Community Assets Affected by Arson

Busy day doing "family stuff" today. Getting things done around the house this morning, then off to visit relatives for lunch, a nice walk with the dog and some Christmas tree decorating.  Lovely day.

Toad Hall Nursery before the fire
that seriously damaged the roof

Then during the drive back early this evening I saw the dreadful news of a fire at Toad Hall nursery in Goldsworth Park.  The nursery occupies the same building as Goldwater Lodge, the community building that sits at the edge of the Goldsworth Park lake.  I was at Goldwater Lodge for a community association meeting on Thursday last week.  The association, although reporting some minor vandalism on the building, was saying how much the situation had improved in recent years with regular and effective policing in the area.  Now it would appear a criminal act has destroyed the roof of the nursery and caused slight smoke and water damage to the community halls.

This is likely to have a terrible impact on the nursery, the business, parents losing their childcare and the children missing out on their time at nursery.  The nursery has places for 109 children so this is a huge impact locally.

Worst of all this is not the first fire to affect community facilities in recent weeks.  Sometime over the weekend of 17/18 November fire destroyed the roof of a roundhouse constructed at the Sayers Croft education centre down in Cranleigh.  This is a residential centre that caters for many Surrey schools.  I know Horsell Junior children use this facility and my daughter is one of many who have had a great time there on a school trip.

On the same weekend Mayford Village Hall was badly damaged by another suspicious blaze.  This is another important community facility which has a pre-school and is booked for events such as meetings and children's parties.  The good news is that part of Mayford Village Hall should be open for business again from 10 December but much work is needed to repair the damaged part of the building.

I'm sure the police are taking appropriate action and working hard to catch those who have committed these acts.  Let's hope police are able to bring the perpetrators to book before any more damage is done to community assets.