HISTORY OF LEITH GOLF

The next meeting of the Leith Local History Society will be on Tuesday 21 Nov. 2023 at Leith Community Centre at 7.00pm.
The original proposed talk has been rescheduled the talk will now be The History of Golf by Brian Graham.
We look forward to seeing you there. If you are interested in this, or the upcoming talks, why not complete a membership form and bring it to the next meeting.
Also, you may be interested to hear that an archaeology dig is due to start in Coatfield Lane off Constitution Street before new housing is built. The archaeology team are having an open day for the public to find out more on: Saturday, 25th November from 10am to 2pm .

O Christmas Tree O Christmas Tree

In last weeks Evening News, there was an article detailing where the council would be installing Christmas trees around the city this year. Leith wasn’t mentioned.

Last year because of ongoing tram works the council decided not to put one at the usual central Leith spot at the Kirkgate.  I know we all have enough on our minds with fuel and food costs going through the roof but a bit of Christmas cheer would be welcomed.

When I asked why another location couldn’t be found to place a tree, I was informed that the council had planted one in Taylor Gardens.

Exhibit 1

The council did eventually install a full size tree, which we welcomed, but could have been placed more centrally possibly at the Shore outside Malmaison or outside Bank of Scotland in the Kirkgate where many more tourists and Leithers pass during the day.

This year we had the same excuse about tram works for no tree at the Kirkgate but the council told us they had planted a tree beside Leith Library.

Exhibit 2

The council also intend to install a full size tree in Taylor Gardens but when I passed there yesterday there was one Christmas light from the bottom of Leith Walk stuck on a lamp post.

Why have I decided to moan? Because I feel the people of Leith deserve better and have stoically put up with continual disruption to their lives from ongoing tram and road works.

Having had a year to investigate alternative sites, it should have been simple for the council to find somewhere for a tree in Leith’s historic centre where more people pass including much welcomed visits from tourists.

Rightly or wrongly it does give the impression that the council really don’t care.

From an environmental point of view I applaud them for their tree planting but it could be 20 years before these trees are mature enough to be decorated.

After all Leith has been through over the last few years surely it’s not a lot to ask for a Christmas tree to be located in the heart of the community to be enjoyed by all.

Jim Scanlon MBE

Chair, Leith Links Community Council

 

 

 

CONTROLLED PARKING ZONES ABBEYHILL, LEITH WALK, PILRIG, LEITH AND NORTH LEITH NORTH

Important! The City Council have reached the next step (Traffic Regulation Order, consultation stage) in the introduction of Controlled Parking Zones for Abbeyhill, Leith Walk, Pilrig, Leith and North Leith, which were first proposed and discussed back in 2019.  This covers some (but not all) of the Leith Links area (which apparently counts as ‘Leith’ in this scheme) see map below, and will definitely also affect other parts of our area that are just on/beyond the boundary, as parking will ‘migrate’ from the controlled zone to the nearest free parking. The boundary is along the edge of the Links, so there will be increased demand for parking on Vanburgh, Hermitage & East Hermitage Place, Gladstone Place and Claremont Park, and other streets nearest these.

NB. This is different from and not to be confused with the proposed CPZ for our area earlier this year (for the area inaccurately referred to as ‘West Leith’) which has been paused / postponed until later in 2022. Final plans and consultation of that are still to come, next year.

Comments on this first TRO/21/03ADY have to be made in writing by 12th November so there is not much time.

