs of why we are, where we are. Suffice to say that the “User group” has given the designer and the “Design group” a hard time on all the points that you, the paddling public have made over the last few weeks. There has been an excellent constructive dialogue which has resulted in a better design. One outcome I would like to see is that of the “User group” to continuing into the future.
We have visited Hydrostadium and Dutch Water Dreams and have had a close dialogue with Teesside, Broxbourne, Cardiff and Charlotte to get answers to both our own and “User group” questions.
We will be publishing the meeting’s proceedings on this web site as soon as we can after Wednesday.
Chris. [email protected]
Pictures of proposed upgrade at Holme Pierrepont Nottingham.
Top picture is the current course.
05 September 2008.
Comment on progress from Chris. Hawkesworth.
Planning and Facilities Manager – Canoe England.
Holme Pierrepont – Proposed upgrade to White Water Course.
Introduction
It is proposed that over this coming winter upgrade works will be carried out to the Holme Pierrepont (HPP) White Water Course (WWC). These works will be to and in the water channel and will alter some of the current water features. It is planned for the work to be completed by the end of February 2009. This upgrade work is being managed by a “Design Group” consisting of the BCU (Facilities and Performance), Sport England (SE) the proposed funders, Nottinghamshire County Council (NCC), and HPP Centre Management. Two engineering consulting firms have been appointed, EPD Ltd to look into and prepare an “In channel” design and Patrick Parsons to look into the civil engineering aspects and to prepare drawings for tender.
Prior to the current “Design group” being formed a French Company, Hydrostadium were asked by the BCU to produce initial suggestions. These suggestions for various reasons were not taken further by the BCU. In May 2008 a consultation meeting confirmed that these initial ideas were not to be pursued but a drawing remained in circulation.
This drawing of the rejected proposal was recently placed on various web sites which has created a great deal of concern, fear and comment about the upgrade proposals.
August 18th meeting
In response to concerns raised by HPP WWC users, a public meeting was held into the proposed upgrade on the 18th of August.
Over 90 paddlers, including a member of the Press, an NCC observer, BCU and HPP Centre staff attended, of whom 80% were BCU members. A presentation of the work to the proposals to date was made by Andy Laird of EPD Ltd. The merits of the proposals both for and against and a number of serious concerns, misgivings and fears were raised and were expressed in a structured, free for all, good humoured atmosphere which lasted almost 4 hours.
The outcome of the meeting was the formation by volunteers of an HPP WWC “User group” who would meet again on the 3rd of September.
September 3rd meeting
Originally intended to be a second and final public meeting this date was commuted to a “User group” meeting which quite by chance coincided with a £10 million HPP general upgrade announcement made that day by Nottinghamshire County Council.
The meeting started by looking at Notes taken on the 18th by Ian Scott of HPP Canoe Club. We listed by main heading each of the issues that had been raised, and included and any that had been raised since.
We then looked at what Canoe England understood to be the “Brief” given by Sport England to Andy Laird of EPD Ltd.
Andy then presented his initial drawings and detailed how he was using the “Hec-ras” computer modelling programme to model the course as it is now and how he would use it to model any of the proposed changes.
The plans that are elsewhere on this web site were projected onto a white board. Each current and proposed feature was one at a time gone into in great detail. By using felt pens to sketch their own ideas, superimpositions were made on the white board by “User group” members and in turn an undertaking was given that all the points raised would be looked into by Andy and modelled to see their effect.
Andy agreed to return to the next “User group” meeting with updated proposal drawings for each of the alternatives suggested and will also show an updated “Hec-ras” computer model for each.
There was a unanimous outcome to the meeting and the “User group” wishes to recommend to the “Design Group” a way forwards as follows:-
Consultation time scale.
September 23rd User group meeting.
October 8th User group meeting.
October 15th Public meeting HPP Main Centre Buildings at 7.00pm
October 30th Latest go/no go for the contract.
Specific detailed requests.
Omniflots.
A detailed investigation needed into the new version.
HPP WWC original designers.
George Parr and Frank Goodman are to be contacted for their comments.
A statement by the “User group” as follows:-
In order to meet the consultation aspirations of HPP WWC users, as expressed on Monday night the 18th of August and at the “User group” meeting on September 3rd and to meet the proposed “Design Group” delivery programme. The “User group” have decided to support the “Design Group” proposals to go out to tender to pre-qualified contractors with the current “Sample scheme” drawings. This will provide them and us with detailed feedback on construction cost, time scales and allow for the provisional appointment of a preferred contractor. We wish to work with that contractor in developing a final detailed design that will be acceptable by all.
By taking this “Twin-track” route, time will be allowed for structured consultation and involvement by users in the design process without delaying the procurement process time table.
Design brief to EPD Ltd.
Canoe England understands this to be that :-
“EPD Ltd has been appointed to recommend a design for an upgrade to the WWC at HPP in order to enhance the course to modern standards for Slalom Training and Competition in the run up to the 2012 Olympic Games and beyond, whilst at the same time maximising the benefits of the course for other user groups”.
Members of the user group:-
Andy Maddock BCU Slalom*
Chris. Hawkesworth Canoe England Planning and Facilities Manager*
Daniel Scott Desperate Measures
David Leathborough Rafting
Dawn Scott HPP Canoe Club
Ian Bebbington Nottinghamshire County Council*
John Handyside CE WWR*
Keith Hampton Safety and Rescue
Mark Delaney BCU Slalom
Matt Chadder Freestyle
Peter Cornes Freestyle
Peter Orton Valley Canoe Products
Richard Chrimes Freestyle
Simon Ricketts HPP Centre Manager*
Andy Laird EPDUK Ltd* (in consultant capacity)
Note:- “User group” members marked with a “*” are also “Design Group” members.
As further details of the proposals become available they will be posted immediately on this web site.
Enquiries to :- [email protected]