Author: davepickering

Edinburgh reporter and photographer

Just capital! City to invest £1.4m in cycling

ON THE ROAD: yesterday’s Pedal for Scotland event

Initiatives to make Edinburgh a better city for ‘active travel’ will be considered by councillors this week, with cycling set to recieve a considerable chunk of the council’s transport budget.  Inspired by Olympic success, there’s been a sharp rise in bike ownership over the last month so the measures are likely to prove popular with the Edinburgh public.

An extra dedicated cycling officer will also be appointed to take forward the design and construction of schemes that are already in the pipeline.

A further £460,000 will be spent on routine maintenance of cycle routes and on marketing and  promotion. This year the Council has also attracted £425,000 of matching funding for cycle projects from the Scottish Government via Sustrans.

Councillor Jim Orr, vice-convener of the Transport committee, said: “This programme is evidence of the capital coalition’s commitment to making it easier, safer and more attractive for people to cycle and walk in Edinburgh. It represents a record investment by the Council with 5% of our total transport budget going on cycling, and we believe this is more than any other Scottish authority in both total and per head spend. Encouraging active travel makes sense for environmental, health and traffic reasons, but Edinburgh is also a fantastic city to explore on foot or two wheels. Our investment will make the most of that.”

There will be further spending on promoting walking, with a new post focussed on improving design for pedestrians and  upgrading popular routes.

The measures form part of the Council’s Active Travel action plan, which was drawn up in 2010 with NHS Lothian, walking charity Living Streets, Sustrans and the city’s leading cycling group Spokes, among others. The Council’s progress will be measured under Scottish and European schemes to promote cycling, as well as annual reports to the Transport committee.

Edinburgh’s own Sir Chris Hoy’s herculean Olympic exploits have doubtless encouraged many more citizens to get on their bikes. Yesterday council leader Andrew Burns was joined by Inverleith councillor Nigel Bagshaw and Forth’s Cammy Day among others on the freshnlo Pedal for Scotland Glasgow to Edinburgh charity cycle – his tenth in a row! It seems the capital’s gone cycle crazy!

8500 cyclists registered for yesterday’s Pedal for Scotland event which was started by cycling star Mark beaumont and Scottish Transport minister Keith Brown

Library opening hours will change next month

Blackhall Library

Your library’s opening hours are changing! From 1 October 22 city council libraries will open 10am – 5pm on Saturdays, with major changes to Thursday opening citywide. Local library opening times will be:

Blackhall: Monday – Wednesday 10am – 8pm, Thursday & Friday 10am – 5pm, Saturday 10am – 5pm.

Granton: Monday & Wednesday 1 – 8pm. Tuesday, Thursday & Friday 10am – 5pm. Saturday 10am – 5pm

Leith: Monday – Wednesday 10am – 8pm. Thursday & Friday 10am – 5pm. Saturday 10am – 5pm

Muirhouse: Monday – Wednesday 10am – 8pm. Thursday & Friday 10am – 5pm. Saturday 10am – 5pm. Sunday 1 – 5pm

Stockbridge: Monday & Wednesday 1 – 8pm. Tuesday, Thursday & Friday 10am – 5pm. Saturday 10am – 5pm.

For further information call into your local library, telephone 0131 200 2000 or visit the City Council website at

www.edinburgh.gov.uk/libraryopeninghours

Do these changes affect you? How important are local libraries to you? Let us know!

Muirhouse Library

Summerside boolers lift Auld Yins Cup

Edinburgh’s senior bowlers headed to the north of the city on Thursday when Dudley Bowling Club hosted the Auld Yins Cup. Sponsored by Lindsay’s Solicitors, eight city bowling clubs battled it out in a round-robin event that was only slightly affected by gusty wind and light showers – they’re made of stern stuff these seniors!

At the end of an action-packed day it was Dudley’s near neighbours Summerside who triumphed and made the short journey home with the spoils.

SOS supporters hit Stockbridge streets seeking Sunday signatures!

