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"It was the best of times, and the worst of times..."
So starts a famous novel, and it might well apply to Downham today. A quick
glance through the photo gallery will show the good,
the bad and the ugly aspects of the area.
On the one
hand, there are healthy signs of growth and confidence: new shops, a Theatre
school opening, affordable and comfortable homes, many houses being renovated
and improved; investment from local and central governement, Downham Pride, a
brand new Downham Tavern, failing schools being turned around, Woolworths rising
phoenix-like from the ashes, and perhaps the ultimate contemporary icon arriving
on the scene: McDonalds. (I know some people would have put McDonalds in the
negative section...!)
On the
other hand, petty crime, drugs, graffiti, and a sense of lack of purpose for
children and youth can seem all too prevalent, and people living in Downham
often speak of a feeling of being a forgotten corner of Lewisham and an unwanted
corner of Bromley. The closure of the swimming baths perhaps typifies the sense
of frustration: it was a well-used, valuable local resource, and residents can
feel powerless to influence the powers that be to replace it.
The reality is perhaps somewhere in-between: there are certainly problems,
but equally there is every reason to be optimistic and hopeful, and one aim of
this website is to emphasise the positive, and to encourage individuals and
groups to take an active part in the community. There are many ways to get
involved, whether it's through a local church,
club or society, whether it's by lobbying councillors
and MP's for action, or whether it's by taking some positive action in
cleaning up some graffiti, or checking up on an elderly neighbour.
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Send any comments about this site to enquiries@downhamonline.org.uk
This page last updated
12 October 2005