Home News Edinburgh Councillor blogs – Maureen Child

Edinburgh Councillor blogs – Maureen Child

July 31, 2015 10:25 am

Is this what passes for summer this year?! Last Portobello Market was a bit wet and the one before a bit windy, so we should be in for a hot and sunny one! All the usual traders will be on site, 21 in all. There’s everything from fruit & vegetables, organic meats, oils, bread and freshly brewed coffee, to jewellery and garden crafts. For a full list check the website: http://goo.gl/SJgnEu

This week BG Cycles will be back to give the bicycle a free once over. Make the most of it as they can’t make it in September. Plus the Caleerie Buskers will keep us entertained. The Market starts at 9.30am and run until 1.30pm in Brighton Park, on Brighton Place, Portobello. Bring your brolly just in case! If you haven’t already, please “like” & “share” us on the Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/portymarket?ref=bookmarks

I am delighted that Rosefield Park has been awarded a Green Flag. More here: Photo I am pleased to announce that Rosefield Park has today been awarded a Green Flag Award! This is a great achievement and recognises the hard work of the local community, volunteers, partners and staff in raising the quality of this important community park. The Judges were particularly impressed by the range of features this venue offers which includes a play area, seating, walks, a river , pictorial meadows, a petanque court, and were pleased to meet Friends of the park during their visit. Within their formal feedback the judges said – “For such a small green space it packs an impressive amount in to what feels like a very secure environment”. The Green Flag Award Scheme is the benchmark national standard for parks and green spaces in the UK – further information on the judging criteria and this year’s winners is available here.

The Council is launching the first Edinburgh Living Landscape photography competition on Thursday 30 July. The idea is to collect images that show off the city’s natural beauty and how they can be enjoyed. The parks team are calling on Edinburgh’s budding photographers to capture our floral meadows in bloom for the chance to win great prizes, including membership to the Scottish Wildlife Trust, exclusive prizes from Royal Botanic Gardens Edinburgh, a professional photography workshop, 6 month membership to Edinburgh Leisure and tickets to the Usher Hall’s Sunday Classics concert series. To enter, we are asking the public to submit a photo of one of Edinburgh’s Living Landscapes and the finalists’ images will be posted on the Edinburgh Outdoors Facebook page for a public vote to select the winner. The closing date is Friday 11 September at 6pm and then people will be asked to ‘like’ their favourite image between the 16 and 23 September on the Edinburgh Outdoors facebook page. The photograph with the most ‘likes’ will then be chosen as the winner.

Here’s an update on the consultation for the new park which will be built on the site of the old Portobello High School, alongside a new St John’s RC Primary School. Click here: New Park Consultation

TER Portobello High School - 4 — New Portobello High School under construction

Here we go again for another round of accommodating a growing population in South East Scotland in the coming decades. This is the point to get really involved with planning in the City Region, well before any individual planning application or land designation comes forward. Follow the links to find out more. The Strategic Development Plan is about long-term planning, setting a vision and spatial strategy for Edinburgh and South East Scotland. As part of the preparation of the second Strategic Development Plan – SESplan, the Strategic Development Plan Authority, have published a Main Issues Report. The Main Issues Report is a consultation document which highlights the key challenges facing the region over the next 20 years and presents a series of issues and options on how to address them. An Easy Read Guide has been prepared. Key questions include – where can growth be accommodated and should new housing development be focussed on the city or spread across the region. Consultation takes place from 21 July 2015 until 30 September 2015. Hard copies of documents are available in libraries and at Planning Reception, Waverley Court. A series of events are being hosted by SESplan including drop in events, Community Council events, touring exhibition and themed events. Details are available on the SESplan website. Responses should be submitted via the SESplan Consultation Portal. Responses will be used to inform the policies in the second Strategic Development Plan. There will be a community consultation event across the SE Scotland area covered by the plan form the southern area of Fife to the Borders. 23 meetings have been arranged so far. The one closest to us in Portobello/Craigmillar is the East Edinburgh event on Wednesday 2 September in Portobello Town Hall, 6-8pm

Musselburgh Horticultural Society are holding their Annual Flower Show at the Brunton Hall, Musselburgh, on Saturday 22nd August 2015. The Show is open to everyone, the gates open at 1pm until 3.30pm and costs £1 entry. Do come along to see the flower exhibits, handcrafts, baking, photography section and free face painting for the kids.

