Susan Collman, of Beechwood Avenue, Newton Abbot, writes:

I am sure that our town councillors work very hard for Newton Abbot and want it to thrive and be a pleasant place in which we all live.

In straitened times such as we now find ourselves, we need to be creative thinkers, to use imagination, so that our dreams can be realised without large capital expenditure on schemes which do not require it.

I have long thought something more could be done with the little riverside space called Victoria Gardens: that it should be a small haven within our urban townscape where one can withdraw temporarily from the noise of everyday life to enter an oasis.

The realisation of this particular dream would not cost a lot of money.

There are trees, bushes and grass areas here already. The Lemon is overhung by a graceful sycamore tree with rowan trees nearby, and one can occasionally see ducks, grey wagtails and even a kingfisher on this little stretch of the river. There is a small wonderfully scented tree (flowering now) among the bushes and the three acers will soon bring pleasure with their glowing auburn autumn colour.

With imaginative plantings of appropriate trees and bushes to bring colour and fragrance to this area (especially ensuring the screening of Victoria Place at the town end), and with seats and tables strategically placed, Victoria Gardens would become a welcoming, quiet sanctuary to be shared by wildlife and people alike.

Let us bring the calming and restorative qualities of nature right to the heart of our town. It is not too late to show that paying less actually gains us more!THIS AND OTHER LETTERS IN OUR DIGITAL EDITION