THURSDAY 22 OCTOBER 5.45pm from DRYLAW NEIGHBOURHOOD CENTRE
Join a women-led night ride through North Edinburgh starting at Drylaw Neighbourhood Centre and exploring local highlights before finishing with a hot drink at West Pilton Park.
REGISTER HERE:
https://bbr.cyclinguk.org/?drylaw-nc-and-elgt-womens-cycling-group
UPDATES TO WEST PILTON PARK
CONSTRUCTION WORK AND PARK CLOSURE
Edinburgh & Lothians Greenspace Trust are holding a meeting at West Pilton Neighbourhood Centre on TUESDAY 25th AUGUST at 5pm to discuss the park development and for you to ask questions about YOUR park.
There is over £5 million being spent on re-developing the park and it will be closed until October/November 2027.
Come along, and have your say!
Local school children have been busy monitoring the Wee Forest in West Pilton Park, assessing how the trees are helping to bring more wildlife, cleaner air and flood management for those very wet days.
Pupils have been helping to gather data as part of their studies.
Get in touch with emily@elgt.org.uk if you fancy having a go.
We had more help in West Pilton Park from our Craigmount High School Duke of Edinburgh volunteers, who helped cut back overgrown vegetation, litter picked and helped complete a bird survey. Thanks for your help.
There were some bears loose in the park as part of the Wellies in the Woods programme. We had fun reading the book ‘We’re Going on a Bear Hunt’ and did lots of fun nature-based activities. Not to worry, the bears were friendly!
We’re very proud of this hard working group of young people from Granton Youth who are learning brick laying skills in order to build some new brick planters in West Pilton Park. This is part of the re-development of the park and will be one of the new design features.
To find out more about the planned improvements see here.
EDINBURGH and LOTHIANS GREENSPACE TRUST
Looking for some free fun this Easter holiday in your local park?
Head along to any or all of these workshops all about nature in West Pilton Park!
Efinburgh and Lothian Greenspace Trust (ELGT) are very proud of this hard working group of young people from Granton Youth who are learning brick laying skills in order to build some new brick planters at West Pilton Park.
This is part of the re-development of the park and will be one of the new design features.
Thanks to funding from a local charitable trust Edinburgh & Lothians Greenspace Trust are able to deliver a programme of community engagement activities as part of the redevelopment of West Pilton Park.
The first sessions are on 10th & 17th September.
ELGT are keen to work with local groups and individuals so please contact emily@elgt.org.uk to get involved.
Edinburgh & Lothians Greenspace Trust, working alongside our partners in the Thrive Collective, is deeply disappointed by the recent decision of the Edinburgh Integrated Joint Board (EIJB) to end the Thrive contract for Physical Activities and Greenspaces from the end of November.
Through Thrive, we and our partners have worked in close collaboration with communities, health services, and local organisations to provide inclusive opportunities that improve physical and mental wellbeing.
We are proud of the collective impact that this work has had for people across Edinburgh, particularly those experiencing health inequalities.
This follows the earlier decision to withdraw grant funding for our Healthy Lifestyles work in South Edinburgh. Together, these cuts represent a significant reduction in support for programmes that enable communities across the city to access the health and wellbeing benefits of nature, physical activity, and local greenspaces.
The decision will have a real impact on the 1250 participants who rely on these programmes to support their physical health, mental wellbeing, and sense of social connection. Many of the people we work with face health inequalities and barriers to accessing mainstream services, and these activities have provided an essential lifeline.
Charlie Cumming, ELGT Chief Executive, confirmed the loss of this funding will directly affect our capacity to deliver dedicated programmes that improve health through engagement with local greenspaces.
It will also reduce the resources that are community-based, accessible, and effective alternatives to clinical treatment—helping people recover and build resilience outside of primary care settings.
Despite this setback, ELGT remain committed to championing greenspaces and active lives as vital to Edinburgh’s health and wellbeing.
We will continue to explore new ways of sustaining this essential work and will seek to secure funding that ensures these opportunities remain accessible to the communities who need them most.
We would like to sincerely thank all participants, volunteers, and partner organisations who have engaged with us.
Your commitment and enthusiasm highlight just how much this work matters and the difference it makes across the city.
EDINBURGH & LOTHIANS GREENSPACE TRUST
EDINBURGH & LOTHIAN GREENSPACE TRUST
ELGT is delighted to announce the beginning of an exciting engagement programme within West Pilton Park.
Join us in September & October and learn to build a wildlife habitat round the ‘Wee Forest’-no experience necessary.
If you’re keen to get involved, contact emily@elgt.org.uk.
DEVELOPMENT PLAN PROGRESS
We have just installed a ‘bothy’ shelter in the park as a signal of intent to the community that the wider plans are being brought forward. This is the first of several shelters that will be installed across the park (writes ELGT’s ANGUS FISHER).
It was designed by SLR architecture in partnership with Old School Fabrications. OSF also built and installed the shelter.
It is a completely bespoke design based on the traditional Scottish bothy but featuring a stone boulder seat with hovering steel frame giving it its somewhat unique appearance.
Wider works info
West Pilton Park is undergoing an exciting, new development after receiving a significant amount of charitable funding.
The Edinburgh and Lothians Greenspace Trust in partnership with the City of Edinburgh Council and the local community have developed plans to transform West Pilton Park into the beautiful, bustling centre of the community.
Plans include planting hundreds of new trees and plants, a new skate park and bouldering wall, new play equipment, new accessible paths, seating, shelters, new toilet facilities, a community growing area, a wildlife wetland, and a proposed new cafe run by Scran Academy.
Latest masterplan attached – WPP display. (1).pdf
Project timescales
The shelter is the first part of the development to be installed, with construction of the rest of the park to take place over the next few years. The first phase is due to start in autumn 2025.
A phased approach will ensure that a part of the park will always remain open for the community during construction.
FURTHER INFORMATION
Email info@elgt.org.uk
visit www.elgt.org.uk
or stop by the neighbourhood centre display
It might be feeling like the depths of winter today, but Spring is on the horizon!
Join us and Friends of Pilrig Park this weekend to plant woodland bulbs like native bluebells, snowdrops, winter aconite and wood anemone as part of improvements in Pilrig Park.
Saturday 22nd February
10am to 12 pm – join us when you can
No experience or equipment necessary.
Gloves and tools will be provided.
Dress for the weather and wear clothes you won’t mind getting a bit dirty.
