DINOSAUR DISPLAY HATCHES IN PENNYWELL!
Local residents are being encouraged to track down and report any unusual sightings of baby dinosaurs in their neighbourhood. It comes as a dozen lanterns were let loose in Pennywell and Muirhouse after featuring in the Royal Zoological Society of Scotland’s Lost Worlds display at Edinburgh Zoo.
The batch of hatching dinosaur eggs – each symbolising a sign of the zodiac – can be visited in North Edinburgh Arts, Muirhouse Library and North West Locality Council Office until Friday 21 February.
The free event has been made possible through the City of Edinburgh Council’s partnership with the Royal Zoological Society of Scotland (RZSS), Urban Union, Robertson Partnership Homes and support from North Edinburgh Arts and Police Scotland.
Edinburgh’s Housing, Homelessness and Fair Work Convener, Cllr Kate Campbell, said: “Pennywell is a fantastic community which has experienced a great deal of redevelopment in recent years, so I hope the lantern trail will encourage lots of people to explore the area and see how it has evolved.
“Throughout all of this change, our mission and that of the community has always been to create new and exciting opportunities for residents and local businesses. We’ve worked with developers and the Scottish Government to do this, creating the Pennywell All Care Centre for health and wellbeing and of course the incredible North Edinburgh Arts centre, where dinosaurs now roam.
“More than £42 million has been invested in the area which has created 356 affordable homes and more for private sale. With investment of £2.5 billion planned over the next 10 years, we’ll be looking to replicate projects like this under our ambitious plans for council housing.”
The regeneration of Pennywell and Muirhouse is well underway and will deliver around 1,000 new homes for sale and rent, enhanced public services and retail offering and a new public square, alongside new opportunities for learning, arts, culture and employment.
Neil McKay Managing Director of Urban Union added: “Our new collection of homes builds on the success of Phase 2 and 1, by offering an exceptional range of modern, warm and welcoming homes, together with new local amenity.
“We hope the lanterns’ fun pre-historic theme and message of conservation are welcomed by the community and allows everyone to explore the regeneration of Pennywell and Muirhouse.”
James Freel, managing director of Robertson Partnership Homes, said: “We’re really proud to support events that embody the true meaning of community, bringing people together to not only enjoy the lanterns but discover the incredible transformation of the area.
“Regeneration has been at the heart of the whole project and we’re on track to deliver high quality residential units across the town centre. We’re looking forward to literally shining a light on the fantastic progress made so far.”
RZSS events and experiences manager Jonathan Brown said: “Giant Lanterns Lost Worlds gave our visitors the opportunity to discover the amazing creatures that once lived on our planet and helped us raise awareness of the very real threat of extinction faced today by endangered species around the world.
“We were thrilled to see so many people enjoying the event and learning about our wildlife conservation work. It is exciting to have this opportunity to bring it to light again within the local community.”
As a wildlife conservation charity, RZSS is dedicated to connecting people to nature and safeguarding threatened species. This year the theme for the lanterns at the Zoo was Lost Worlds, including hundreds of pre-historic creatures from the beginning of life on earth through to the ice age.
The City of Edinburgh Council and its partners are committed to the conversation of the planet and over the next decade, the Council has committed to planting one million trees and cutting carbon to net zero.
Earlier this week, a new Council report revealed Capital households are more climate aware and generate less waste per resident than those of any other major Scottish city. The city is prioritising plans to tackle climate change with ambitious plans to cut carbon to net zero by 2030 and was recently announced as the second most sustainable city in the UK.
The Pennywell display maximises the time Edinburgh has with these lanterns by reusing elements of the display and spreading the Zoo’s message of conservation.
Health and social care CGL (Change Grow Live) has taken over the local recovery service previously run by Lifeline from a shop unit in Muirhouse Shopping Centre. Lifeline is no longer in operation, having ran out of money last month. Continue reading North West Recovery Service: Lifeline service replaced by CGL
Usually, community groups and voluntary organisations are up in arms over council cuts to services in their area. However one Muirhouse man is on the warpath over a lack of cuts!
TRIM (Tenants and Residents in Muirhouse) member Robert Pearson has written to the local council team to demand action over the state of local green spaces – weeds, long grass and the general state of the area.
He said: “Yet again I feel it necessary to email you regarding Muirhouse, I am absolutely fed up with the way Muirhouse is being left to rot by you, Edinburgh City Council. It was you who caused the area to fall apart in the first place and now you are leaving us in a mess.”
He goes on: “Back in March this year local children join the Centipede project and planted over 2000 bulbs which spelt Muirhouse Is Home (pictured below). It looked fantastic, the children loved it and it was never vandalised. Unfortunately we are not able to see it anymore as the grass and weeds have taking over the place. Walking around the estate the green areas are all overgrown and basically in a mess; why is this happening again? Does this happen elsewhere in the city? Or does it just happen in the forgotten estate?”
North Neighbourhood Team Business Manager Mandy Rudden said she has requested information from her Regeneration and Task Force colleagues and will update Robert when this has been received.
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 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.”
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.”
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 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.”
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.”
Well, recycling anyway!
The city council has organised a series of recycling events to raise awareness of imminent changes to refuse collection and recycling services. The recycling roadshow rumbles into North Edinburgh’s Local Neighbourhood Office in West Pilton Gardens on Wednesday 15 August from 10am – 2.30pm and again on Wednesday 29 August (same venue and times).
For further information visit: http://www.edinburgh.gov.uk/info/20048/waste_education/480/recycling_roadshows_and_events
Well, recycling anyway!
The city council has organised a series of recycling events to raise awareness of imminent changes to refuse collection and recycling services. The recycling roadshow rumbles into North Edinburgh’s Local Neighbourhood Office in West Pilton Gardens on Wednesday 15 August from 10am – 2.30pm and again on Wednesday 29 August (same venue and times).
For further information visit: http://www.edinburgh.gov.uk/info/20048/waste_education/480/recycling_roadshows_and_events
