Cycle path to link east and west?

Plugging the gap: cycleway to connect Leith Walk and Roseburn

The Council is to begin consultation on proposals for a major cycle route linking the east to the west of the city. If approved by councillors next week, plans for a ‘family-friendly’ cycleway between Roseburn and Leith Walk will be put to the public for comment.

On Tuesday, the Transport and Environment Committee will consider proposals to consult on the suggested route, which runs through the city centre via George Street. The high quality cycleway, which includes sections of segregated lanes on main streets, would plug a gap in the cycle network and link to the city’s off-road paths.

Transport Convener, Councillor Lesley Hinds, said: “This route is key to our commitment to ensure safe and easy cycling across the city, and will provide an essential link to our extensive network of routes. I look forward to hearing what the public think of our proposals and would encourage anyone interested to submit their feedback.”

Proposals for the route follow a series of workshops with stakeholders, including community members, cycling groups and businesses, as well as engagement with the city’s Transport andActive Travel forums.

Aiming to provide safer, more direct access by bike to key destinations around Edinburgh, the project would also deliver improvements to the street environment for other users, particularly pedestrians.

Project consultants predict an increase of approximately 90% in cycle use in the corridor served by the route, amounting to a 16% increase in overall cycle use in the city if it was delivered.

Work is currently underway to investigate funding options for the scheme, which would tie into several other major projects including Leith Walk improvements, the ‘remodelling’ of Picardy Place and George Street public realm improvements.

It is now proposed to undertake a full public consultation on the plan, which would encompass a series of drop in sessions at venues along the route, briefings to various groups and an online survey.

You can find out more about the Roseburn to Leith Walk cycle route on the Council website. Plans for the consultation will follow approval of the suggested route by Transport and Environment Committee.

CYCLING: Survey shows Ministers are out of step, says Johnstone

Alison Johnstone MSP, health spokesperson for the Scottish Greens, says new research by transport charity Sustrans shows how out of step Scottish ministers are with the public desire for investment in cycling and walking infrastructure. The Green MSP (above) is calling for ‘a transformation’.

The survey of 11,000 people across UK cities including Edinburgh shows 75 per cent want more money invested.

Alison Johnstone, Scottish Green MSP for Lothian and co-convener of Holyrood’s cross-party group on cycling, said: “Public demand for investment in cycling and walking infrastructure in Scotland is clear, with massive events such as Pedal on Parliament. Actions speak louder than words and despite plentiful evidence of the huge benefits for our health, Scottish ministers still spend less than 2 per cent of their £2billion transport budget on cycling and walking.

“The Scottish Government clearly doesn’t see transport as a social justice issue and simply isn’t investing meaningfully to support those who either can’t afford to drive or prefer not to. By giving priority to cycling and walking we can improve our health, our air quality, boost local businesses and support tourism.

“I led Holyrood’s first debate on this issue, with the parliament agreeing that every child in Scotland should have the opportunity of on-road cycle training by 2015, yet to date only a third of schools have delivered such training. Parliament also reaffirmed the Scottish Government’s target of 10 per cent of journeys by bike by 2020, yet we’re still at only 1 per cent. We need a transformation.”

£eith Decides! Applications open this weekend

Leith Neighbourhood Partnership will soon invite local community projects to apply for funding from a pot of more than £22,000 as part of one of the longest running participatory budgeting projects in the UK.

Now in its sixth year, £eith Decides allows groups to apply for grants of up to £1,000 each, to be spent on projects that benefit the local community.

This year’s application period is open from 11am this Saturday (24 October) until 5pm on Wednesday 18 November. A Steering Group made up of local people considers all applications to make sure that they meet the criteria.

A special event will then take place in February 2016, at which members of the public will get the chance to talk to applicants and learn about their projects. Local people aged eight and over who live, work, study or volunteer in Leith are then invited to vote on which projects they would most like to see receive the money.

The Citadel Arts Group, a charity which works with older people to express their creativity through living memory and drama projects has had repeat success with £eith Decides and is a great example of what the funding can do for community groups. They first approached £eith Decides in 2012 for funding to help four pupils from St Mary’s Primary perform a community play on healthy eating written by one of the their older members.

Liz Hare from Citadel Arts Group said: “We have benefited greatly from £eith Decides, both in terms of the funding and also the networking on the voting days which has created two great projects. We have twice successfully applied to £eith Decides for funding to continue the club and enable the young people to perform at Leith Festival in 2014 and 2015. We are thankful to £eith Decides and the people of Leith, not just for the money but also for the chances to network and grow our group in exciting new directions.”