Stockbridge was a busy place today: as well as Stockbridge Market’s first birthday celebrations (see previous post) SOS (Save our Stockbridge) members were out on the streets to lobby support for their campaign against Edinburgh Accies’ redevelopment proposals.

Armed with petitions, the SoS campaigners were joined by a BBC film unit yesterday – the BBC plans to screen a documentary about the campaign next Spring.

World Premiere coming soon to North Edinburgh Arts

In their first Scottish Tour since, ‘Tonight Sandy Grierson will Lecture, Dance and Box’ Greyscale are delighted to present Sylvia Dow’s ‘A Beginning, A Middle and An End’ to North Edinburgh Arts Centre on Friday 21 and Saturday 22 September.

Commissioned with the support of Creative Scotland, Glasgow University and Fenton Arts Trust and produced in association with Stellar Quines, this is the world premiere of Sylvia Dow’s first play.

A beginning, a middle and an end, that’s how things go, provided you start in the right place.

For Evelyn and Ade time passes; sometimes fast, sometimes slow, sometimes all at once, but always away from what was and relentlessly towards what will be. 

Their little family of two, of four, of three, of one, not necessarily in that order, travels together towards a new beginning, or an old ending. Or both. Only time will tell.”

For further information and ticket availability go to North Edinburgh Arts website at: www.northedinburgharts.co.uk/events.php

Safety fears at Drylaw’s Doo’cot

Drylaw Telford Community Council has raised safety concerns over the Doo’cot (that’s the old Listed structure, not the boozer!) with officials at the city council’s local North Office.

During the summer holidays local children, some of them older teenagers, have gained access to the old Doocot structure and have been climbing through the building, using trees and shrubbery that are growing through the heart of the structure. Some are jumping off when they get to the top, and residents fear that children will be injured – or worse – if they land on rusty railing below.

Drylaw Doocot's a Listed buildingDrylaw Telford Community Council chairman Alex Dale has taken the safety issue up with the local North Office – along with another potential problem – Japanese Knotweed. This invasive plant is very difficult to remove, and residents believe that teh invader is gaining a hold in gardens surrounding the old Doo’cot.

“I have passed this information on to the local council office and the response has been very prompt. I understand that there has been some confusion about who is actually responsible for the old Doo’cot – it’s hard to believe it when you seen the state of it, but it’s a Listed building – but that’s been resolved and the council will be taking action. That will be a relief to local residents.”

a trail of knotweed at the old doo’cot?

More good news for Wester Drylaw residents is a council rethink on local street lighting. Following concerns raised by the community council earlier this year, council officials looked again at the quality and positioning of street lighting in the area.

“John McFarlane and his Lighting team have come up with an action plan, fitting 70w bulbs instead of current 45w  metal halide bulbs in three sections of Wester Drylaw Place”, Alex added. “Around end of November or early December they shall consult  with all residents on which would be their preferred option and before the end of the year the preferred option will be fitted throughout Wester Drylaw Place. We hope that all residents will participate in the consultation when asked in order to achieve the best result for all, and make Wester Drylaw Place a brighter and safer place for the community.”

The future’s bright …

Service medal for library volunteer

David (with medal!) pictured with Kathy at Muirhouse Library

David Colvin, our Library Link volunteer, has just received a long service medal from the WRVS for working with Muirhouse and Granton Libraries for 20 years.  We are celebrating the anniversary of the Library Link on 4th October.

Kathy Softley, Muirhouse Library

David’s medal

 

 

West Pilton Gardeners seek community support

West Pilton Community Gardeners are seeking public support for a funding application that will see their West Pilton Brae project completed and enable the startup of a new afterschool club. The group has launched a petition to show that West Pilton residents support the gardeners’ plans.

The community garden at West Pilton Brae was begun in the spring of 2012 by a handful of local women and children with some guidance from a local gardener. The garden design and construction work which took place over the summer involved over 40 children and 20 adults from the local area, and the group is now seeking funding from the city council’s local Forth Neighbourhood Partnership to finish the garden’s construction and to support a weekly after-schools club at the request of the kids.

