May 2016 Update

Keeping residents informed about what is happening re the Square’s upkeep and activities is always a challenge Here is our best effort for May 2016.

The DSRA (Dalston Residents Association) was established in the early days back in 2011 when the Square’s “Phase 1’ buildings were being completed.

In the face of a) Barratt’s many building glitches and b) Consort’s ( now First Port) indifferent service,  a ‘Buildings Committee’ was set up to make sure  these companies

were held to account.  We also have a ‘Finance Committee’ which meets three times a year to go through First Ports expenditure on our buildings and on the level of our Service Charges. We need new members for this. If you are interested contact the Residents association via the email address given on this site or by paper message in the Residents Association letter box in Gaumont Tower lobby. (Below box 69)

In the early days we also had a Social Committee (for residents’ parties) .

Finally at the request of Hackney Council, a Cultural Committee was established to recommend and plan events in the Square.  New members are needed for this committee too.

Only the Buildings and Finance committee remains active. Now and again some of the more active members of the DSRA organise a roof top party or a Christmas get together. Always a good way to get to know your neighbours!

So what current news from the Buildings Committee?  

Next meeting May 27^th 10 am come and join us in CLR James Library Mtg. Rm.

We have achieved so much over the years and the list would take up many pages!

Just now we are dealing with a few hard nuts that have survived on our ‘to do’ list chasing ( with very slow success) Barratts for a proper restaurant smoke extraction system to be installed in phase 1. The kitchen smoke from Le Ziz restaurant in particular, although better when the management cleans its filters, is particularly bad when it seeps into the corridor, gym and lobbies.  Barratt promise us that they are submitting a fresh application for planning consent to the Council for ducting to above rooftop level.

This committee also covers issues related to cleaning and maintenance and we work closely with Gerald Bernard the site manager to make sure quality is maintained.

Maintenance of the Square. Hackney Council.  We have tried to influence the nature of the commercial use of the Square and have called for less chain restaurants and more authentic and locally owned. With mixed success it has to be said!

We find that while the street cleaning (litter etc.) is good, maintenance of the green spaces has been lacking. We are pressing Hackney Council for clarification of the ‘maintenance plan’ for the Square, this has been remarkably slow in coming, however the gardening service do seem to have improved in the past year.

We have also been asking the Council to help us reduce the skateboarding problem- a controversial issue for some, who think the Square should allow for this activity.  No skateboarding signs are going up soon. We hope they won’t look too negative but understand that residents whose flats overlook the Square at low-level are disturbed by the repeated sounds of small wheels on hard paving reverberating off our buildings.

There is more, but this is probably more than enough for the average reader!

Our main aim is to enjoy living in the Square. By taking an active part in the decision-making about the space we live in, we hope to keep up its quality and build sense of a sharing community.

Want to help us? Get in touch via this website.