Potential applicants are invited to an information session at 11am on Saturday 24 October at McDonald Road Library, where advice will be available on eligibility criteria and how to apply.

Councillor Maureen Child, Convener of the Communities and Neighbourhoods Committee at the City of Edinburgh Council, said: “£eith Decides continues to be exceedingly popular. Twenty five projects received awards in 2015 supporting a range of activities including English classes, art workshops, purchase of sports equipment, and the delivery of outdoor activities.

“As it is now in its sixth year, it has been fantastic to see the results from past recipients. All these worthwhile projects that have benefited from the scheme have made a difference to people in the community.

“February’s public event, which will be held as part of the process, will give community groups the opportunity to raise awareness about their work too. Neighbourhood Partnership events like this are valued by people who welcome the opportunity to make decisions about the area in which they live.”

For up-to-date information about £eith Decides visit the Facebook page –www.facebook.com/voteforleithdecides and the webpage at www.edinburghnp.org.uk/leith.

Walled Garden: day of action

A reminder that tomorrow afternoon (Friday 23 October) we have a day of outdoor action planned between 2 – 5pm (writes Kirsty Sutherland).

Thanks to the support from Historic Environment Scotland and the Scotland’s Urban Past team ,we are having a gathering arranged tomorrow outside the walled garden to do some surveying and mapping of the area.

Scotland’s Urban Past

We can find the spot where a 2nd century Roman find was made and where the old castle once stood.

GPS mapping techniques will be shown to a group of the members.
A gazebo with a display of our sustainable gardening ideas , fliers, old pictures of the garden and grounds (depending on the wind!)

About 14 people so far want to take part in the training, and this would be an ideal day to come along and find out where the garden is!

Meet some of the Friends Group members who have been actively campaigning to Save Granton’s ‘forgotten’ Walled Garden.
Find out where the new door and steps could go in.
Ask questions, add ideas!

A wee treasure map is attached (below) if you don’t know where the walled garden is. The ‘green bit’ with the cycletrack is where we are gathering tomorrow afternoon.

granton_gisDD

Trinity CC: October report

Trinity CC met on 12 October. Here are the main points:

Police Report

Few can be unaware of the recent spate of housebreakings with 12 attempted and 6 actual break-ins in the last month. One was successfully detected and police hope that this will help resolve others. Police presence has been increased but the fact remains that with darker nights and Christmas approaching, the next 3 months are likely to see an increase in burglaries from homes and garages. Bikes and cars are favourite targets. Think security! There’s plenty we can do to help ourselves. Check out

http://www.ourwatch.org.uk/safety_advice/our_guide_to_crime_prevention_safety_advice/

You can also request an individual Home Assessment by phoning 101.

Particularly disturbing was the robbery of A&A Newsagents convenience store at the corner of S Trinity Rd and E Trinity Rd. This is still under investigation and if you have any knowledge of anything unusual whatsoever on that day, the police would be delighted to hear from you. Happily, Joe seems to be fully recovered from his ordeal. We send our best wishes.

Aside from robberies there was a suspicious incident in Victoria Park when a child was approached and there has also been a rash of incidents across North Edinburgh involving youths on motorbikes, notably on the cycle paths and Granton Road.

Second Waterfront Regeneration Conference

This took place on 30 September chaired by Cllr Day, bringing together landowners, developers, CEC staff, residents and their representatives, including Trinity CC. With 5 separate developments in the area bounded by Marine Drive, W Granton Rd and Granton Square, Trinity’s immediate interest is in Granton Harbour but what happens to the west will also affect us. It is clear that extensive development will take place. Our interest is to encourage that to be sensitive to the surrounding area and its history as well as delivering high quality living space and improving amenity. Some highlights:

The developer has ambitious plans for Granton Harbour but has challenges getting them off the drawing board. Trinity CC will continue to watch closely to see that delivery lives up to promises and that the impact on local traffic is considered.
 EDI/Waterfront Edinburgh Ltd planning 550 homes and 9000sq ft of commercial space on some land remaining in WEL ownership.
 A development strategy for North Shore, West Harbour Road and Lower Strand is being prepared.
 Retail and leisure complex planned for an area known as Madelvic 9
 Plans in hand to use Madelvic House as a community arts hub.
 National Galleries/Museums progressing plans for a national collections facility some of which will be open to the public.
 The future of the gasometer still under discussion. Decontamination estimated at £10 – £15M. Retention will restrict nearby development as a safe “fall zone” would be required.
 Plans for the area around Caroline House, including the Mediaeval Garden and the putative “Granton-by-the-sea” are under review.

