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Sports planned at Boscombe beach following surf reef opening

12:00pm Sunday 24th January 2010 in


A RANGE of sports-related activities are being lined up for Boscombe sea front following the opening of the artificial surf reef, a meeting heard.

Cabinet member for leisure and tourism, Cllr Anne Filer, said that a government-funded council sports development officer will be organising an activity programme of events and competitions including paddle boarding and volleyball as well as surfing.

The council is also hoping to get permanent volleyball facilities on Boscombe beach and is talking to Volleyball England, the Bournemouth council meeting heard on Tuesday.

Cllr Filer said that on a recent visit to Boscombe beach she noticed that it was “absolutely packed with young people enjoying sports and all sorts of people walking along the beach”.

She added: “The reef has completely revitalised the beach and regenerated the area.”

Cllr Filer added that the reef was unlikely to play a part in the 2012 Olympics as surfing is not an Olympic sport.

Comments(19)

Glashen says...
12:33pm Sun 24 Jan 10

More good news about the revitalized Boscombe Beach and even a picture of a surfer standing up, well almost. The point is that the existing developments should only be seen as a start. These plans are possible now that the area has been cleaned up from the dilapidated mess it was a few years ago. How about a cafe on the end of the Pier a nice flat area looking for a use.

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SFRA says...
12:53pm Sun 24 Jan 10

Before one can move forward somethng needs to be done to bring the Boscombe Pier back into play and making it part of the seen. Regarding Anne Filers report. I was at Boscombe Beach yesterday walking my dog, and I am afraid I did not see much activity, in particular at the Reef end of the beach. We were also under the impression that a report after a year was to be made before opening the reef to the public in general. Lastly regarding the picture, that surely is not at the reef, the wave appears to be on its final roll onto the beach. If stories are going to be reported then get them right, and for once lets have the truth about the failing reef. During the week we had many reports that it was not what it was expected to be, it needed a tweek here and there. Now it is a high flyer in need of other sports to cover it up. Ge real.

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BmthNewshound says...
1:53pm Sun 24 Jan 10

What about the rest of Bournemouth ? Walk along the beach by the West Cliff and Alum Chine and you will also see people, young and old playing games on the beach or going for a walk along the prom. Clearly Ms Filer has difficulty understanding that she is Cabinet member for leisure and tourism for the whole of Bournemouth not just Boscombe or is it that knowing that she is a member of a very unpopular Council she is trying to buy a few votes.

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wickerman says...
2:43pm Sun 24 Jan 10

what about the rest of boscombe. stop setting up half way houses and doss house centres and get rid of the scummy people. too many outsiders from bournemouth who do not care about the area. the place was once one of the nicest areas around and look at it now. this needs to be addressed now before it is a ghetto

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Trifecta says...
3:24pm Sun 24 Jan 10

"Cllr Filer said that on a recent visit to Boscombe beach she noticed that it was “absolutely packed with young people enjoying sports and all sorts of people walking along the beach”.

Many years ago we used to say the words "jib jib" whilst stroking our chins when people made statements like the above. When was your visit Ms.Filer ?

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Emulated says...
4:45pm Sun 24 Jan 10

Glashen wrote:
More good news about the revitalized Boscombe Beach and even a picture of a surfer standing up, well almost. The point is that the existing developments should only be seen as a start. These plans are possible now that the area has been cleaned up from the dilapidated mess it was a few years ago. How about a cafe on the end of the Pier a nice flat area looking for a use.
Where have you been looking? its still a dilapidated mess in the shopping area. Bournemouth itself has gone downhill sice the uni opened. Look at the number of scruffy, dirty poorly maintained houses there are with students as tennants. Filthy windows, paths and drives unswept, overgrown hedges, over run with weeds and litter.

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tt52 says...
4:57pm Sun 24 Jan 10

Oh dear me, whats next a flyby from the red arrows, the coldstream guards or perhaps the surf reefs very own carnival, will the council stop at nothing to save face after conceiving and building this complete pile of dogs dodo and wasteing 3million quid of our money which we will have to repay in higher council tax come April.

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wickerman says...
5:59pm Sun 24 Jan 10

the local surfers have said from the start the reef would not work so why would people in authority not listen to them. they know these waters better than the so called experts and im sure would have saved a lot of money.

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R1200RT says...
6:48pm Sun 24 Jan 10

Sports related activities at Boscombe. Dodge the big issue seller, run away from the abusive beggar, surf unrideable waves, syringe slalom. The basics are already there.

