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Community Conference at Telford College – 14 June 2011

There was a healthy turnout from local people and other stakeholders to discuss the direction NEN should take. These are brief notes taken at the meeting. We also carried out a SWOT (strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats) analysis, which has been published separately. The meeeting was ably facilitated by Maggie Mellon, for which we aere very grateful. The Board got lots of ideas for the way forward, and we will be working on them. We will keep you informed.

There was general agreement that the NEN represents:

• An information hub for the community
• A voice for local people
• It helps build community well-being

The meeting went on to discuss four key areas: content, funding, marketing and communication.

CONTENT
There should be:
• Local stories from local people
• Pictures
• A place for comments
• Local information
• Advertising
• A place for young people
• A topic of the month
• Campaigns
• Community contact list

FUNDING
We felt that the Board needs to develop a business plan, with short, medium and long-term objectives. Suggestions were:
• Identify big advertisers in the area
• Work closely with Scottish Business in the Community
• Board to build relationships
• Clarify community council grants
• Develop tactic for funding applications, support and expertise
• Identify key local partnership meeting dates for funding applications
• Aim for a “Funday” re-launch
• Consider location options for NEN
• Monthly sponsorship possibilities?
• Web-site development and investment to attract funding and readership
• Consider skills required to implement funding

MARKETING
• Identify who we are, where we are going, etc.
• Keep people informed
• Raise awareness – give people a voice

COMMUNICATION
• Positive identity – NEN should promote positive identity and values
• Local communications hub – It should provide information/communication for the community
• Community development – it should involve the community and help development

The Board will reflect on these views and implement a plan to see the paper published once again.

Forth Neighbourhood Partnership attracts surprising turnout

A surprisingly good turn out at the Forth Neighbourhood Partnership
Public Meeting at Telford College last night.

Local groups and organisations including Community Renewal, Libraries,
Granton Churches and North Edinburgh Arts took advantage of the Market
area to set out information stalls and showcase the range of services
available in the ward.

The aim of the meeting was to update on the regeneration projects in
the Forth Ward and the FNP team had pulled all the stops out to ensure
that a good selection of representatives from City Development, Land
owners and Housing Associations were in attendance to do just that.
Cllr Allan Jackson opened the meeting and Peter Strong introduced the
speakers.

Sally Nelson the Area Manager for City Development set a positive tone
for the presentations outlining her role as both co-ordinator and
facilitator to review progress to date and look for areas to improve,
Sally will look at short term options to put dormant land to good use
as well as working with other land owners to stimulate and support
longer term development around the waterfront regeneration zone and
the adjacent community.

Ann Confrey gave an informative review of National Grid’s The
Forthquarter taking the audience through the progress made .over the
last decade, a well received presentation that reminded the audience
just how much the former gasworks has changed. Some of the most useful
information Ann imparted was the number of sustainable jobs retained
and created in Granton. The Scottish Gas HQ employs over 1500
people, Morrison’s store employs at least 30 and further questions
after the meeting revealed that there are a host of other roles
including 6 security and 4 landscape personnel and around 16 senior
consultants on National Grid’s project team who live and work in
Edinburgh.

Simon Lievesley of Services for Communities confirmed that 21st
Century Homes were on track to commission architects to produce a
masterplan for the new homes at Pennywell and would commence a series
of stakeholder consultation activities once these were available for
review.

Dave White updated on plans for the Muirhouse proposed community
health centre – while he acknowledged the article in the Edinburgh
Evening News- he did not confirm or deny the content, instead he spoke
about reviewing options on how and where services would be provided
with the focus being on the provision of health services required in
the community along with supporting welfare services aimed at enabling
people to live healthier lives rather than on providing a lovely new
building. Read into that what you will.

There was some grumbling from those present about the format of the
event. All questions were deferred until after the meeting and this
did not go down well with some who had hoped to address the speakers
publicly,. However everyone stayed to mingle so there was ample time
to ask questions and speak to officials and representatives while
perusing the stalls and catching up with friends and colleagues.