Two community events coming up at The White House, 70 Niddrie Mains Road, EH16 4BG. Afternoon Tea Dance and Sing-along in the Red Room in White House. Enjoy the chef’s specialist sandwiches, freshly made scones and a cuppa. All in for only £3. On Wednesday 26 Aug 12.30 to 3pm. Also on the Friday of that week In Concert, John Connor and Friends 28 August doors open 6.30pm. Tickets £5.

I know we should all be warm and cosy right now, in summer, but now is the time to plan for when the heating really does have to go back on and how you can save energy and cash. Local charity and community enterprise, Changeworks can help. More here: Helping householders to save energy, save money and stay warm in tenements | Changeworks

It’s all aboard the Borders Railway in a few weeks time. This new rail service from Edinburgh Waverley stops at Brunstane, Newcraighall, Shawfair, Eskbank, Newtongrange, Gorebridge, Stow and Galashiels, terminating at Tweedbank. Public service from Sunday 6 September. So plan your trip now.

Part of our history, Lothian Bus Garage has been at Kings Road since 1962. What was there before? This football ground was part of Portobello’s famous Edwardian entertainment complex, the Marine Gardens. Photo

For the last 30 years, Kenneth Welsh has been collecting champagne corks and perfecting the art of ‘corktature’. The 56-year-old coined the phrase after making figures out of the leftover bottle top, an artistic talent that he says has become an enjoyable hobby over the last three decades. He exhibits regularly in Portobello Library. More here: Corkature STV Article

Coastal Rowing in Scotland has seen an incredible rate of growth since the first St Ayles Skiff was launched in May 2010. In the past five years 94 of these beautiful 5-person boats have launched across Scotland. In Portobello it has contributed greatly to making us into a even more wonderful destination for locals, city dwellers and tourists more widely, whether they participate or just watch. More here about future developments: Porty and Coastal Rowing

One organ donor can save up to seven lives and allow two people to see again? Join the Organ Donor Register here: organdonationscotland.org/tell-me-how It only takes two minutes and you can do it on line.

Edinburgh City Council is currently rolling out a new recycling service across the city, designed to make recycling for the average householder much more straight forward – for more details, click here: New Recyling Service

Radio 4 devoted the whole 30 minutes of this week’s ‘The Food Programme’ to Portobello’s fabulous social enterprise Breadshare. The programme asks if the Breadshare model could be a way to reconnect Scottish people with Scottish food. If you missed the programme, you might still be able to listen to it here.

Once again, Portobello Beach is the venue for national competitive beach volleyball, which is well worth watching – and maybe participating in future. Saturday 22 August – 7am-7pm Sunday 23 August 9am-5pm. This is the final event in the Scottish Beach Volleyball Tour which take place throughout Scotland. The event will include on the Saturday men’s and women’s 2v2s at National standard and Junior men’s and Junior women’s 2v2s. Then on the Sunday mixed 2s and mixed 4s including juniors and recreational.

The fabulous Health Opportunities Team (HOT) run weekly drop in sessions for young people in four areas including Craigmillar and Portobello. If people want more information about the drop ins they are welcome to email info@health-opportunities.org.uk or to check out the HOThoose Facebook page by searching ‘HOThoose’. They also run a service for young people who are affected by their own or their parents substance misuse. HOT also run Feel Good Groups for young people aged 13-18: “Our Feel Good Groups encourage young people aged 13-18 to engage in physical exercise, supported by health education activities, to improve well-being. The Feel Good Project supports vulnerable young people to participate in physical activities which interest them and explore health issues. By providing them with a range of coping strategies that they can implement in their daily lives we increase confidence and self-esteem”. There are also two groups that young people can drop in to at the office in Craigmillar. The girls group which takes place on a Monday afternoon and a boys group which takes place on a Friday afternoon. The Coordinator for this project is Nike Oruh who can be contacted for more information: nike@health-opportunities.org.uk

A ferry service from North Berwick to Anstruther starts on August 7. The journey takes 45 minutes and sounds well worth a try for a day out. More here: Ferry to Fife from East Lothian

Best wishes for a great weekend!

Maureen