Category: Community information, events and news

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Duncan Place £300 Community Enterprise Fund

Leith Links Community Council is happy to share this great news from our friends at Duncan Place:

Duncan Place is excited to announce that we have 6 pots of £300 available to make good things happen in Leith! 

Community Ownership is awesome! Profits made at Duncan Place Community & Enterprise Hub in Leith stay in Leith! It’s not about landlords getting richer. It’s about bringing people together.

If you have an idea for a community event tell us about it and maybe we can help make it happen.We look forward to hearing from you soon.

Pots of £300 will be awarded as follows:

  • for an event for those aged 12yrs and under.
  • for an event for those aged 13-18yrs.
  • for an event for senior members of our community.
  • for a multi-generational event.
  • others.

Criteria

  1. Your community event must take place in Duncan Place and be open to the Leith community.
  2. If your event will cost more than £300 you must be able to evidence that the remaining budget is in place.
  3. All health and safety and covid guidance in place at the time of the event must be followed.
  4. Any required insurance must be in place by the time of the event.
  5. Any re-usable equipment purchased for the events will remain the property of Duncan Place for use at future community events.

Download and Complete the application form and return it by Mon 1st November 2021.

More information is available here, on the Duncan Place website.

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Parking Controls on the Way – whether we like it or not…?

Although 75 per cent of residents say they have no problems with parking, the  City Council looks set to press on with plans for pay to park controls across the City, including in this area. Sorry for the short notice, but you need to read this as there is an important vote tomorrow!

Earlier this year local residents were consulted about plans to introduce controlled parking along the length of Easter Road and an area being called ‘West Leith’ which is bounded by Hermitage and East Hermitage Place, Restalrig Rd, Lochend Avenue and Lochend Rd, including the bottom end of Easter Rd and Academy Park. The consultation results are in, and are  considered by the Council’s Transport and Environment Committee on 19 August this week, alongside similar proposals for other areas of the City.

More than 16,000 leaflets were delivered to homes in 8 areas across the city where parking controls are proposed. Thousands of responses, emails and online comments were received. 75% of people said they did not experience parking problems (77% in ‘West Leith’). The problem people most often wanted action on was inconsiderate or dangerously parked cars, and there were reports of abandoned vehicles – which take up space. The 350 page report going to the Transport and Environment Committee says ‘It is clear from the consultation responses that there is a majority of respondents who do not believe that the introduction of parking controls is warranted at this time’.  

Nevertheless, tomorrow Thursday 19 August the City of Edinburgh Council Transport and Environment Committee could agree  to introduce parking controls in 8 areas of the City including ‘West Leith’. If agreed, a statutory ‘Traffic Regulation Order’ process would start, which could possibly lead to parking controls introduced from Autumn 2022. Residents would need to purchase permits for their vehicles – the Council paper estimates 799 people would need permits in ‘West Leith’, and non-residents would need to pay to park – a fee of £2.50 per hour Monday to Friday 8.30am  to 5.30pm is being proposed – with cashless ticket machines introduced.

Other matters in the report include a further delay to proposals around parking controls linked to events at stadiums, including Easter Road, and a proposal to monitor the effect of the controlled parking on adjacent areas like the so-called ‘East Leith’ area at the east (Seafield) end of Leith Links.  It is difficult to see why any visitor coming by car to Leith Links for, eg dog walking, football or just a picnic would prefer to park for £2.50 per hour at the west end of the Links instead of for free at the east end, so migration of parking is inevitable.

If you have views on this issue you need to contact your local Councillors and have your say QUICKLY!!! Tonight’s the night!

Your local Councillors are:

Cllr Adam McVey adam.mcvey@edinburgh.gov.uk
Cllr Gordon Munro gordon.munro@edinburgh.gov.uk
Cllr Chas Booth chas.booth@edinburgh.gov.uk – Chas Booth is a member of the Transport and Environment Committee, so it makes most sense to make sure he knows what your views are before tomorrow’s meeting.

Here is a link to the full Council paper for this week’s Committee meeting.

Edinburgh Climate Festival,Leith Links(East) Saturday 14th August 12pm-7pm

Edinburgh Climate Festival will be coming to Leith Links on Saturday, 14th August

The event will be held on Leith Links East, 12-7pm, they have an exciting day planned. Highlights include an art installation by artist duo Bibo & Brian Keeley, upcycling workshops, sewing repairs, seed swaps, planting workshop, ebike and cargo bike trials, free bike repairs, a free shop, a live DJ and more!

