• Portobello Community Council
  • c/o 14 Rosefield Avenue
  • Portobello
  • EH15 1AU
 

Maureen Child Update 31 August 2017

Posted on: August 31st, 2017

Dear All

 

The 70th Edinburgh International Festival is over for another year, but Portobello and Craigmillar local arts and community activities continue seamlessly.  A hugely successful 8th Big Beach Busk last weekend in Portobello is followed by ArtWalk kicking off now, and the Portobello Village Show on Sunday.  Both Castlebrae Community High School and Sandy’s Community Centre in Craigmillar have fun family events on Friday.  Magdalene Community Garden growers get together on Saturday.  Portobello Market in Brighton Park on Saturday alongside the Autumn Fair in nearby St John’s Church.  There is more, no doubt!

 

Sandy’s Community Centre (76 Craigmillar Castle Avenue, EH16 4DW) has an Open Day on Friday 1 September, from 12.30pm to 3.30pm.  The centre’s management committee will be on hand to meet and welcome everyone, show us what they and the local people get out of the centre and all the facilities on offer.  They’re planning fun activities –  including inaugurating their outdoor pizza oven – so there will be food – and everyone is welcome. 

 

Find out more about about why you should take part in ArtWalk Porty here: http://www.artmag.co.uk/art-walk-porty-2017/  If you are wondering where to get a hard copy map for Artwalk,  a range of local businesses have them. Pick one up from Twelve Triangles, Cove, Two Sisters, The Mousehole Deli, The Skylark, Monny’s, The Velvet Easel, Wild Flower Shop and The Dalriada. Or download one here: http://www.artwalkporty.co.uk/2017/Graphics/Map_AWP17.pdf And there are walks with talks too: http://www.artwalkporty.co.uk/2017/walkstalks.html

 

Join the staff and furry residents of Edinburgh Dog and Cat Home (EDCH) as they celebrate their 60th Anniversary at Seafield Road East. The Open Day is a fun family day out with doggy demonstrations, seaside entertainment and animal stalls galore. You may event meet your new family member on one of the kennel or cattery tours. Dog agility demonstrations; seaside fun and games; EDCH residents meet and greet; food and refreshments; pet care products and advice; Rehoming information. FREE Entry.

 

The Powerleague/Westbank Street/Tumbles prospective sale is proving – understandably – hugely controversial and subject to a lot of debate and discussion.  It is important to do two things, whether or not you support the retention of current uses on the site.  If local opposition can stop this going ahead, then your active involvement is very much needed.  If it goes ahead anyway, it is equally crucial to have the best possible development on the site with lots of community benefit.  Housing has been mentioned, but it might include (horror of all horrors) yet another supermarket.  It could be a mixed development with lots more community benefit.  It could lead to a community buy-out. I am delighted that Portobello Community Council and Portobello Amenity Society have put in Participation Requests under the Community Empowerment Act (2016) so that local views can be taken into account more than ever before.  Please do respond to this and use the comments at the end to say exactly what you think should be there or should stay there.  https://consultationhub.edinburgh.gov.uk/bi/westbank-street-development-1/

 

Portobello Book Festival   www.portobellobookfestival.wordpress.com   is having a second hand book stall at Portobello Village Show on Sunday 3rd September to raise funds for this year’s book festival on 6th – 8th October. The programme launch is this Friday and the programme will be available online, in the library and dotted around Portobello from then. Tickets (all free) will be in the Library from Monday September 6th.  

 

Somebody left a car parked very badly in Brighton Place, causing inconvenience and at times, obstruction to traffic. Normally, this would be left to the DVLA to sort, sometimes taking weeks.  Police Scotland tried to track down the registered owner – somewhere in Fife – to no avail, so the Council will put a 24 hour notice on it, then remove it.  Parking on the west side of Brighton Place has never been local custom and practice because of the obvious blockages it would – and did – cause. Portobello’s finest competing for the, title of Grumpy Citizen of the week, made lots of comments on social media.  The car was parked legally.  Police Scotland, Council, DVLA, and citizens and Councillors all played their part in getting it shifted – legally.

 

I was privileged to see a performance on Saturday of Lone Wolf at Artspace – the work of Lyra Theatre last weekend; a beautiful and powerful dance theatre piece.  We are lucky to have such a facility in the heart of Craigmillar.  The young people also took part in choosing Festival shows that would appeal to a young audience, like them.  See here: http://www.imaginate.org.uk/artists/projects/wee-night-out/

 

The bid to build in the Green Belt contrary to the Local Development Plan, just agreed last November, has been unanimously rejected by the Planning Committee at a hearing this week.   http://www.edinburghnews.scotsman.com/our-region/edinburgh/craigmillar/fresh-bid-to-build-750-new-homes-near-eri-1-4545793

But that is not the end of the matter,  the report goes to full Council and then to Scottish ministers for further consideration.  Full report link here: 

http://www.edinburgh.gov.uk/download/meetings/id/54590/item_61_-_south_east_wedge_development_site_old_dalkeith_road_edinburgh_%E2%80%93_protocol_note_by_the_head_of_strategy_and_insight

 

Being bullied online can be about a number of things. Childline say that "cyberbullying is using the internet, email, online games or any digital technology to threaten, tease, upset or humiliate someone else".  If you or someone you know is being bullied online, do check out their page on how to deal with it.

https://www.childline.org.uk/info-advice/bullying-abuse-safety/types-bullying/online-bullying/

 

And here is some of the positive stuff going on at Towerbank Primary School in their first newsletter of the new term.  See here: https://towerbankprimary.files.wordpress.com/2017/01/newsletter-25-august-17.pdf

 

The results of Saturday’s Sandcastle Competition and how to contribute to the Bellfield Crowdfunder are just two of the items on Portobello Community Council’s website home page.  http://www.portobellocc.org/ or Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/PortobelloCommunityCouncil/posts/1297835267008708

 

Back home, our under-stairs cupboard is now free, emptied and decluttered and the Tool Library now have a donation of gardening tools way in excess of our extended family needs. Most will need a bit of ‘tlc’ which tool library are prepared to give them so they can make them available for others to use.  Both Portobello and Piershill Libraries have outlets for this fabulous social enterprise. More here: http://edinburghtoollibrary.org.uk/

 

Craigmillar Library have a new IT class beginning on Tuesday afternoons from 1 September 2pm-4pm, and will be running all the way to Christmas! There are still a few places left so if you would like to join in, please email your name and phone number to kenneth.sharkey@edinburgh.gov.uk.

 

The next tram debate takes place at the next Transport and Environment Committee next Monday.  The report on the business case is in the public domain and the link is here: http://www.edinburgh.gov.uk/meetings/meeting/4225/transport_and_environment_committee

 

Great to see the lovely Craigmillar Castle tree as one of Edinburgh’s 100 most treasured Object.  Interesting history here too:  http://edinburgh.org/101#object69. What would be your 101?

 

Have a great weekend!

 

Maureen

 

 

Councillor Maureen Child | Labour Elected Member | Portobello/Craigmillar (Ward 17) | The City of Edinburgh Council | City Chambers | High Street | Edinburgh | EH1 1YJ | Tel 0131 529 3268 | Mobile 07718 666 481 |  Twitter @MaureenChild1 | Facebook Maureen Child for Portobello/Craigmillar