Not just a car park

1:58pm Friday 30th May 2008

IT'S hard to understand how a few square metres of asphalt has had such a pivotal role to play in the modern history of Richmond.

The Yorke Square car park, near the town's riverside, has been such a controversial issue it has, indirectly, led to the departure of council officials and the restructuring of the local authority's senior management because of arguments about its future.

Four years ago, its potential to the district council as a valuable development site represented the blue touchpaper to a dispute which, when taking into account all the fallout, spilt the authority during a period of unprecedented turmoil, and which ultimately led to the departure of the council's chief executive and other senior officers.

Yorke Square is now safe from development and the debate has moved on to what can be done to make the most of what is, for a large part of the year, an under-utilised asset.

Next month, townsfolk have they opportunity to have their say about what should be done with it, specifically what should be done to make the best of what some believe has great potential to attract more visitors to Richmond's riverside - an aspect of the town many visitors are unaware of if they don't stray far from the market square.

It is to be hoped those from Richmond and from outside the town make the effort to visit the exhibition and make their views known.