LET’S turn our parks into a race track for cyclists, because that is what Teignbridge Council’s idea is going to do.

They want to do away with a 72-year-old law that doesn’t allow bicycles to be ridden in the local parks, oh boy will this never end.

Old or disabled people like me use the park in relative safety but allowing bicycles to be ridden in the park will turn it into a race track and somewhere along the line a serious accident will happen.

We have until the 12th to say no way, but keep saying because the council at some stage will have to stop and listen to us. We’ve said NO to the changes proposed for the town centre and NO to the hair-brained scheme for Queen Street, NO to the desecration of the Alexandra.

They say we want to do this or that to the old cinema and then they will drag their heels until it falls into disrepair and then claim it is in a dangerous condition and apply for a demolition order. TDC are building the new cinema for Scotts, and it is an absolutely eyesore. When are they going to listen to us?

The Alex is a focal point to the town, one of its landmarks. It can and should be used for the town’s benefit. Scott Cinemas don’t want it, so TDC are building a flaming four-screen eyesore in the Brickwork Mausoleum, a place that should never have been built. But it was and ripped out the heart of the town, Newton Abbot the historical market town, well, it was until the ’70s.

The draw to the visitors coming to the town, the businesses that thrived was because of the old market and its little streets of cottages, the stalls every Wednesdays and Saturday stalls that sold everything from a piece of lace to a complete dinner service.

In order to take our minds off the proposed town centre fiasco they throw the cyclists using the parks at us. Well TDC bring it on... you might find yourselves with one hell of a fight on your hands because what happens in May?

Torbay are rethinking the pedestrian areas in Paignton none of it wanted but brought in by the council because they said so.

They have had to change their ideas on that, and remember the Pavilion oh yes they wanted to sell the land to build a huge hotel, who claimed to want to use the Pavilion as their reception area.

What a joke, the council would drag its heels on any plans for that place then say it was beyond repair and apply for a demolition order, the local election stopped that, are the bells ringing yet?.

We don’t need the changes TDC are coming up with. We need to encourage more shops, not eateries, or hairdressers and barbers, or offices taking over retail areas, and we most certainly don’t need flats.

Walk through any town and look carefully ground floor retail and upper floors where the shop isn’t big enough to take over the whole building, you will find flats, so when it comes to a large building empty and suitable for many things, and within the main thoroughfare you do not want or need it to be turned completely all floors into flats.

I moved from Torquay where I was born to Kingsteignton in 1962, then into Newton Abbot in 1965 I laughingly tell people I escaped four times but something keeps dragging me back. Newton Abbot is my home.

Now back to the beginning... I walk around Courtenay Park with my friend’s dog George. We enjoy the walk chatting to other people, while George plays and ‘chats’ with other dogs.

I have a walking stick because I am disabled, if I fall over I am in trouble, and to allow cyclists to use the parks will give the green light to some, not all but some, to use it as a race track,

WE DO NOT NEED OR WANT BICYCLES IN ANY OF THE PARKS. End of.