Want to help regeneration?

Idea 1: Exhibition called “Made in Granton” at Madelvic House on 24 October (11am. – 2.30pm) (above) focusing on local manufacturing history and looking for ideas about how to use the building as an arts hub. Why not go along and contribute?

Idea 2: Granton Improvement Society are bidding for Lottery funding to develop their plans. An easy way to help is simply to go online and “like” their Facebook page.

SOUTH EAST SCOTLAND STRATEGIC PLAN (SESplan)

Consultation on the Major Issues for this closed on 30 September. Trinity CC submitted a detailed response to all 27 Questions but our main themes were:

Inadequate east-west traffic planning for North Edinburgh
Importance of reinforcing alternative east-west routes (notably City Bypass)
Insufficient consideration of the Firth of Forth as an amenity and potential for transit routes to/from Fife
Validity of the underlying economic assumptions
Needs more emphasis on quality of place for living in including integrated design of green networks at the outset.

Goldenacre Planters

It had been hoped that RBS might sponsor planters in recognition of the years when the Goldenacre branch was open but this now appears to be receding. But we have located some second hand planters from CEC Parks Dept and now hope to set up maintenance arrangements using local volunteers. Would you be interested? Do get in touch if so.

Planning Matters

The application to sell cars from 144 Newhaven Rd has been resurrected and we have resurrected our objections. A CEC hearing was scheduled but the applicant was not present, asking instead through his solicitor that the hearing be postponed. This was granted but only after we had given our time and evidence. We are very concerned about the implications that this raises for how planning applications are conducted. Next hearing is scheduled for 13 November.

Application for a house + annexe at 7a Boswall Road withdrawn.

Chargeable Parking Hours

CEC has initiated a consultation on extending parking charges into late evening and over weekends. Will this affect you? Give your views direct at: http://www.edinburgh.gov.uk/news/article/1928/have_your_say_on_citys_parking_action_plan_proposals

Want to know more about St Columba’s?

Hospice will have an Open Day on 30 October (10am – 4pm) – see below.

Much more at our next meeting on

Monday 9 November at 7 pm in Wardie Parish Church, Primrose Bank Road.

Open to all. Come along and give us your thoughts. We need to know them so that we can represent them!

Did you find this bulletin useful or informative? If so, why not show it to a neighbour? Anyone in Trinity can subscribe to the bulletin simply by emailing tcc-comms@outlook.com or drop us a line and tell us what you think could be better.

Taste of success: College cookery students share their wares instore

Cookery students help make Aldi opening event taste great

Edinburgh College Professional Cookery students gave customers at the new Aldi store in Tranent a taste of the skills they have picked up on their course at the shop’s opening day event.

The students braved the cold October weather to prepare tasters of recipes they had prepared using Aldi products. Customers were delighted to sample butternut squash soup, chocolate tarts, tandoori salmon with naan bread, and beef tagliata, and snapped up recipe cards to use at home.

The students demonstrated their preparation techniques when dishing the recipes and walked around the store to serve tasters to customers. This is the second store opening the students have attended, following the opening of the Cowdenbeath store last month, and gave them great practical experience and the chance to engage directly with customers and hear their positive feedback.

The five students are all studying SVQ Level 2 Professional Cookery at the college. Their course prepares them for working in the professional cookery industry by pairing training in food preparation and restaurant service. Students use these skills working in the college’s Granton Campus canteen and the two training restaurants, The Apprentice and eh15.

Student Kerry Robertson said: “This has been a really great opportunity to work and show off what we’ve learned on our course. I don’t have a job in the catering industry yet, so events like these give me the experience I need to take to future employers. I’ve been serving the samples to the customers today and had some really nice comments.”

Lecturers Chris Cockburn and George Baker accompanied the students. George said “We’re really grateful to Aldi for giving us the opportunity to help out with their store opening. It’s valuable for us as a college and for the students, as it lets people know just how high quality our students and teaching are.”

Pictured: Professional Cookery students James Baigan, Alastair MacKay, Alannah Ramsay, Douglas McGovern and Kerry Robertson outside the new Aldi store.

Early Years Centres bring books to life!