INTRODUCTION OF NEW CONTROLLED PARKING ZONES (CPZ)

AREA 1 ABBEYHILL, LEITH WALK, PILRIG, LEITH AND NORTH LEITH

AREA 2 GORGIE, SHANDON, MOAT, CHESSER AND HUTCHISON

To view detailed plans and further information regarding the proposals, please visit the consultation website:

http://pclengagement-hub.co.uk/en-GB/folders/parkingreviewph1

With comments on the proposals or any details of them, please email by 12th November the team at Edinburgh.Consultation@projectcentre.co.uk 

Click on the project link and then scroll down and click on EDINBURGH AREA N8

This takes you to the ’tile’ maps which shows existing and proposed changes

It’s not easy to drill down to the important pages, and then you have to look at each numbered tile, then look at existing and proposed for each section

For example tiles 930,989,871 and 830 are closest to my house on the LEITH map tile grid for Links Gardens. (There’s also a North Leith tile map)

Having looked at each section you have to print off the legend map at the top of the page so you know what each colour indicates. For example pink is resident parking, brown is pay and display/resident parking, shared  – and on and on it goes.

Finding the pages to make comments is not easy and may put people off commenting. (I’m sure the City Council will deny that it has deliberately made it complicated to put people off commenting. However, I feel that  it could have been much better designed IF the council really wanted local people to engage…).

But please do try to have a look and make comments, it’s our only chance to affect the final decisions.

 

 

Next meeting of Leith Links Community Council, Monday 30th November, 6:30pm, via Microsoft Teams

The next meeting of the Leith Links Community Council will take place on Monday 30th November, at 6:30pm, online, via Microsoft Teams.

The link for the meeting will be sent out by email.

The meeting is open to interested members of the public. If you wish to attend, please email contact@leithlinkscc.org.uk and ask to be sent an invitation /link for the meeting.

Here are

(1) the Agenda for the meeting.

(2) the LLCC MINUTES October 2020 (draft until adopted at next week’s meeting).

(3) the Licensing Update (incorporating link to LLCC’s response to the Scottish Government’s recent consultation on Short Term Lets) by Licensing Sub Committee Spokesperson Michael Traill.

These are also stored for access at any time in our online Library.

Leith for Ever

Leith Links Community Council has been asked by Leith for Ever to share the following information. Please note that Leith Links Community Council has not discussed the Leith for Ever project and therefore is providing the information without comment or endorsement.

 

Leith for Ever
 

Leithers past and present are being asked to share their thoughts about the area as part of a new lottery-funded project, An evolving online exhibition which will feature 100 people, places, objects and events which represent the independent spirit of Leith. Launched on the centenary of Leith becoming part of Edinburgh, on November 5, 1920, it takes its title from a protest banner which read: “Leith For Ever.  We protest against Amalgamation.”

 

The exhibition is the brainchild of a group of Leith-based organisations, including Leith Civic Trust, Yardheads productions, Leith Festival and Cinetopia in response to the City of Edinburgh Council Archive’s ReDrawing Edinburgh project.  Originally the City of Edinburgh Council planned a year of events to mark the centenary of the amalgamation of eight districts into Edinburgh – however because of the Covid crisis most of the activity has had to take place online.

 

The Leith For Ever project received funding from the National Lottery Community Fund, which made awards in October to support organisations dealing with the Covid crisis.  

 
Join us each day to celebrate the people and places of Leith: www.LeithforEver.org/100Days
You can also find us on facebook, twitter and instagram: @LeithForEver
Share your ideas of individuals, places, objects, or stories about Leith that you would like to see featured, or volunteer to provide content for a post: www.LeithforEver.org/submit
We would also love to hear from any community groups or organisations who might want to get involved in the project. Please email us on hello@LeithforEver.org.

Image of the Leith For Ever Banner from Edinburgh City Council Capital Collections here:

 

Congratulations Councillor Ethan Young

Earlier today City of Edinburgh Council announced that Ethan Young (Scottish National Party) has been elected to represent the Craigentinny/Duddingston ward at the City Chambers.

Councillor Young now automatically becomes an ex officio member of Leith Links Community Council.

Speaking on behalf of Leith Links Community Council Chairman Jim Scanlon said;

On behalf of Leith Links CC I would like to congratulate Ethan and look forward to seeing him at our next CC online meeting. I hope we can work together constructively on issues effecting local residents.

