AFTER hearing about the new plans and government money about to be spent on Ryelands I wanted to get points of views heard.

I lived on the estate for 15 years with my parents. I attended Ryelands Primary and then went on to Skerton High. Now I have a degree and have moved on and now I live in Birmingham, another area where the government's new deall is to be set up.

As a teenager I was laughed at when I told people where I lived, even a lecturer passed comment. So like many residents of Ryelands both past and present, decided it was not such a good idea to tell people where I lived. When I applied for jobs I would never put Ryelands on my application as I knew I would be discriminated against. Times may have changed but if you mention the word Ryelands to anyone in Lancaster, nobody would has a positive word to say. It's unfair that the majority of law abiding citizens on the estate have to defend the way they live and where they live. I strongly agree that the estate be given a new name. It would take a few years for people to forget the Ryelands of old and a new name may encourage the residents to take pride in their new estate. Some who have lived on the estate for the majority of their lives may not think it a good idea and I can't blame some for being proud and strong and are able to cope with their lives on the estate. But as the new millennium approaches we have to think to the future.

Miracles don't happen overnight but give the residents an area to be proud of. The thought of demolishing the whole estate is in my opinion ridiculous and does not need to be done. Improvements to homes individually may be a better idea, as people may take care of them a bit better.

I also strongly believe it's not so much the area that needs improving, after all I managed to enjoy my education and went on to pass my degree, so there is potential. Maybe we should focus on the lives people lead and try to improve their social well being. It's OK making the estate look pretty by spending millions but it's what's at the heart that the care and attention needs focusing on.

My plea to the local government is to get it right. If you're going to spend millions, make the right choices, not just for the residents, but for the whole of Lancaster. Don't waste the money on tarting up the estate. You need to get rid of the image which is in every Lancastrian's mind. I hope these words encourage the minds of local planners, after all as I have already said the majority of Ryelands residents want to succeed with their lives.

Lisa Clarkson

via e-mail

Converted for the new archive on 14 July 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.