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In November
2009, Clarity were appointed by Gravesham Borough Council to produce
an interpretation and community engagement plan for a very special
site on the River Thames. The Riverside Leisure Area in Gravesend
packs a lot of historic features into a small space.
At New Tavern
Fort visitors can see a unique sequence of armaments which tell
the story of a centuries old arms race with the French. Within
the Fort stands Milton Chantry, Gravesend's oldest building. Visitors
can also enjoy the ornamental spleadour of Gordon Gardens, created
as a memorial to military hero and local philanthropist General
Charles Gordon. But perhaps the main attraction is the Thames
itself - still a busy working river which has been a gateway to
the world for hundreds of years.
We have put the
river at the centre of the picture in our plan, which is now at
the draft stage. Along the way we interviewed 150 visitors to
inform our decision making, consulted with many community groups,
and looked at issues as diverse as the shoreline wildlife and
the 2012 Olympics.
The detail of
our recommendations is still under wraps, but we can say that
we are particularly excited about how mobile phone technology
might be used by future visitors and how much potential there
is for staging community events here.
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