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Syd Poumen says...
7:02pm Sun 24 Jan 10

Can't wait for the water boarding; we have some great Bournemouth contestants who could be lined up for that! That should draw even bigger crowds to Boscombe Beach.

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reechwa says...
7:48pm Sun 24 Jan 10

More spin from the fakes. How about getting Barratt homes to bring down the level of their building it contravenes planning permission. One rule for the **** fans another for the people. The likes of the Council Leader (****) the Planning Director (Conflict of interest) and local MP Tobias (I want you the taxpayer to do up my flat and dress and feed me) sack the lot of em. How do they get any press?

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tt52 says...
8:00pm Sun 24 Jan 10

Syd Poumen wrote:
Can't wait for the water boarding; we have some great Bournemouth contestants who could be lined up for that! That should draw even bigger crowds to Boscombe Beach.
What 3 people on boscombe beach, how will we cope

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yankee says...
9:05pm Sun 24 Jan 10

Isn't waterboarding the official sport at Guantanamo Bay??!!!!!!

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eyesropen says...
10:46pm Sun 24 Jan 10

Word on the street is the council are sacking all their own sports development staff. Lets hope the government funded sports development officer is funded for a long time or else all these promised activities are going to be short lived.

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Bob49 says...
11:10pm Sun 24 Jan 10

What absolute nonsense Anne Filer spouts. When was this supposed visit? It jas been sub zero temperatures for the past month or so. Since the clocks went back it is dark before any young people could get out of school or work. However her vacuous twaddle does beg a couple of questions. If the beach is so busy why does it need an outside organiser ? If it does need an organiser why was this not foreseen (and budgeted for) then paid for by the money from the sale of the land ? The idea of volleyball merely confirms how clueless this woman is. Since the beach was covered with stones it is not a suitable or safe place to play volleyball or other organised beach games.

As to Glashen's rather silly remarks about this being a start he/she blindly ignores that this is actually the end. An abject failure. A need to tout for outside help and finance proves that. The idea of the cafe mentioned is not an option or a good idea. It WAS part of the original plans and we were told that along with upmarket shops it would be built on the end of the pier. Completion sometime in 2007 ! Why has neither been built and where has the money gone that supposedly was allocated for these outlets ? We have been conned - and bit by bit, day by day it becomes more apparent.

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rainbowkisses says...
12:30am Mon 25 Jan 10

Cllr Filer said that on a recent visit to Boscombe beach she noticed that it was “absolutely packed with young people enjoying sports and all sorts of people walking along the beach”.

She added: “The reef has completely revitalised the beach and regenerated the area.”

You really are a muppet woman. Do you really think that people believe your lies? The sooner you are voted out and somebody honest gets in the better, you are a disgrace to Bournemouth.

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Was Charlie says...
8:49am Mon 25 Jan 10

"Cllr Filer added that the reef was unlikely to play a part in the 2012 Olympics as surfing is not an Olympic sport."
That's got to bethe comedy comments of the the millenium. Just what is this woman looking at? Olympic venues have to be guaranteed to be useable and world class - the reef certainly isn't either.

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Leonard Lodger says...
1:27pm Mon 25 Jan 10

Yipeeee!

May I suggest a few sports for this years Boscombe Beach events.

1. Hurdle.
Get to the sea without stepping on the sand. You start at the pier and work your way to the water only being allowed to stand on a dosser or fag smoking teenage mother.
2. 100Mt Dash.
Similar to the above rules but only allowed to stand on a Special Brew can, Plastic Cider bottles don't count.
3. Shot Put.
Throw large lead weights at the public from the pier, also known as fishing.
4. Water Sports.
Weight a problem (thats size not Dave), No worries, don a tight fitting wetsuit, preferably 10 sizes too small, sit astride a surfboard doing beached whale impressions and wait for the Japanese fishing fleet to turn up.
5. Greasy Pole.
Watch local officials withdraw comments on how this event will be promoted by the sports council ending up as no more than a sand castle competition judged by Fred Dineage (who fails to turn up owing to wind v comb-over issues).
6. A Surf Contest on The Reef.
This event will be announced and cancelled over 26 weekends due to lack of surf.
7. Ostrich Competition.
This event is open to local council members and employees only should they wish to enter. I think you know how it works, head and sand, need I say more.

Oh well, at least your tried.

Leonard Lodger. Chairman of the Boscombe Waterboarding Association, Boscombe Bournemouth

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Bob49 says...
2:31pm Mon 25 Jan 10

Perhaps Anne Filer could tell us exactly when this visit of hers occured. I'm sure she is all for accountability and transparency - more so with elections up and coming. Maybe the Echo could ask her on our behalf.

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