Photo-a-Day  (Thursday, 29th December, 2011)

Sorry Mick I cant say nice shot.
Its a real shame that this is going, seen lots of games on that field.

aww what ashame to see it like that.

I left Wigan more than thirty years ago. Every time I visit it I am struck by some new example of dilapidation and neglect. It is becoming a ghost town. This photograph is the latest example of the Council's wholesale dereliction of duty. What used to be a beautifully-tended cricket pitch now looks like a field of turnips.

Wiganers, you should rise up and boot out the Council jacks-in-office. They have despoiled our town long enough.

Save Wigan - while there is something left to save!

Wear your wellies

a 'green space' which has been little used since the Grammer School shut - about time something was done with it!

They have just erected a boundary fence for when they start on the boys and girls club house, good one for those who sponsered the project Mr Whelan and Co.

Well said Ste.

Comment by Ken R on 29th December 2011 at 00:30
Sorry Mick I cant say nice shot.
Its a real shame that this is going, seen lots of games on that field.

Dont you know Ken its not always necessary to say nice photo mate of something thats been taken with a telephoto lens and touched up on a computer.

No I think a photo of the day should be something that raises a bit of interest in the minds of the viewers.

Ste, Mick,
Sorry but that is utter twaddle.
They will not be happy until every bit of green space is gone in the town.
Wake up Wigan folk... get them OUT.

The amount of time I have spent on that field playing football, rugby, cricket and sprinting, it's very sad to see it in this shape.

The Council have been trying to build on the Mesnes Field since the 1950's,Now thanks to the Whelan/ Ainscough money, they have succeeded.The new Boy's and Girl's Club should have been built on the site of the old Police Station, thus removing an eyesore and not vandalising the last green space in the town centre.Councillors hang your heads in shame.Vote them out in May.

No doubt the boys and girls club is a good idea, but why not in one of the many other derelict sites around town which are already concreted over? When green fields like this are lost, they are gone forever.

Get WHO out Tricia...do I suspect your NOT from Wigan!

I remember how nice it was.Loads of coal mines digging up coal ,dark pleasant mills burning it, along with every house and building doing the same ,we had lovely pee soup fogs .you couldn't lean on a wall for fear of soiling your clothes. Good coughs were enjoyed by all.
Not allot of green around then.
You don't know, but believe me Wigan is allot cleaner greener and healthier place now.I remember for I was there

Further to my earlier comment,as a New Year resolution, could I ask all the regular photographers to go round town and post all the eyesores on this site in order to shame the Council into tidying up the Borough and stop making Wigan a laughing stock.You can start with the site of the Town Hall on the Rodney Street/King Street junction, it's been derelict since Adam was a lad and is one of the so-called Gateway to Wigan sights that a lot of visitors get as a first impression of our town.God help us.

Tricia, Wiganers who live on the vast council housing estates will never vote out their benefit providing labour councillors, who in their eyes can do no wrong, I'm sure you are aware of the old saying. 'Put a Labour rosette on a pig, and the majority of Wiganers would vote it into office'. How so true it is!

Very few Towns could boast such a large green open area so close to the town centre and now Wigan has destroyed a unique site.

Alan H. I have said it before. Two prisoners looked through the prison bars ,one saw mud the the other stars.
.

Comment by Dave Marsh on 29th December 2011 at 15:06
Very few Towns could boast such a large green open area so close to the town centre and now Wigan has destroyed a unique site.

But we still have the lovely Mesnes Park next to it Dave and Bull Hey cricket ground across the road so us Wiganers who live in Wigan are still very Lucky Lucky Lucky.

well i dont see anything wrong with improvment.the grass wasnt doing much anyway .

This Council doesn't care one iota about the views of Wigan people. Michael summed it up perfectly, 'wholesale dereliction of duty' is what it is. Would never vote for these shower of you know whats!!. Smith OUT.

Garry
You suspect WRONG. Don't make such silly assumptions.
Cyril, you are so right, I have heard it said regarding a monkey.
Someone mentioned Mesnes Park... isn't that on the Vandals hit list as well ????????????????
What is wrong with green space just BEING... as it always was. I represented my school in intermediate school sports on that playing field.

we mit get another white elephant in place of the nice Green patch which held plenty memories.

Tricia

Mesnes Park isnt being vandalized its being turned back into the the lovely park as it was when it was built except with modern facilities.

All the geriatrics amongst us (myself included) need to be fair and move aside, we have had our time and our say. The town is not just ours and its only fair to consider the others who live here. I spent many a happy hour on that field but that was decades ago, even if they kept it as it was its no use to me now. Let the youngsters have something they want and will benefit from for a change

Well said JJ

Now that the field has been divided, how long before the rest falls?

One of the reasons the Mesnes always looked like a perfect cricket field is because it was not fit for anything else. The ground below is the remains of an old coal tip and the topsoil was too shallow and poorly drained to support anything else. That is why WGS football had to be played elsewhere. If it is to be truly a useful asset to the town, it needs some messy remedial work under the grass.

Reminds me of the old Springfield/Central Park of the sixties. Also my old school playing field

DW stadium will look like that, once when Rugby starts.

I never played cricket but am truly saddened by this latest act of senseless vandalism and destruction in the name of progress!? I agree that the old police station would have been a far better location on which to build the boys' and girls' club than on the formerly pleasant sight of a green expanse close to the town centre!

Mesnes field hasn't been used for anything other then youths drinking and hanging around for a long while now. I think the boys and girls club will be a huge asset the Wigan.

To those people who say Wigan wont have any green areas left like Mick said what is wrong with Mesnes Park. We should think ourselves lucky with what we have in the Wigan borough!!

Having somewhere for youths to go will give them something to do and keep them from vandalising Mesnes park and other sites. Some people will moan about about everything - not happy with kids hanging around and causing bother but not happy to give them something that will benefit them!!

People will always oppose plans - nothing better to do with their time. The same with Mesnes Park most of the people who opposed the plans for the restoration have never stepped foot in there for years!! Mesnes Park is looking great so why not go and see the "green space" in there.