History of the Residents Association

The first committee, consisting of 8 women and 3 men, of the Spen Lane Residents Association, was formed in January 1991. A woman chaired the original committee and, apart from one year, u p until 2005 exclusively women have chaired the Association.

Women have played a significant role on the committee since the Associations inception. One member of the Association who was part of the initial committee in 1991, was the chair for several years and only left the committee and area in 2005. As at February 2007, the current Secretary joined the committee in 1992 and the current Treasurer in 1995. All in all, an impressive record of service to the local community.

One of the first actions of the Spen Lane Association in the February of 1991 was to expand its remit to include the West Park area, taking on the official name of the Spen Lane and West Park Residents Association. This remains the name today, the name West Park Residents Association being used solely for brevity.

The Association in recent years, at the request of local residents, has expanded further to include the area south of Kepstorn Road up to the Beckett Park campus. A recent request will take in the houses which border the West Park fields on the Kirkstall side.

Looking back over past minutes many issues in the early 1990's have a resonance today. For instance, there was concern over increasing numbers of vehicles on local roads, traffic rat-running and traffic speed. Another problem was litter from the schools in the area - Lawnswood and the now closed West Park school.

Major issues addressed over the years have included the possible closure of Lawnswood school and the development of the Bodington playing fields. The latter involved a wide spread fund raising campaign and brought together a grouping of 14 local residents associations located around the Bodington playing fields

In West Park, as local residents, we are fortunate to live in an area with so much green space, a wide variety of family housing dating in style from late Victorian, Edwardian to modern day. Finally we are also fortunate to have the willingness of the local residents in working to maintain the character of the area.