Granton and Craigroyston Early Years Centres ‘brought books to life’ at Royston Wardieburn Community Centre this morning – and top children’s author and illustrator Nick Sharratt joined in the fun and spread some magic too!

‘Bring Books to Life’ aims to excite imaginations and encourage parents to
read and explore books with their children. Accessibility to books in early
years significantly boosts literacy, emotional wellbeing and helps children to
thrive in later life. Reading is the key to a child’s future: it unlocks their potential and opens up a world filled with possibilities and, for our poorest children, reading well can be their best route out of poverty. It was heartening, then, too see such a great attendance of parents, carers and children at the Royston Wardieburn event.

Books can be truly magical things. Above all, reading stories should be FUN, and Nick Sharratt’s visit ensured it was fun all the way!

Nick, author of best-selling children’s books ‘Shark in the Park’, ‘Ketchup on your Cornflakes’ and ‘The Foggy Foggy Forest’ read from his books and took part in a drawing session with the children at the event – and the kids loved it!

We knew a lot about Londoner Nick before his visit. He’s illustrated close to 250 books, ranging from board books for babies to novels for young teenagers. He’s worked with authors including Julia Donaldson, Jeremy Strong, Michael Rosen, Giles Andreae, Kaye Umansky, Kes Gray and Dame Jacqueline Wilson and he’s also written around 40 of his own books, quite a number of which have won awards.

He was the official illustrator for World Book Day in 2006, he’s the proud owner of a gold Blue Peter badge and he now lives in Edinburgh. And we learned today that Nick loves cheese and lime pickle sandwiches!

So we all learned something new today – reading, fun and learning really do go together!

Lots more pictures on our Facebook page!

Work-shy scroungers or ordinary people who need our support? Tell Your Story

Cyrenians launch TELL YOUR STORY campaign

More than a quarter of Scots believe poverty is a result of laziness according to a new poll published by a Scottish charity seeking to challenge public perceptions of those in need.

The poll, commissioned by Cyrenians as part of their newly-launched “Tell Your Story” campaign aimed at changing public perceptions of those living in poverty, found that 28% believed poverty was a result of laziness on the part of those living in poverty. 24% believed a lack of willpower was another contributory factor to people living in poverty

The study found that the majority of Scots think that unemployment (76%), addiction (59%) and family circumstances (56%) are main causes of poverty.

Scottish people believe early intervention and working with those most at risk, along with providing more jobs, are the best ways to reduce poverty, with only a tiny minority backing reductions in benefits.

The poll found that Scots believed providing jobs (59%), working with families at risk of poverty (58%), early intervention (53%) and providing education (51%) were the best ways the Government should help those living in poverty in Scotland; with only a tiny minority (6%) believing cutting benefits would do so.

In order to tackle poverty, Cyrenians aim over the next five years to increase the number of people they support annually from 4400 to 6000 people in a major expansion of their work in Scotland as they respond to a rise in demand from those who feel excluded from family, home, work or community. These interventions include:

Conflict Resolution, Mediation and Support for Families – Cyrenians worked with over 1400 families and young people to resolve issues, repair relationships and increase confidence in dealing with conflict.
Addictions – Cyrenians peer-led recovery service supported 650 people on their journey away from addiction
Homeless Prevention – advice and support, helping people to keep their homes. 87% of 630 customers last year said Cyrenians helped them avoid homelessness
Work and Skills – changing lives by bring people and employers together. Last year Cyrenians supported over 1200 clients into employment, training or work experience.
Good Food – sharing food that would otherwise go to waste. At present Cyrenians provide food to 2,000 vulnerable people each week, along with 180 cooking and budgeting classes per year.

The leaders of Scotland’s five main political parties, along with major celebrities such as Irvine Welsh, Mark Greenaway, Brian Cox, Grant Stott, Bill Paterson and Mark Cousins have backed Cyrenians call for people to tell their own personal story to remind us that everyone has a past, a present and a future. Cyrenians aim is to shine a light on the different ways anyone can find themselves in poverty in order to change public perceptions of those in need.

To encourage others to tell their story, Cyrenians has published a series of case studies of people they have worked with and who, for a variety of reasons, have been excluded and fallen in to different types of poverty, only to turn their lives around with help from the innovative work of the charity.

Announcing the expansion at an event with award-winning TV chef, Mark Greenaway, at Cyrenians Good Food depot in Edinburgh, Cyrenians Chief Executive Ewan Aitken, said: “The Scottish public clearly believe that the type of support provided by Cyrenians, such as working with people in danger of becoming excluded from their family or home at an early stage and working with those most at risk, are the best ways to reduce poverty rather than blunt financial instruments or stigmatising language. We want to build on that and challenge any perception amongst the public that those in poverty are only there through laziness or lack of willpower.

