Doncaster Voices - New year, new Doncaster '“ what are your 2018 hopes? for our area?

Welcome to Doncaster Voices forum. If you want to get involved (like Jonti), submit 150 words, name, title & photo to [email protected] and your views may appear next week when subject is '˜Does Doncaster night economy receive undeserved bad press?'

MARGARET HERBERT, DONCASTER RESIDENT

To see the town flourish again, and I do believe we are heading that way, despite all the derogatory remarks expressed by in the local press although The

Free Press are now giving the town much better coverage. We have great Volunteer groups helping with The Mansion House, The Parks etc., but what we must realise that they are filling the gaps left by the Council, who have had to make severe cut back due to lack of Government funding, May be it would help if more financial information re these cut backs could be published.

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Improvements to public transport is vital and cuts in parking charges, I realise that revenue from parking is vital but lack of trade on our market is an example of the spin-off from this issue, Tuesday, Friday, and Saturday are the vital days for trading in the town, my suggestion is £2 for 4 hours on the Market in order to give people time to browse the shops, have a coffee and get fresh meat, fish and fruit and vegetables. Also a Mini bus service from the market area to the bus station. We need more Cultural events, music in the parks again, we have some great bands around the area and perhaps even the construction of

Band Stands again. May be Sponsorship could be obtained from local double glazing and glass companies! There is a general change in the way people live

their lives nowadays, eating out, sport, drama and general activities for children and perhaps our Council should keep this in mind. My final suggestion

is that St Jame’s Street Baths, although I believe it has structural problems, could be converted into a Ice Skating Rink, the one at the Dome is only small

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but the area of the Baths could house a much larger rink and is in an area to be developed for Art and Culture. Our nearest large rink I believe is Sheffield, Hull or Nottingham.

JONTI WILLIS, DONCASTER RESIDENT

I hope to see Doncaster, and the country at large, deal more effectively and humanely with homeless people, struggling to survive. A society should

be judged on how well it looks after it’s most vulnerable members, rather than how richly it rewards it’s most fortunate and well placed. Doncaster should

celebrate what it has and what it’s potential is, rather than focus too much on the negative aspects of our locality. One realises that the press is there to

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report the news although, as everyone knows, the political and/or commercial aspects and allegiances of sectors of the media do indeed add “spin” in one direction or another. If “spin” is an inevitable aspect of locally-controlled media, then please let’s “spin” Doncaster in a positive direction and take away the oxygen of negative news.

ROS JONES, MAYOR OF DONCASTER

Happy New Year Doncaster! As we welcome in 2018, we can look forward to more exciting developments on the horizon.

The new Central Library, Museum and Archives will soon be taking shape, construction on the Herten Triangle development at Lakeside will get underway, work will also begin on the DN7 project, a major infrastructure scheme in Hatfield and the second phase of the Great Yorkshire Way will see completion.

Work will continue in the town centre as part of the Urban Town Centre Masterplan and we also warmly welcome the Tour de Yorkshire back in May.

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Our transformation of adult social care services is ongoing. We will also continue to ensure that we can create the right conditions for our children and young people to thrive.

Team Doncaster’s drive and determination will ensure that the borough continues to go from strength to strength in 2018 as a highly attractive location to live, work and play.

LAURA ANDREW

I hope that in the New Year Doncaster will become more modern. As a young person living here, there is little appeal in the town centre. It would be nice if there were more independent shops, cafes and other cultural activities. Currently the only reason I venture into town is for shopping and the occasional meal out at restaurants such as Relish. It would be a huge plus if Doncaster invested in places such as book shops, theatres and even parks. Places to visit that feel safe and are clean. A huge problem that I encounter in Doncaster is the public transport. The prices of buses and trains are astronomical. It would be helpful if there was a discount for under 25s on our buses. And also that they ran more frequently in the early morning, as they are often crammed with commuters.

* If you would like your voice heard, get in touch, email [email protected] with 150 words, name and title and a photograph of yourself. Next week’s subject is: “Does ​Doncaster’s night time economy ​receive undeserved​ bad press?

* 11/01 * 18/01 How can we market Doncaster ​area attractions better ​for touris​m?

* 25/01 Tour de Yorkshire: good or bad for Doncaster area to be stage host?