“After many questions, the proposed Gabion Art Trail was supported by all. I was impressed with the detailed response to my question about including those with visual impairments.” [Town Councillor Kevin Walker]
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Back in June 2018, the Sensory Garden Opened in Sidmouth at the Old Boat Park on the Ham – thanks to the endeavours of Sidmouth in Bloom.
Here’s a lovely review on Trip Advisor from last year: SENSORY GARDEN (2024) All You Need to Know BEFORE You Go (with Photos):
I think it’s wonderful that Sidmouth has a place like this! Everywhere should have one! As someone with both Autism and Asperger’s Syndrome, I greatly appreciated it. It was lovely to have multi-sensory experiences with the different plants and they looked especially attractive in the summer evening sunshine. Highly recommended for everyone. It’s free and open 24/7 too! You can just walk around and enjoy!
And in the latest Herald, the chair of the town council praises the work of Sidmouth in Bloom – and of the Sidmouth School of Art – as new projects are looked at for the Sensory Garden, showing that art is at the heart of Sidmouth town life:
At our November meeting, the town council was asked by the Sidmouth School of Art for temporary permission to place a series of gabion baskets in the sensory garden at the northern end of the Ham, as a platform for art. This proposal was supported by Sidmouth in Bloom, who maintains the garden.
The agenda of the town council’s Trustees meeting on 4th November has the details of these plans, including visuals:
The Minutes show the decisions made:
The Ham Sensory Garden – Gabion Art Trail
Members were asked to consider a request received from Sidmouth School of Art to install a gabion art trail in the Sensory Garden at The Ham for up to a year. This initiative had been discussed with and was supported by the Sidmouth in Bloom committee.
RESOLVED: That permission be granted to Sidmouth School of Art to install a gabion art trail in the Sensory Garden for up to a year; Sidmouth School of Art and Sidmouth in Bloom would be responsible for the ongoing maintenance and refuse clearance of installation.
The Ham – Expression of Interest for the future use of The Ham Utility Building Agreement to Lease Macerator Building
Members were asked to consider granting delegated authority to the Town Clerk in consultation with the Council’s legal representative, Chair and Vice Chair to enter into an Agreement for Lease for the former Ham macerator building with Sidmouth Coastal Community Hub for a period of two years to enable them to raise funds to develop the building in line with their plans and submission previously received and updated. If funding was successfully raised, a grant of a five-year lease would follow; the Council’s legal costs in all these matters to be paid for in full by Sidmouth Coastal Community Hub.
RESOLVED: That: 1. Delegated authority be granted to the Town Clerk in consultation with the Council’s legal representative, Chair and Vice Chair to enter into negotiations for an Agreement for Lease for the former Ham macerator building with Sidmouth Coastal Community Hub for a period of two years to enable SCCH to raise funds to develop the building in line with their plans and submission previously received and updated. 2. If funding was successfully raised, a grant of a five-year lease would follow. 3. The Council’s legal costs in all these matters to be paid for in full by Sidmouth Coastal Community Hub
Before the meeting, the VGS posted a piece looking at the proposals for a gabion art trail and a new use for the utility building at the Ham Sensory Garden – with some concerns and questions raised.
At the meeting, the VGS’s representative on the town council, Cllr Kevin Walker was able to make the following observations:
After many questions, the proposed Gabion Art Trail was supported by all. I was impressed with the detailed response to my question about including those with visual impairments. Basically, they are receiving design advice and guidance from different user groups. An attempt will also be made to include other sensory input in many of the exhibitions with minimal text in a large font. Lighting and colour factors will also be taken into account. The Gabion’s will be positioned to enable wheelchair users etc to manoeuvre all around them and the trail will have a clearly marked route to create a story telling journey. This will become part of a Sidmouth wide Art Trail encompassing the other public art installation in the town.
The ideas for the use of the old Macerator building were discussed at some length, including potential drawbacks including additional traffic & noise during and after conversion work. Questions relating to the potential income for the town council as owners of the building were also raised. However it was pointed out that at this stage the proposal was just to delegate authority to the Town Clerk, Chair & Vice Chair to negotiate a Lease agreement for an initial two years to enable SCCH (Sidmouth Coastal Community Hub) to seek funding for the project. This was approved by a clear majority on the understanding that the proposed lease would be present to the full council for further scrutiny and approval. Only if funding was available would a further 5 year lease be requested.
My understanding was that any development of the site would include adequate toilet facilities for users of the site, but it would not be promoted as a public convenience open to all. This led onto a wider discussion of public toilet provision in the Ham area. EDDC had considered the Macerator building in their attempts to mitigate the impact of the loss of public toilets in the RockFish development however there was some considerable investment needed plus some difficult sewage issues to be overcome. They opted for the site in front of the TIC which was later withdrawn partly in response to criticisms of the location by STC. The lack of toilets arising from the RockFish development is a recurring issue at council meetings. As the Town Council is budgeting for the refurbishment and maintenance of Long Park toilets which they take over from EDDC next year (to prevent them from being closed altogether) I guess that there is unlikely to be any additional money for the Town Council to invest in additional toilet provision in the short term at least.
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