“Politicians, along with the rest of society, must stand-up and tackle the causes of poverty and change public perceptions. To do that we must work to prevent people from feeling excluded from family, home, work or the wider community. Through our own stories and those of people we support, as well as they services we provide, we can achieve that change.

“We should remember that we all have a past, a present and a future, so we are urging people to come forward and, please: TELL YOUR STORY.”

PEEP at West Pilton

New PEEP group starts at West Pilton on Monday

PEEP supports parents and children to learn together, and there’s a new weekly group starting in West Pilton next week.

Join the PEEP group at West Pilton Neighbourhood Centre on Monday from 9am – activities, singing, rhymes, snacks and much, much more!

See flyer (below) for more info or telephone 551 3194

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Stepping Stones AGM

Steeping Stones North Edinburgh

ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING

Join us at Muirhouse Millennium Community Centre

Thursday 29 October 12:30pm

RSVP:

10 Wardieburn Road, Edinburgh

Telephone 551 1632

Email: info@steppingstonesnorthedinburgh.co.uk

AGM poster 2015 (1)

New arts initiative to launch in Granton

Lord Provost to open Made in Granton exhibition

Council-owned property development and investment business The EDI Group (www.edigroup.co.uk) is to support support a new programme of arts initiatives based at Madelvic House in Granton (above).

The series of events organised by granton:hub@The Madelvic will officially launch this Saturday with the ‘Made in Granton’ exhibition, showcasing the history of the local area. Forth Neighbourhood Partnership is also supporting the exhibition.

Madelvic House will host a series of pop up events over the next six months organised by the granton:hub group. The focus of the initiative is to test out ideas in the community with the view to securing long term use of the building for a community arts hub.

If successful in receiving approval from EDI, the group propose to use the ground floor of the building to house a number of artists’ studios, café and a flexible space which will be used for events such as temporary exhibitions and workshops.

The programme launch and local history exhibition ‘Made in Granton’ is open to all and will take place on:

Saturday 24 October

11:00am to 2:30pm

at Madelvic House

More events to look forward to at Madelvic House include:

28 & 29 November: ‘Re:See It’ An art exhibition focuing on positive artistic perceptions on environmental sustainability and climate change, showcasing artists from St. Margaret’s House Studio’s and members of Creative Carbon Scotland/Green Arts Initiative Edinburgh.

19 December: ‘Lantern Storytelling’ Display of lanterns made by local schoolchildren with Janis Hart.

30 January 2016: ‘The Embassy Cinema’ Film screening in conjunction with Screen Education Edinburgh and Take one Action to show a series of short films.

27 February: ‘New Life from Old’ The event will include stalls selling upcycled products and workshops on repair/remaking goods from recycled materials.

25 – 27 March: ‘Art in Granton’ This event will promote Madelvic House as an exhibition and artist space.

Denise Havard, Community Development Manager at EDI, said “We are pleased to support the granton:hub and its programme of arts initiatives and we look forward to receiving their business plan outlining their proposals for future use of the building. Ensuring that community initiatives are supported in the area where EDI are working is key for our wider regeneration plans.”

Demand for a community art space in Granton was identified at an open day in May where local residents put forward their ideas for using Madelvic House. The granton:hub is a group of largely local residents of Granton and surrounding areas with a vision to create a community-led initiative using space at Madelvic House.

Louise Knight, spokesperson for the granton:hub, said: “We are very grateful for EDI’s support with our programme of events at Madelvic House. We’re really pleased that EDI shares our vision for community initiatives which bring people together and offering locally based activities.”

Madelvic House is located on Granton Park Avenue in Granton and was originally built as the offices of the Madelvic Carriage Company. The Madelvic Carriage Company Limited was formed in Edinburgh in 1898 producing electric vehicles and built the first purpose built car factory in Britain. The red sandstone, two storey building is currently owned by Waterfront Edinburgh Ltd and managed as a multi-let office space.

EDI is working with adjoining landowners to deliver a number of major developents as part of its regeneration of Granton, including a new Collections Facility for National Galleries, retail and leisure opportunities along with residential.

If you’d like to get involved with the granton:hub group, or you’d like to find out more, contact Louise Knight: louiseesknight@gmail.com