Our proposal has two parts
1) to address the ambiance and safety of our high street
2) unite community/business through workshops / exhibition party / street plaque.
The curtilages (land in front of shops) and pavements are in such disrepair that they pose a real danger to pedestrians. Streets no longer feel user friendly and anti-social behaviour is evident along with fly tipping and sticker posting. Our community feel forgotten and left behind as neighbouring boroughs progress with regeneration.
We have secured finance for the trees but need further funds to complete with ArboResin surrounds.
This initiative is needed to effect change in local perception of the High Street, to encourage our community to take a civic pride in our high street, Chamberlayne Rd

Workshops in: art, dance, drama and IT sessions will encourage community spirit. The outcome will be an exhibition of community art, Welcome plaque, the birth of a new Neighbourhood group and safer/greener street scape

What we'll deliver:

• A plaque, to welcome visitors to Kensal Rise
• Art Exhibition Celebration day with a community Street party and Networking Opportunity
• Repaving up to 10 shop front curtilages
• Set up in Kensal Rise a Safer Neighbourhood Group
• Plant over 60 new Street Trees with ArborResin surrounds
• Run 6 art workshops offered to over 16s age group
• Run 6 internet / mobile training session offered to over 65+ age group

Why it's a great idea:

By planting new street trees and repaving the shop front curtilages we will improve the visual environment and help reduce the high levels of pollution, while making our high street easier to navigate by the vulnerable and visually impaired.

The workshops will showcase the local creative potential and give opportunities to those who otherwise would not have had access. The plaque will be a product of the communities' identity of living in Kensal Rise.

The internet and mobile session will give the elderly confidence in communicating with modern technology and bringing them closer to their younger relatives.

Introducing a new Kensal Rise Safer Neighbourhod Group will bring social cohesion and build a new sense of civic pride, responsibility and caring for others.

Steps to get it done:

• Renewing the shop cartilages will be by Brent Council established contractor.
• The Exhibition / Celebration day will be hosted (at a local architecture firm) - a venue on Chamberlayne Road
• The Internet / Mobile sessions will be held at a local IT business on Chamberlayne Road
• Planting street trees and laying the ArboResin base will be carried out by Brent Council.
• The workshops and training sessions will be run by ArtaLike (a local charity)
• This project will engage the local community to form the Safer Neighbourhood Group

This is the starting point for reinventing our Chamberlayne Rd, increasing local shopping by local and semi local people. We will build on this initiative, making our spaces more useable, greener, attractive and at same time nurturing our community
We want to attract passing trade who would otherwise continue on their journey and residents to shop locally when they would have taken their car to shop elsewhere.

With these improvements and engagement, people will take pride and rediscover their local high Street.

Kesnal Rise is the only step free Overground station in this north west locality serving nearby Queens Park, Kensal Green Cemetery, Harrow Rd, Ladbroke Grove, Special Yoga Centre, Lexi cinema and 7 bus routes.

With the pace of life quickening and a widening gap between old and young, rich and poor, comes the threat to community cohesion

Brent has of of the most deprived, unemployed and generally, low skills population of all London boroughs