Local gardener Kirsty Sutherland has been taking the lead in compiling everyone’s ideas into the garden design and teaching adults and children how to grow and harvest a great variety of fruits, vegetables and flowers.  She said: “We have made a list of materials we need to finish the garden and run the club for the children. This includes a secure shed, a water tap, children’s gardening tools, and a sessional worker to undertake the garden construction and plan weekly activities for the kids.”

The group’s first bid for funding was unsuccessful, but Kirsty is hopeful that the group will have better luck this time round. “This is our second application to Forth’s Neighbourhood Environment Programme (NEP) fund for the West Pilton Community Garden – it was refused by the Neighbourhood Partnership back in March on the grounds that they could not fund similar  projects until the Wardie Backgreen Food Growing Initiative was proven a  success. Our own garden has proven a success on very minimal  funding but with plenty of community involvement. Documenting the progress with  photographs has made me realise what a long way we have come since the spring – the garden’s now a wee oasis of calm and community involvement!”

Kirsty believes she knows the reason why the West Pilton project has been a success while others have struggled. “Community involvement in the design and  construction of the garden so far appears to have been the secret to avoiding  common problems with other community garden projects, like vandalism and dog  fouling. This flexible and creative community led approach,  facilitated by regular sessional work is working well.”

Kirsty will be making a short presentation on the West Pilton Community Garden at the Pilton Youth and Children’s Project  (PYCP) annual general meeting on 28 September. “It will mainly be photographs of folk working and a bit of detail on the future  development and use of the community garden – this presentation was supposed to be shown at the  Forth Clean Green and Safe Action Group meeting scheduled for 4 Sept, but  the meeting was cancelled at short notice.”
The local RTO (registered tenants organisation) Tenants and Residents in Pilton (TRIP) fully supports the funding application and Kirsty hopes local people will also show their support for the gardeners by signing the petition. “It is your garden, free for you and your children to use and share the fruits of your labour. Please sign this petition if you are in support of a funding application to allow us to complete the vegetable and herb  garden, buy the necessary tools and a secure shed and an after-school club being created for local children to work and learn in the garden.”

Local out for the petition at all local venues.

For further information, contact Kirsty Sutherland on 07778732171 or email kirsty@piltonresidents.org.uk

You can also check out he group’s Facebook page at http://www.facebook.com/WestPiltonCommunityGarden

PS: Feel free to get in touch if you want to join in with the garden group whatever your age or gardening experience!

Council seeks to bridge flood funding gap

The city council is to continue talks with the Government and local government umbrella body COSLA over a funding shortfall for the second and third phases of flood prevention works on the Water of Leith. The Council made an unsuccesful bid for goverment support last December but a decision is expected later this year on funding for flooding projects.

Transport convener Councillor Lesley Hinds (pictured above) said: “The total cost of building existing and future flood defences for Edinburgh  is at least £144m, which is well beyond our own means. While the completed scheme on Braidburn and the finished parts of the Water of Leith are providing protection, other parts of the city continue to be at risk. Recent events have shown again how important it is that we have these defences in place and I very much hope COSLA and the Scottish Government can be persuaded of the capital’s case.”

The current funding arrangements are detailed in a report to the Transport, Infrastructure and Environment committee next week. The report also describes the lessons learned from recent flooding, especially on 7 July 2012 at the Stockbridge Colonies and in Warriston. As a result, various improvements are to be made in how the Council works with other organisations to plan for and respond to major flooding incidents.

Councillor Hinds added: “Flooding can be a devastating experience for those who are affected. While our staff worked very hard to deal with the consequences of the exceptionally heavy rainfall there are always lessons to be learned for the Council, our contractors and our partners I’d also urge every household tosign-up for alerts from SEPA and follow their guidance on being prepared for flooding.”