There will also be some scheduled activities throughout the day:

* 12:00 Circle Dancing

* 13:00 Hatha Flow Yoga

* 14:00 Storytelling

* 14:30 Tai Chi

* 15:00 Yoga

* 16:00 Storytelling

* 17:00 Circle Dancing

* + Upcycle Bicycle Inner Tube Workshop (drop in anytime 12-15:00, 16-19:00)

Location

The Festival will be held at Leith Links East, Links Gardens EH6 7EB (grey pin on the map).

Unfortunately, they are not able to offer food, drinks or toilet facilities on site, but these can be found within walking distance from the venue. Staffed public toilets are available on the links by the tennis court here.

COVID-19 measures

Restrictions and precautions will be based on Edinburgh’s COVID-19 level (currently level 0) and the Scottish Government events sector guidance 

The organisers ask that you:

* Not to attend the event if you have COVID-19, have COVID-19 symptoms or have tested positive for COVID-19.

* Organisers encourage you to wear a mask.

* Respect social-distancing.

 

The open day is a public event and photographs and films will be taken for use for marketing uses.

 

 

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Links Gardens to re-open on 9th August

The Community Council has just received official notification from the Council (Spaces for People team) that Links Gardens is due to be re-opened to traffic on Monday 9th August.

Below is a copy of the email received. It seems obvious that the re-opening is not permanent but conditional on matters relating to the tramworks and to the proposed Low Traffic Neighbourhood. So monitoring of traffic flow, safety issues, collection of evidence, and feedback of local views will continue to be very important.

In the meanwhile it is not entirely clear from the Council’s email exactly what conditions are to be placed on the reopening. A key sentence seems to be: “Measures are going to be considered by the Tram team to mitigate the impact of traffic using local diversion routes near the school.”    We will try to find out asap what this means in practice,and will keep you informed.

So all local residents will want to keep an eye on how the re-opening goes, and please keep taking photos, when relevant, and feeding back on what effect (positive and /or negative) you feel the re-opening has on pedestrians, cyclists, school children, buses, cars, deliveries, traffic congestion on nearby roads, etc.  Comments are open below – do tell us how you think it’s going.

Opinions are mixed on this issue, overall, but the one thing none of us want, probably, is the return of the densely parked (dumped?) camper vans, trailers and caravans etc., along Links Gardens. We will be asking (again) whether signs can be obtained, to discourage this.

COPY

From: spacesforpeople <spacesforpeople@edinburgh.gov.uk>
Sent: Monday, August 2, 2021 4:43:21 PM

Dear Councillors and Stakeholders,

I refer to the ongoing closure of Links Gardens which was implemented as part of the Spaces for People programme of works in response to the Covid pandemic. The Links Gardens scheme is an initial Spaces for People project, originally implemented during the early stages of lockdown when restrictions limited the duration/method of exercise people could undertake. The original objectives of the project were to provide increased safe space for socially distanced exercise and to link together both sections of Leith Links.  

It was agreed at the Transport and Environment Committee on 17 June that the closure of Links Gardens will be removed during tram construction in the area, but the reinstatement of the closure will be considered again in the future, subject to consultation with local people as part of proposals for a Leith Low Traffic Neighbourhood.

Accordingly I am writing to notify you of Links Gardens being reopened on Monday the 9 August in advance of the Tram works commencing at the Foot of the Walk. Measures are going to be considered by the Tram team to mitigate the impact of traffic using local diversion routes near the school.

I trust that this updates you on the current position however if you require any further information or clarification please do not hesitate to contact Barry Clarke, Senior Project Manager at barry.clarke@edinburgh.gov.uk

Regards

Andy Edwards

Dr Andy Edwards | South West Locality | Place | The City of Edinburgh Council | 10 Westside Plaza, Edinburgh EH14 2ST | email: andy.edwards@edinburgh.gov.uk |

 

 

 

 

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Community Picnic on the Links – all welcome – Saturday 17th July, 1-3pm

           

You are invited to a Community Picnic on Leith Links, Saturday 17th July 2021
1 – 3pm, on the old bowling greens area  – entry from Links Place gate 
….. weather permitting …..

Please do come along and join in a community get together.