Latest Spaces for People representation lodged with City of Edinburgh Council

Earlier this evening Leith Links Community Council submitted a further representation to City of Edinburgh Council regarding its Spaces for People programme.

The submission to City of Edinburgh Councils Transport and Environment Committee, and Leith Ward Councillors Booth, McVey and Munro has been made ahead of its meeting due to be held on Thursday 12 November 2020 from 10am. Click here to watch the meeting live on the internet and read the papers for the meeting.

Commenting on the submission Community Councillor Sally Millar said;

It does not seem right that decisions are being made about our area without consulting local people. And if the council really has monitored traffic and done impact assessments, then where are the data?

» Read more

Leith Festivals ‘Christmas in Leith’ celebrations

Leith Festival invite our community to join them at the Foot of the Walk for the start of Leith Festival’s “Christmas in Leith” Celebrations. No photo description available.

Enjoy hearing the choir from St Mary’s (Leith) Primary school who will also lead the Community Christmas singalong and switching on of Leith’s Christmas Tree.

Leith Festival wish to thank to GAMECHANGER for their much appreciated support.

 

Image may contain: one or more people, people standing, night and outdoor

 

 

Leith Links Community Council responds to Leith Festival Funfair plan being considered by City of Edinburgh Council

Earlier this month we let you know that City of Edinburgh Council are considering an application to for a funfair to be brought to Leith Links in 2020 as part of Leith Festival.

We invited our community to submit to us their views, suggestions & questions on the application.

The event application has been considered by the Leith Links Community Council Sub Committee on Parks & Greenspaces, who have submitted the below response to the City of Edinburgh Council.  This application specific response is our addition to our standing policy on requests for events on Leith Links.


Dear Sir/Madam

I am writing to give the response of both Leith Links Community Council and the members of the public who responded to our asking for comments on our website.

Firstly, LLCC is happy for this event to proceed. The fair has been setting up on the Links during around the time of Leith Gala Day for a long time and their has never been a problem with that. Our only concern is around the short timescale initially given for consultation. As you will know, there are a lot more events that are being planned for the Links and we would ask yourselves to give us and the public sufficient time to respond to these.

Regards,

David Igoe

Leith Links Community Council

Comments Received on the Leith Links Community Council Website

“Is this around the same time as the Chef Food Fair that you advised us of? The consultation is insulting to the intelligence of the interested parties. There is insufficient information given here about:

Where exactly on Leith Links the Funfair will be located.

How many rides and stalls it will consist of and what their nature will be.

Hours of operation.

Sound/music/noise nature and volume during operation.

Management of the site including rubbish and recycling.

Charges and revenue that will be generated and how that money will be used improve Leith Links

Making good any damage after the event.

Also I suggest all properties facing Leith Links are distributed with information about the proposal, they are the most likely to be affectedly noise etc and better effort should be made to inform and consult them

Unless better information is provided to consulates, no decision to approve this should be made

It should also be clearer what the Councils decision criteria are in these cases.”

“It’s a simple ‘no’ from me. For the last four years a resident I’ve had to put up with road closures, building works and noise. I’ve simply had enough.”

“The level of information provided is very poor and not enough to form any decision.

There is not enough information about numbers expected, how the crowds will be managed, how they will protect the grass etc, what their plans are to fix any damage, how they will manage any additional traffic etc. How will they manage the impact of music and noise on other park users, local residents and local businesses etc.”

“I am supportive of this application, provided that the event organisers minimise vehicle use on the Links (i.e. only for set up and take down, no driving on and off/around in between times) ensure scrupulous litter prevention/collection and cease noise by 1pm or midnight if not before.

This is a traditional event linked to a community event that has been coming for many years. Local residents enjoy it and is good for young people, unlike any of the events that want to use the Links, it does not last long, local peopler used to it, it does not generally attract young people from outside the area so no problems with traffic congestion, parking problems,ms etc.”


 

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