Our progress has defied the cynics

Thank you for the article on page 20 of last week’s Chronicle allowing us to reconfirm that the new planned facility at Parkside in Hoyland Common is not going to be a football stadium but an inclusive community and sports facility for all residents and groups.

I started to ponder other developments where the council have been disbelieved or criticised.

I walked to the reception area of our town hall and was met with a family gushing with enthusiasm, having visited our free to enter Experience Barnsley museum.

Outside were children laughing and playing in the fountains, with their parents looking on.

Both of these were heavily criticised as a squanderous waste when they were announced – in the background is the fabulous new Barnsley College sixth form.

Do we all remember the furore when we decided to knock down the dreadful old library to enable its construction?

‘We won’t get another library’ they said – take a look at our wonderful new library in the town square.

I then walked down to our new market to get a sandwich and some fruit for lunch – it was heaving – and then walked into our vibrant town square.

‘It’ll never happen’ and ‘what a waste of money’ were some of the cries at the time, thankfully those cries have subsided and have been replaced by a deep sense of pride with the vast majority.

As I made my way back towards the town hall, I was stopped by a resident of Hoyland Common.

She wanted to thank me for the new link road as part of the ‘Hermes development’.

“It has taken so much of the traffic off Sheffield Road and it has made the area safer, quieter and cleaner – it’s like living in a village again,” she said.

Yes, all of these cost money and there will always be opponents to change and development – that is absolutely right and proper, an essential part of our democracy.

However, I am proud to say that I am from Barnsley and I am proud that we have invested in our town – our residents deserve nothing less.