Councillors Elaine Morris and Cammy Day took time to speak to most of
the people there and thanked Peter Strong’s team for all their efforts
making the event such a success.

Ann Confrey

North Edinburgh Postcode Challenge

Leave your car at home and come join in the FREE fun at the Bike Station’s Postcode Challenge this Sunday!

How to take part:

1. Get onto the North Edinburgh cycle network wherever you like and is most convenient – look at the Innertube map to find your nearest entrance.

2. Track down one of the ten stands. They are spaced out around the network and you won’t have to go far to find the first one. The stands are being run by variousEdinburgh organisations, including Edinburgh and Lothian Greenspace Trust, Sustrans, Changeworks, and the People’s Postcode Lottery.

3. They will give you a participant’s card with space for ten postcodes and stamp it with your first postcode to prove you have visited them (they may also give you a little prize of their own). There’s no need to register – just turn up and ask for a card. There’s one card per team, but don’t worry, there are plenty of prizes.

4. Go on to the next stand and have your card stamped again. Each stand will be able to give you a clue where to go next, but all the locations will be on the network shown on the Innertube map, and you’ll never need to go on a road whilst taking part. And you can’t get lost.

5. When you have been to all ten locations, and collected your ten postcodes, take your completed card to the main desk at Fiveways Junction by4pm to see what you have won. You won’t know what prize, or how many, until you hand your card in. As well as prizes to win on the day, everyone gets to enter a free draw to win bigger prizes.

So basically, spend the afternoon on the North Edinburgh Cycle Path and win prizes!

Questions?

a. how do I find the stands? They are spaced out around the network, and you can either work out where they might be from their postcodes (EH6 4JT, EH6 6HJ, EH6 4RQ, EH7 4HJ, EH7 4EW, EH6 4RH, EH5 2XS, EH4 2SA, EH12 5JE and EH6 4RT), or hunt them down on the day by bike. Each stand will be able to give you an idea where the next one will be. But you will have to explore most of the routes to find the stands – a great way of exploring the network.

b. how long will it take? That depends on how fast you cycle, but it is not a race, and a leisurely couple of hours should do it.

c. I haven’t been on a bike in ages, is this event for me? Absolutely! There is absolutely no traffic, and the whole network is very flat. You won’t need to cycle miles.

d. Can I do it on foot? Yes, but it will take longer!

If you have any questions please contact the Bike Station on 0131 668 1996 or e-mailing info@thebikestation.org.uk

Urban Adventure In Granton This Friday

Urban Adventure is a FREE event for nursery and primary school children, together with their families. It takes place tomorrow, Friday 10 June at Forthquarter Park in Granton (behind Morrisons and Telford College) between 1pm and 4pm. It’s being organised by Active Schools and Pilton Community Health Project.

There will be lots of games, sports and fun activities, including: a visit from the Fire Brigade, a bouncy castle, bugs and beastie hunts, face painting, cycling, orienteering, a tug of war, food stalls, football, rugby, African drumming and music.

A great afternoon out for all the family!

source: http://innertubemap.com/blog/post/152

author: Sue McKichan

 

 

 

Inverleith Neighbourhood Partnership Funds Summer Programme

The Inverleith Neighbourhood Partnership agreed a grant of £3,274.00 to support the Inverleith wide Summer Programme for Children, Young People and Families. The decision was made at the Partnership meeting that took place on Tuesday night in Stockbridge Library.

The grant will be used to pay for staffing, tutors, entry fees, refreshments, publicity and fuel. The Inverleith Summer Programme is available to local people living in the Inverleith Ward and includes various opportunities for local people that include outdoor education, family trips, art sessions and much more.

The remainder of the estimated £11,000 programme will come from Community Learning & Development who are contributing £3,000 and other local projects who are making in-kind contributions.

