Dear All

The Figgate Park 2020 Calendars have arrived, and will be on sale for the first time at the Porty Market, in Brighton Park, tomorrow, Saturday 2 November. Figgy Park Friends there from 10am till 1pm.  Calendars are £8 each and correct change would be appreciated if possible! This year all of the photos in the Calendar were taken by members of the public, who sent in their shots in their first ever photo competition and the standard was excellent.  More on Portobello Market here: https://www.pedal-porty.org.uk/food/portobello-market/

This Sunday 3 November is a Brass Band Concert at St Marks Church 287 Portobello High Street 7.30pm.  Tickets can be ordered in advance at stmarkstickets@gmail.com costing £7 for adults and under-16s free entry. More here: https://www.facebook.com/events/392019765058027/?ti=icl

Interested in finding out about the Craigmillar Tapestry? Come along to a stitching workshop at Craigmillar Library – you can learn some simple stitches and have a go at working on some of the tapestry panels yourself. The workshop is 10:30am – 12:30pm on Tuesday  5 November.

Treverlen Park, on the site of the old Portobello and St John’s schools, is finished and was due to be open by now. But the ROSPA (Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents) inspection won’t be completed until mid-November, so no official opening quite yet.  Thanks to skateboarder Sam Paterson for this update! 

Construction on the new Castlebrae Community High School started this week.  One of the first things to do is to to ensure the safety of the memorial to Craig Millar, which the community put there to mark the site where the newborn infant’s body was found on 11 March 2001, not where he is buried. Story here: https://www.theguardian.com/uk/2001/mar/17/kirstyscott and http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/scotland/edinburgh_and_east/4926170.stm. The well-tended community memorial is being safely removed, restored and kept in secure storage by William Purves Funeral Directors. The landscape design for the new-build grounds – in which the Castlebrae pupils have been deeply involved – includes a beautiful Memorial Garden at the site where the baby was found. Community consultation will help determine the right place for the memorial in the future.  Up until now, anyone could visit it at any time.  In the future, if it is within school grounds, access will inevitably be restricted. 

The next Brunstane Burn Clean Up led by Portobello Timebank Members will be Saturday 23 November from 1.30pm – 3.30pm in Magdalene Glen. There will be something for all – big items, small items, path-side litter and river wading. It looks so much better, compared to last year, but we need to maintain the effort to ensure longer term impact. The clean up base will be around the playground, in the centre of Magdalene Glen, so it’s a very family-friendly event. We finish with cake and a hot drink for all the volunteers. 

Due to technical problems the email account for the community grant funding from Portobello and Craigmillar Neighbourhood Network (see last week’s Update) had to be changed. Email is now: communitygrantfundpcnn@ea.edin.sch.uk

There are always consultations going where the Council seeking our views. Some are more relevant to us in Portobello/Craigmillar Ward than others.  Straiton Place Park Children’s Entertainment and Catering (ends 5 November) and  Bus Lanes Operational Hours (ends 22 November) are possibly the two most relevant going on at present: https://consultationhub.edinburgh.gov.uk/

Talking of consultations coming up: there was quite a crowd at the drop-in prompted by residents in the ‘Joppa Triangle’ concerned about the traffic in their residential streets.  Council roads officers and residents were busy exchanging information and views and poring over maps of the area and filling in post-its from 4pm to 8pm. All this inflation is being analysed by Transport Officers to inform Traffic Regulation Order proposals which will then be subject to the widespread formal consultation and opportunity for anyone to object or support those proposals, all of which is a legal requirement.  We are not yet sure of the timescale for all, but I will keep you posted.

There are still some reported difficulties with the ‘smart’ traffic lights at MiltonRoad East/Portobello Bypass.  I have asked the team to have another look to see if they have been adjusted too far in one direction at the expense of the others.  

Again, can I remind you to get in touch with me if there are any glitches with any of your refuse collection schedules.  We all want to get it right, and keep on getting it right.

Edinburgh and Lothians Greenspace Trust has completed a feasibility study for a walking and cycling route between the Pentlands and Portobello.  They have published it here:  http://www.elgt.org.uk/projects/walking-cycling/pentland-to-portobello-feasability-study/

That’s all for now.  Do let me know if you want ‘updated’ on anything else. 

Best wishes for a good weekend.

Maureen

Councillor Maureen Child

Labour Councillor Portobello/Craigmillar Ward

Office: 0131 529 3268

Mobile: 07718 666 481

Facebook Page: Maureen Child Standing Up for Portobello/Craigmillar

Twitter: @MaureenChild1