Booker Prize winner Ben Okri was the latest leading literary figure to speak at Canada Water Library.

Ben Okri read passages from Wild – his first collection of poetry in more than a decade. The evening was well attended my local residents as well as fans eager to hear from the celebrated author.

“Canada Water Library is fast becoming one of London’s best known literary hotspots attracting some of the country’s most talented, gifted and popular writers,” says Cllr Veronica Ward, Southwark’s cabinet member for culture.

“The library is very popular with residents in the area and beyond and has had tens of thousands of visitors since it opened last year.”

On Monday Southwark resident Lionel Shriver will be speaking at the library.

On Saturday 2 June residents of Stevenson Crescent and Catlin Street held a street party to celebrate the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee.

“The mood was brilliant and the event went very well thanks to support from housing associations, The Hyde Group, Notting Hill, Hexagon and Housing For Women, along with enthusiastic residents who worked tirelessly to make it fun for everyone,” said Jean Douglas, Hyde’s regeneration coordinator for  Bermondsey Spa.

“Of all the events we have held at Stevenson Crescent, this was the one that brought so many residents out onto the street to join in and get to know each other. It was great to see so many new faces.”

The event saw more than 30 children make bunting and decorations for the gazebo, which Hyde resident, Irene Hurley sewed together. The Pye (Positive Youth Expression) Project provided the music and DJ-ing workshops turning it into a hugely festive occasion which they also videoed.

Resident Sharine Goring said: “I’m so glad so many residents joined in and we’ve been able to see what was just an idea turn into a fabulous event.”

Tracy Berry added: “It was well organised and I’m glad to have been a part of this; we can do more like this.”

Sustrans has reopened the voting to decide who should be depicted alongside Barry Mason (of Southwark Cyclists and Surrey Docks Farm fame) in a new work of public art at South Bermondsey:

  • William Cubitt
  • Sir Michael Caine
  • David Haye
  • Sam King
  • Una Marson
  • Phyllis Pearsall
  • Mary Wollstonecraft

Read SE1’s story from the first round of voting; voting ends Friday 8 June and all other details are the same as before.

Bermondsey and Canada Water stations are among the first 80 London Underground Stations to be fitted with wifi equipment as part of a deal with Virgin Media. The service should be up and running before the start of the Olympic Games at the end of July.

Internet access will be free during the summer; pricing has not yet been announced for the autumn and beyond.

“Our customers will soon be able to connect to the internet for live travel information while they are on the move through stations,” says Gareth Powell, London Underground’s director of strategy and service development.

“Bringing a next generation wifi service to one of the world’s oldest underground transport networks is progressing as planned and the forthcoming service is testing well.

“The first stations include some of our busiest and most well-known destinations and we’re on-track for a successful launch this summer – all delivered at no additional cost to fare payers or taxpayers.”

Parts of Canada Water Station will also be covered by the London Overground’s new wifi service which will be provided by The Cloud.

Our London Assembly member Val Shawcross tabled a question to the Mayor:

Your response to Thames Water’s Phase 2 consultation on the Thames Tunnel indicated your ‘acceptance’ of the use of the Chambers Wharf site, subject to ‘further appropriate work’ and stated your support for the use of Chambers Wharf instead of Kings Stairs Gardens. In a letter to Thames Water dated 27th March you stated that the use of Chambers Wharf was ‘intolerable’ to residents and demanded a reassessment of alternative sites. Please clarify your position on this. Have you withdrawn your consultation response as Mayor in light of your subsequent statements?

Boris Johnson’s response was published this week:

I have not withdrawn my consultation response as this contained a great many generic points relating to the proposals as well as over 200 specific points relating to the numerous proposed construction sites.

It has become clear to me that both the overall cost of the project and the impact at a number of specific sites, Chambers Wharf being one, appeared excessive.

Thames Water has recently published its response to the consultation exercise and I will closely examine the company’s report on the issues raised but I am disappointed that there is not more within it to limit disruption and reduce costs.

Simon Hughes MP was in Southwark Park on Sunday morning as the official starter of the Girls v Boys 5k run which is expected to raise £10,000 for Breast Cancer Campaign.

England rugby sevens star Chris Cracknell and fitness expert Sarah Maxwell captained teams of girls and boys for the fundraising 5k – and also led a warm-up for the 83 charity runners.

Simon Hughes, MP for Bermondsey and Old Southwark, joined in the warm up and said: “I supported, and people ran Girls vs Boys, to remind others that more than half a million people in this country have breast cancer and 12,000 die from breast cancer every year. However by putting money into research there can be cure.

“We came [to Southwark Park] for a positive reason – to reduce the pain, reduce the anxiety and have a better future.”

The close-run race was ultimately won by the girls team who posted an average race time of 32 minutes and 13 seconds compared to the boys’ 37 minutes and 2 seconds.

The Bermondsey Carnival is being held in Southwark Park on Saturday 2 June and Southwark Council is looking for stallholders for the ‘Rumble in the Jubilee Jumble‘ section of the event.

This is a jumble sale on a grand scale to promote the re-use of unwanted items and the council is inviting local groups to apply for stalls.

Stalls are free (subject to £20 refundable deposit) and all stall space must be dedicated to the jumble; no leaflets or promotional material are to be placed on or distributed from the stall.

The deadline for applications is Friday 25 May – details here.

Sellar, the developer responsible for the Shard at London Bridge, has unveiled its early proposals for the redevelopment of the Decathlon and What!!! Stores sites at Canada Water.

At a public exhibition at Canada Water Library the company has set out two options for the development of the site: one featuring a single tall tower surrounded by low-rise buildings and another configuration with two shorter towers.

Sellar plans to incorporate up to 1,000 homes into the development which will include a new Decathlon store and other retail units.

The master plan architects are MacCreanor Lavington and David Chipperfield Architects have also been engaged.

A planning application is likely to be submitted to Southwark Council in late October or early November

More information on the consultation process is available at www.sellarcanadawater.com