Civic Centre

[beanzontoast]

I have often wondered about our Civic Centre, it has been built for some time, it has stood the test of time in that it hasn`t fallen down, but what do the people of hartlepool think of it, who designed it, what do people think it looks like from outside, what it cost etc, in posting this on the forum as a discussion it may give an insite as to a process for a building but also give a very good indicator of vision, contempt, or balance, from those who had the input from the design stage to completion.

[Inspector Knacker]

It's days must be numbered as it approaches the magic forty years, which is the going rate for and public building in Hartlepool or so it would appear.... although it does have the benefit of being well maintained, one might even say pampered.
As for 'looks'... it has all the monolithic appeal of a U boat pen, a monument to council vanity, an uninviting place that reminds me of those Norman castles, a visual symbol of their power, never meant to be a welcoming place to the people, on which point it scores highly.

[beanzontoast]

Hi Riddler5,  has it been built for forty years if so was it a labour controlled council then, that would make it 1972. I have a vision of what the civic centre looks like to me i wondered if it was just me or has there been a take over of our hearts and minds starting 40 years ago and many have missed the symbolism. If anyone can expand on time built, or what the Civic Centre looks like to them i would be grateful.

[beanzontoast]

Hi All, is it going to be left to me to answer my own questions, I think so, well looking at it and i have,, from many angles, so just from the front of the building, the bricks are Red nothing wrong with red u might say, ok nothing wrong there then, so from standing tall the sky turns from bright blue to cloudy and the breeze blowing past turns cold, and then to cap it all the rain comes down, I look again at the Civic Centre, the building is the same but is different I look for a flag to reasure, no flag, I know what the building represents and what the flag would look like,and i recall a poem it went something like this.
I didn`t say anything when they came for the children.
I didn`t say anything when they came for the Jews
I didn`t say anything when they came for Democracy
When they came for me there was no-one left to speak for me

  Good luck all you must vote, a lot of good people died in wars, so you could do this dont let them down.

[Not Stephen Hadow]

The usual quote that is similar to the one you give is by Martin Niemöller. The original (January 1946) was supposed to be:

When the Nazis came for the communists,
I remained silent;
I was not a communist.

When they locked up the social democrats,
I remained silent;
I was not a social democrat.

When they came for the trade unionists,
I did not speak out;
I was not a trade unionist.

When they came for the Jews,
I remained silent;
I wasn't a Jew.

When they came for me,
there was no one left to speak out.

However, since almost any group can be inserted into the text there are 100's of variants now in circulation. How about changing the second verse

When they locked up Councillor Lilley,
I remained silent;
I was not a supporter of Putting Hartlepool First.

[beanzontoast]

Thanks N.S.H. that was the quote i meant to use i would have mentioned it was from the author you mention but could not remember his name, so thanks again. Why the problem with jeff lilly, if the problem goes further afield maybe thats why he quietly slipped from an independant to Hartlepool First, if the beard has gone as well he might be doing a George Galloway.

[Lord Elpus]

In answer to BOT's original post, I know 'people' within the Kremlin have looked at it's replacement.  When or where that would be I do not know, however, it is/has being discussed.

[steveL]

"When they locked up Geoff Lilley,
I remained silent
I was not a Ukelele player."

Nope, doesn't have the same ring to it, somehow . . .

[notinshadow]

Hang on guys, we are not talking Nelson Rolihlahla Mandela here but Geoff Lilley invited to pop down the nick.

Come on, he spent 8 hours there.. that's a lay down for the afternoon, a bit of peace and quiet with the interuption of saying no comment now and again.

Lets have it right, he did enough to get his collar felt, as many others had too.
On a forum open to anyone with internet access, he said Marjorie James, a local Labour councillor, fired ping pong ball from her private parts and that a small dog had played it's part too, I think it was.

Of course Marjorie James, who has many friends in the Civic, along with the local police and press, was deeply hurt by the comments and after consulting her Labour pary councillors, contacted the police to have an investigation started into this whole sorry affair.

One thing I noticed though, was at no point did Marjorie James deny what was being said about her.

[steveL]

Let's not go there again - if for no other reason than because I've just had my Sunday dinner . . .

getting back to the Civic. If I remember rightly, it was officially opened by the Queen on her Silver Jubillee in 1977 which makes it about 35 year old. So they have another 5 years before the roof falls in....

I believe it was modelled on one of those pill-boxes found up the North Sands