Please bring your own food and drink (no barbecues, sorry).

Bring your own rug, cushions, folding seats, whatever.            

Bring musical instruments if you fancy doing a ‘turn’.

For covid safety reasons, this has to be a ‘low key’ event, but there will be a wee bit of a community vibe; fun activities for children, an opportunity to catch up with folk you may not have seen for a while, and a chance to discuss and ‘cast a vote’ for your favourite ideas for the future of the former bowling greens area.
                 Numbers on the bowling greens will be limited, and free snacks and juice may run out, so come early if you want to get a spot!

For more info: contact@leithlinkscc.org.uk

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Leith Links public toilets due to open on 23 June 2021

The City of Edinburgh Council intends to open the temporary public toilets on Leith Links from Wednesday 23 June 2021. Although it should be noted that this is subject to the Council having staffing in place, adequate supplies and that all connections are in place.

 

The toilets are located next to the disused bowling greens & derelict building will be open from 10am until 6pm each day until September 2021. The toilets will be staffed whilst they are open to ensure cleanliness and also that Covid-19 related social distancing is observed.

 

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Scottish Fire and Rescue Service – Long-Term Vision public consultation

The Scottish Fire and Rescue Service (SFRS) is seeking your views on its Long Term Vision.

Their online consultation survey can be completed by clicking here before 18 July 2021.

The website of SFRS says-

The safety needs of communities across Scotland are changing. To respond to this, we want to evolve the service we provide and at the same time further improve what we do so that the people of Scotland have the best fire and rescue service possible.

Our document ‘SFRS – Long-Term Vision’ details the four key principles that outline how we want to work and the eight priorities we want to achieve over the next decade and beyond.

This vision represents our future, but we remain, as always, your SFRS.

We have launched a public consultation for communities across Scotland to offer their views on the future direction of the SFRS and how to make the country an even safer place to live, work and visit.

Make your voice heard, take part in our consultation and help us create a safer Scotland for all.

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Filming on the Links Wednesday 9th June

If you see a small crowd protesting on Leith Links on Wednesday, it’s not the start of the revolution, it’s a film crew filming a drama.

This will take place between about 0900 and 1300 near to the Vanburgh Place  / Academy Lofts bit of the Links, and over towards Wellington Place.

The company has full permissions in place. Filming should not be unduly noisy or disruptive, but any complaints should be directed to Mr. Neil Mackay, Location Manager, on nrmackay@aol.com or phone the City of Edinburgh’s film office 0131 6227337

Parking spaces have been reserved for the film crew between Merith House Hotel and Park View Hotel.

McDonald Road Library prepares to open as Covid-19 testing centre for those without symptoms

City of Edinburgh Council has announced that those living in the Leith area without Covid-19 symptoms will be able to pop into McDonald Road Library for a Covid-19 test.

The tests take around fifteen minutes, with the results known within the hour.

The Library will be used as a Covid-19 testing centre from 14th June 2021 from 9am until 6pm, up until 20th June 2021. No booking required, just pop in.

Click here to read more information about community Covid-19 testing.

It is worth noting that almost 1 in 3 people infected with Covid-19 don’t have any of the usual symptoms but are potentially passing on the virus unknowingly to family, friends and others in the community. By getting tested people can find out if they are positive and self-isolate at home to stop spreading the virus to others. People who have been vaccinated are also encouraged to take a test as they may still carry the virus.

 

 

 

 

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Hold the date! Next public meeting about the former bowling green area is 17th May 7pm

The next online public meeting to discuss the possible future of the ‘former bowling green area and building’ on Leith Links will be held on Zoom at 7p.m. on Monday 17th May.
We had a very well-attended meeting on 19th April – thank you to the many members of the local community who participated! – to discuss the possible future of this part of Leith Links that has fallen into disrepair and is underused. Many great ideas for the area were put forward and discussed, but we were also made aware of the restrictions affecting potential changes of use and building on what is ‘common good land’.
The next public meeting will be held  at 7p.m. on Monday 17th May, when we will discuss in more detail some short, medium and long term aims. Hold the date!!!
Participation will be via the Eventbrite ticketing system and we will post a link here very soon that you can use to sign up for this meeting.
We are also working on getting some specialised pages up on this web site that can be used for members of the public to share and comment on ideas under discussion.

Watch this space!

 

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