Coventry News...features...plus more about your city...your neighbourhood...your services issue 66 I winter I 2019 ‘Splashtastic’ On the crest of a wave at Coventry’s newest visitor attraction Making an Medieval Don’t hang impact on Guildhall around homelessness refurb plan get active COVENTRY CITIVISION Partnership proud to support UK City of Culture 2021 FOR COVENTRY news From the top contents welcome to the winter 2019 issue of citivision • A personal message from Cllr George Duggins, Leader, Coventry City Council. Addressing street homelessness As we head into winter, Coventry, like all cities, will be continuing efforts to address homelessness at a time when we face a national housing crisis. With the support of agencies, we have made progress in moving families out of temporary hotel accommodation and into more suitable housing, but we are all well aware of the continuing issue of those who are street homeless – people sleeping rough. In this Citivision there are examples of what agencies are news health doing to help those people find spotlight more sustainable shelter. 4 Work could start early 15 Health care partners are Also in this issue, you will see next year to carry out increasing their efforts to 10 Coventry has welcomed raise awareness of suicide its newest visitor some great images from inside investigation work that prevention and mental attraction – and it’s The Wave, our fantastic new could pave the way for health. already making quite waterpark. a multi-million-pound a splash! The city centre attraction investment to transform is a major part of our year as St Mary’s Guildhall. news See photo above. European City of Sport and Year Pictures showing how Velo Birmingham and of Wellbeing. The past months 5 17 Coventry city centre could Midlands is returning have seen great success in getting be transformed have been Sunday 21 June 2020 and people active, as well as the arrival unveiled. the 100-mile entries are of Footgolf and Go Ape and what’s on now on sale. fitness equipment in our parks. 7 A Coventry business 20 A round-up of some of There are more improvements is looking to celebrate 17 The Festival of Running the attractions on offer to come as we continue to build the city’s landmarks, will be returning in 2020 in and around Coventry towards our time as UK City of businesses and attractions with a series of events for the next few months. Culture 2021 and you will have with the launch of the including the Coventry seen the beginnings of some of Coventry Sticker Album. Half Marathon on councillors that work around the city centre. 5 April. A project that aims to Need to contact your There will be some disruption, but 9 22 help rough sleepers off A team that repairs and councillors? Check out it will be worth it. 19 the streets in Coventry by restores the incredible our comprehensive Our environment is important offering a daily one stop collection at the directory. to us all, and there is news advice and support venue Transport Museum has of a 50% rise in fly-tipping has been expanded. received a major boost. prosecutions. This is good progress but we want more people to report fly-tipping and contact us there are contact details on page Call the Citivision newsdesk per copy to write, print and If you would like to advertise in 4. So please help if you can. on 024 7683 1081 or write distribute to homes in Coventry. the next issue of Citivision, contact Finally, I wish you and your to Newsdesk, Room 73, You can also pick up a copy at Darren O’Shaughnessy on 024 loved ones a happy and peaceful Council House, Earl Street, libraries and Council buildings. 7683 1075. Coventry City Council time this festive season.. Coventry, CV1 5RR, or Citivision is produced on paper is grateful for the support from e-mail communications@ from sustainable woodland and advertisers in this issue of Citivision, If you need this information in coventry.gov.uk is chlorine free. The milling but accepts no responsibility for another format or language please Written and produced by process also has Environmental the accuracy of adverts. contact us: the Communications Team, Management Systems in place. All details correct at the time of Tel: 024 7683 1081 Coventry City Council. Each Once read, please recycle. going to print (21 October). e-mail: communications@ edition of Citivision costs 9p coventry.gov.uk Cover story: On the crest of a wave at Coventry’s new visitor attraction. 2 I citivision I winter 2019 19-0846-HG winter 2019 I citivision I 3 news news Pictures showing how Coventry city centre could be Getting to Changing face of city centre transformed have been unveiled. Changes to key public areas in the city centre include grips with ongoing projects such as The Wave Waterpark, renovation to create the Coventry Telegraph Hotel, the railway station violent masterplan, Hertford Street improvements and the crime Co-Operative residential and retail development. They also show how parts of the city centre could be transformed, Coventry councillors are including Bull Yard, Market Way, Upper Precinct and Smithford Way. increasing efforts to help Councillor Jim O’Boyle, Cabinet Member for Jobs and agencies tackle violent Regeneration, said: crime in the city. “We have secured over £40 million in grant funding to get Scrutiny Boards are run this work done and we will ensure we keep the best of the old across a range of services, alongside the best of the new. helping develop Council policy, “The work will build on what we have already started – monitoring services and including re-opening the link between Broadgate and Hertford reviewing other public bodies - Street and the work that is underway to bring down Coventry Guildhall refurbishment including health and crime and Point which will re-open the views in Market Way. disorder matters. Work could start early next year to carry out investigations application is approved work will “We are still working on the detail – but we have been clear that could pave the way for multi-million pound investment begin to see if the kitchen can be Cllr Richard Brown, Chair of the Scrutiny Co-ordination that we are planning something really top class with impressive to transform St Mary’s Guildhall. uncovered. The work will help planting, water features and new paving. to discover the original kitchen’s Committee, said reducing A report recommends that country, with a magnificent “Changes in our city centre are long overdue and although I current condition and will reveal violent crime could only be the Council reviews St Mary’s interior that includes a stunning know there will be some disruption to shoppers, visitors and the scale of restorative work achieved through everyone Guildhall so it can make sure 16th century tapestry. It is also traders while the work is underway, I think it will be worth it.” that may be required. working as one. that the building is a high- thought to have one of the Work is also underway to He said: quality visitor attraction in last intact medieval kitchens in Pictured: Designs for Upper Precinct and on New Union Street next to Bull Yard. secure funding for the larger “We have had discussions 2021 and beyond. England. project to transform the with the police and other The medieval Guildhall This original kitchen was covered Guildhall. agencies and we know is one of the finest in the up in 1954 but if the planning how concerning violent crime is for local people. Hotel gets backing “It’s important that The Council is set to approve the development of a site Fly-tipping prosecutions up by 50 per cent we have a long term at Friargate next to the railway station, that will see approach, including Coventry’s first four-star hotel built in the city centre for Latest figures show a reduction in fly-tipping while Council prosecutions have risen by insisting that our police almost 50 years. 50 per cent as part of a zero-tolerance policy. are properly funded by Warwickshire based Castlebridge Group are set to bring an out by the Council has risen “Fly-tipping is an anti- Government. impressive boutique hotel brand which already operates in over from 2,613 in 2017/18 to 3,925 in social crime, and will “Involving young people 120 locations worldwide, including Kensington, York, Bath and 2018/19. not be tolerated. It is is also vital and there Stratford-Upon-Avon to the city. Resources have been no coincidence that the is a lot of good work The hotel will have 100 beds, along with a restaurant and themed reallocated, and money raised number of prosecutions happening in schools and bars that will be open to both residents and the general public. Pictured: Chris Hobday (left) and Kai Wang from issuing fixed penalty has risen so dramatically,” communities.” notices for litter has enabled Councillor Patricia Hetherton, Scrutiny Boards meet new initiatives such as installing Cabinet Member for City Services regularly in the Council House surveillance cameras at at Coventry City Council, said and also cover areas such as In the mood for food known fly-tipping hotspots to that law-abiding citizens were fed- homelessness and services for The team behind a Coventry restaurant, which had to provide evidence for successful up with the problem. vulnerable children. relocate due to demolition work in the city centre, has In the first quarter of this financial prosecutions and to act as a She added: Cllr Brown added: found a new home.