RIP Dartmouth Park VII

In my post dated 24th February, I said,'When Sandwell says it is 'restoring' Dartmouth Park, I wonder if they mean they are returning it to its original flat, virgin state! '
Little did I realise that that is exactly what they are doing!!
Several hundred yards of the walling and the grand stairway into the park have been destroyed! And work is ongoing.
I don't know how old the walls and stairway are, but they look pretty original to me.
It seems little short of criminal to me to rip out history as is being done here by Sandwell.
And, you may ask, who is paying for this?
The answer seems to be the National Lottery.
Suddenly this all starts to make sense as Sandwell are past masters at spending other people's money -- see The Public, failed, £52+ million non-art gallery paid largely by the Arts Council -- which means you and me!

More Joined up Thinking at Sandwell

Here is the other side of the bridge in 'before' and 'after' mode.

Sad isn't it,that an, in theory, responsible, organisation like a Local Authority can destroy a naturally evolved place without being accountable to anyone. Of course Sandwell would say that they are acountable to their electorate. Bravo! But, and it's a big but, I bet that most of their electorate have no idea what Sandwell are doing at Sandwell Valley, and for those that do, it's too late!

For every tree chopped down and every hedge removed, it's way too late.......