The programme will be advertised through local schools, community centres and various websites. A registration night will take place on Wednesday 22nd June 2011 in Broughton High School starting at 6.00pm.

This Weeks Community Councils Meetings

This weeks Community Council meetings in north Edinburgh are:

Granton & District Community Council meets on Wednesday 25th may 2011 7.00pm at The Spartans Football Academy and on the same night its the AGM of the Drylaw & Telford Community Council at 7.00pm in Drylaw Neighbourhood Centre.

Eddie Thorn from the North Edinburgh News is a guest speaker at the Drylaw & Telford Community Council AGM. Come along and hear all about the exciting news from the NEN.

Are you going along to either of these meetings? if so would you be willing to report on the what has happened? If yes then please get in touch with us.

What else is going on in North Edinburgh this week? Please leave a comment below and we will try and get along to cover it.

Botanics Net Building Prize

THE John Hope Gateway Centre at the Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh has been named the most sustainable building in Scotland in this year’s prestigious Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors in Scotland awards.
The judges said the design of the visitor attraction “enhanced the wider environment and in the process formed an environmentally-friendly building”.

It is the latest in a string of awards for the £15.7 million building, which has been a great success with visitors since it opened at the Botanics in October 2009.

Plans For New Youth Centre In Inverleith Ward

Fet Lor Youth Club is set to be demolished rebuilt as a purpose build state-of-the-art facility which has been designed with the help of local young people.

The club works with youngsters between the ages of eight and 18 in the local area, offering them a wide range of activities, opportunities and experiences they may not otherwise come across such as the Duke of Edinburgh Award Scheme, Outdoor Education programmes and various other worthwhile initiatives. The existing much-loved and well-used centre inNorth Edinburghis a wooden building which was built in the early 1960s. It has been looked after well over the years but it won’t last forever and it has been a dream of the club for some years to replace the building.

Architects began work on the plans four years ago after which Fet Lor launched their ‘Big Project’ to raise the projected £1.5 million cost for the rebuild. A figure that the club cites as a “significant challenge” on their website. Centre manager, Mark Foster is enthusiastic about the proposed new building. He said: “It is potentially a huge step up from the facilities we have at the moment and will offer new variety for the members. The current centre has been struggling on for 40 to 50 years and it has reached the end of its useful life, now we have the opportunity to get a brand new facility. Having it purpose-built will be a significant advantage. We don’t have a whole lot of space here that is not for sport. There is not much room for small group work and the new building will hopefully tackle that.

“The area tends to be dominated by the boys playing football, but there will now be a dance area which the girls were keen on having in the new facility. It will also give us designated areas for the more messy activities like bike maintenance and it means we do not have to constantly tidy up areas so these can be used for different activities. Within the plans for the new centre there will also be a low-level climbing wall in the corner of the sports hall. This again will allow us offer new experiences to the young people who attend the provision”

Architect, James Robertson worked collaboratively with Pippa Swan to design the new building. He said: “We spent time talking with the members of the club asking them what they liked about the current building, what they didn’t like and what they would like to see in the new place. We had thought that they would want to have lots of light flooding in and for it to look really futuristic in style. But they didn’t want people to be able to see in, they wanted it to be their space so we worked on the concept of a fort to protect. The whole design was driven by this and once we had that, the rest of it just fell into place.

“The new design will offer various different spaces, at the moment there is really only one main hall and if the boys are playing football then it is hard for Mark and the other leaders to be heard. The exterior will be made up of jigsaw cladding which will allow light in from different angles throughout the day this will mean that the space will always be changing with different shadows inside the building. The lighting on the outside of the building can also vary meaning that it is always changing. They wanted to have their jewel and that’s what we have tried to do.”

The proposed plans which have been submitted to the City ofEdinburgh Councilinclude the demolition of the existing youth club structure and the removal of the existing nursery structure. The new youth club would be built on the same site along with the relocation of the nursery building. The plans are currently pending consideration by the City ofEdinburgh Councilplanning department.[slideshow]