Tag: Community Councillor Sally Millar

Parkour in the park at transformed Leith Links play area

The new Leith Links play area was officially opened on Friday 1 November 2019.

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A parkour unit, a Rolli trampoline for wheelchair users, a natural play area and oodles of great new play equipment chosen by the local community have allbeen installed in the north Edinburgh park.

Edinburgh & Lothians Greenspace Trust (ELGT) enlisted the help of pupils From Leith Primary and City of Edinburgh Council’s Vice Convener for Culture and Communities to help officially open the new play park today following its £290,000 revamp.

The previous play park equipment was built in 1992 and fell below the play value score of good due to its age and condition.
ELGT held a number of consultation events to identify what types of new play equipment would make an immediate and very visible improvement to the play park. These will aim to serve as a catalyst for subsequent activities in the park.

A variety of equipment to cater for all ages has been installed in Leith Links, including a wide range of exciting new pieces of equipment – all selected by the local community.

Highlights include:

  • A zipwire, a swing basket, a climbing unit, a seated springer and a 3m cone net climber for junior ages
  • A toddle zone, with a swing with seat and cradle; a sand-play area with slide, a springer, a make-it-rain play piece, a wooden snail seat, a 2m orbit roundabout and a springer water lily
  • A Rolli Trampoline for wheelchairs users
  • An area for natural play, which includes a stilt walk and log stack to encourage natural play
  • A parkour unit to cater for teenagers, with a woodchip and rubber safer surface

Councillor Amy Mcneese-Mechan, Vice Convener of Culture and Communities, said: “This wonderful new facility is a fantastic addition to Leith Links, making it one of Edinburgh’s largest and most exciting play spaces. Play facilities for local children were arguably lacking and out of date before but with all these new additions the park’s now a great space for all the family to play and have fun. I’m particularly thrilled that we’ll have play equipment specifically designed for wheelchair users, so that families with disabled children can join in the fun.

“We have a first-class range of parks across the Capital, and we want to help communities make the most of these excellent open spaces. I’m sure these new facilities will draw visitors to Leith Links from all over the city.”

Charlie Cumming, Edinburgh & Lothians Greenspace Trust, Chief Executive, said:“I am delighted that we have delivered an upgraded play area at Leith Links Park thanks to funding from FCC Communities Fund and the City of Edinburgh Council. The play equipment will help meet the needs of the local children now and for future generations and will encourage greater use of the park for local families”

Leith Links Community Council’s Sally Millar said: “Leith Links Community Council reported that all the users of the new Leith Links Play Park are absolutely delighted with the new design and facilities. It’s buzzing! The old play park was very limited and definitely past its sell-by-date. The newly upgraded play park, thanks to City of Edinburgh Council and Edinburgh and Lothians Greenspace Trust, is so much more interesting, with lots of exciting new activities to explore and enjoy. The large wooden Pirate Ship is an especial favourite, for ‘clamberers’, also the new Zipwire is very popular. Safe, soft surfaces underfoot are reassuring for parents, who also like the seating facilities within the enclosure. A separate space for the smallest/ youngest children is much appreciated, as are the wheelchair friendly and all-age adapted activities that allow children with disabilities to be included in the fun. Thank you, CEC and Greenspace Trust!”

Sophie Cade, FCC Communities Fund Grants Manager said: “We are delighted to have supported this project. As well as providing a modern and safe area for children to play, the new play park will make a lasting and positive impact on the local community, a key objective of the Foundation.”

The new play park was funded by the FCC Communities Fund, which is from the Landfill Communities Fund, and by the City of Edinburgh Council’s Neighbourhood Environment Grant.

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What being a Community Councillor means to me: Sally Millar

Later this year Leith Links Community Council (LLCC) will be holding its next election.

The last LLCC election was held in 2016 when seventeen candidates stood for election (with twelve positions available). 586 members of our community voted which represented a turnout of 6.9%.

Despite living in Leith Links since 1987, I had never heard of the Community Council until I started a campaign against the giant biomass incinerator that Forth Ports proposed building in Leith Docks, in 2010. I needed to learn – and fast! – about all sorts of things like Scottish energy policies, how planning permission works, who all the key players were, in local and national politics, and how to find and mobilise friends and supporters for a campaign to fight off a threat to the local community. One staunch source of local support turned out to be members of the Leith Community Councils, (Biofuelwatch and Friends of the Earth Scotland were other important allies). We won, by the way! (2012).

After that, I really valued the work of the Leith Links Community Council and took the opportunity to become a full member in 2013, standing again for election in 2016. I have been Secretary for the past 3 years and I am intending to stand again for election this year because I feel that some experience and continuity could be useful, to balance and support input from new members.

I firmly believe that although many people aren’t even aware of its existence, the Community Council is a force for good in the local area.

Meetings are always interesting and it is a good chance to meet and get to know the local City Councillors, who usually, attend, as do the Community Police. Community Councillors are also invited to many other meetings and projects – a great way to learn about and participate in local activities and events. To be honest there’s a lot more ‘paperwork’ than ‘manning the barricades’ in Community Council work, but while that can be tiring and frustrating at times, being able to (sometimes) have a direct positive influence on important services and decisions, is a source of satisfaction and pride.

Being a Community Councillor has certainly really helped ME to truly become part of my local community, to feel active and useful, to learn new skills, and to get to know and work with so many interesting and committed local people, and worthwhile causes. It is a good way to learn how the City of Edinburgh Council works, and to learn the true facts and the complicated ins and outs of so many important matters that affect us all. (Almost nothing you read in the Evening News is a true representation of any situation!) I feel that it is privilege and a pleasure to ‘serve’ the local community to the best of my ability.

Click on the picture for more information.

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