Chrismas Lodge Care Home
Evelyn Avenue Aldershot

Alternative Uses

Chrismas Lodge - Proposal For Alternative Uses
pdf 531Kb, as sent to HCC and RBC.

We called a public meeting to discuss the announcement on the 15th of May by Ruth Kelly, Communities Minister, of the Government publication - Making assets work: The Quirk Review - into community management and ownership of public assets, where Councils have to consider and support local groups who can show alternative uses for disused Council assets.

The following list was presented to the meeting and following broad approval of the points by the audience they will become part of the official proposal for retention of Chrismas Lodge for the community.

1. Crèche, play group, small children's activities centre, meeting centre for mothers and toddlers, support groups Etc. Ideally for residents within walking distance. Chrismas Lodge is relatively centrally located, and the surrounding roads, alleys and lanes are mostly free from heavy traffic, mainly residential, so are suitable for easy access on foot. A safer situation for the younger members of the community and parents making Chrismas Lodge an ideal place for this form of activity.
   
   
2. Toilet facilities and small visitor centre for the park, its surprising how often this is requested from visitors to the park. Brickfields Country Park has a long history going back several hundred years and was closely connected with the building of Aldershot town from the 1850's on.
   
   
3. Tool storage, meeting and lecture facilities for The Friends of Brickfields Country Park. Like many other groups The Friends only operate with the support of their members, some of whom give their homes for meetings and valuable space for storage, and without their help The Friends could not operate. . Toilet facilities at Chrismas Lodge would enhance the park and help to encourage its greater usage.
   
   
4. Bird watching is already one of the nations favorite past times and still growing, why not adapt the existing balcony for bird watching?. Unfortunately not favourably received by the meeting, this could still provide a useful facility for point 6. and via webcams.
   
   
5. Public wildlife demonstration garden, water tolerant planting schemes. The area of the existing gardens/amenity land is of a sufficient size and with a variety of growing conditions that are very suitable for such an activity. A Rushmoor Borough Council policy, this could be linked to Rushmoor in Bloom.
   
   
6. Environmental education centre. Schools use Brickfields Park for nature study but would benefit from on-site facilities, aids and services. There are 3 schools within walking distance of the Lodge.
   
   
7. Environmental sustainability demonstrator, solar panels, solar hot water, ground source heat pumps, wind generators as demonstrators to the public and linked to a website showing the costs, benefits and drawbacks of such systems. Open to the public, sponsored by manufacturers. Another Government policy, but where do the public get unbiased advice as to what is the best for their investment and what will give a return. Just how much will that energy saving light save you ?, this can be shown in real time.
   
   With the Southern aspect to the Lodge we envisage this one item could make Chrismas Lodge very largely independent of mainstream power services and even generate further income from the sale of surplus power generation. Linked to a website for the Lodge, it will demonstrate the benefits, and disadvantages, of alternative energy sources and be in-line with key Government policy, providing a valuable insight into all aspects of alternative energies accessible by the general public.
   
   
8. Key worker housing, in the upper floors, or in the Northern building. This is another key Government policy which would have multiple benefits for the Trust, be an income stream, lend security to the site, with benefits for key workers. The site is within easy walking distance of main rail connections and bus services.
   
   
9. Meeting rooms for local groups, W.I. Cubs, Scouts, Brownies Etc. etc. There are many local group who currently operate from the generosity of their members, but who could benefit from a base where they could operate from. This together with 3 above will enhance facilities for volunteer groups in the community who provide a valuable resource for the community and Rushmoor Council.
   
   
10. Cyber café. IT systems used for some of these suggestions would have duality of purpose, not only providing a web presence for the Lodge, they could also be used for training purposes. A place for people to meet, chat, a centre point for the local community.
    
    
11. Silver surfer demonstrator, trainer etc, as above, the government want us all to be computer literate, but older generations can find this difficult. Webcams, web phone, a place for the public to contact relatives abroad via video and cheap web phone links, in a world where families are spread far and wide. With on-site assistance and training in this technology for those who find it difficult.
    
    
12. Small wildlife hospital. This has been seriously looked at in the past, but failed as the organization requiring the space failed. There is no such facility locally and with the resurgence of wildlife and global issues this could be another centralised facility in the area, for school visits and those with a care for their wildlife and environment.
    
    
13. An Aldershot Museum, Aldershot has no museum, it does have a military museum with some Aldershot information but it is primarily for the military, and when Project Connaught is finished it will be back in the military part of the district, away from Aldershot centre. Run in concert with the Aldershot Historical Society and other groups, it would serve to group various separated local exhibits within the town. This could form the beginnings of an Aldershot Museum bringing together these dispersed historical resources into a central cohesive exhibit.
    
    
14. Small enterprise offices, low rental, with supplied services. Many business start-ups require office space and services, and operating from home is not always convenient or even legal. We could provide small offices with all services at low rental, a further income stream for the Trust.

The aim of this website is to ensure the continued use of the Chrismas Lodge site for the local community in a way that supports that community and wildlife of Brickfields Park by ensuring all avenues of consultation are explored and examined. Discussion of this website and its aims are open to all and any comment is invited and welcomed, please use this form to contact us.