Time Running out to Comment on LDP2 and related documents
Deadline Friday 15 January 2021
You still have time to comment on a) the Proposed Local Development Plan (LDP2), a document that will guide future land use around Waterside as well as in East Dunbartonshire as a whole; and b) additional sites proposed by developers, which could potentially be included in the final version of the Local Development Plan.
You will find the Proposed Local Development Plan, the Proposals Map, Additional Site Assessments and other relevant documents on the following page: https://www.eastdunbarton.gov.uk/proposed-local-development-plan-2.
The Proposed Local Development Plan includes a plan to build eight affordable homes at the bottom of Moss Road (at the site of the lock-ups):
4.H20 Moss Road (MIR S353)
You will find the Proposed Local Development Plan, the Proposals Map, Additional Site Assessments and other relevant documents on the following page: https://www.eastdunbarton.gov.uk/proposed-local-development-plan-2.
The Proposed Local Development Plan includes a plan to build eight affordable homes at the bottom of Moss Road (at the site of the lock-ups):
4.H20 Moss Road (MIR S353)
The Additional Sites Assessments document includes nine other sites proposed by developers, amongst which are the following:
- currently green-belt Pit Road S369 (the cow field between Pit Road and the Luggie Water), which developers believe has capacity for 170 houses; and
- currently green-belt and local nature conservation site (LNCS) Fauldhead South S370 (the meadow on the south side of the river between the Luggie, the Dam Braes footpath and Chryston Road), for which 30 houses have been proposed.
If these places are important to you, please make sure you send in your comments.
To do this, EDC would prefer you to use the form available at https://www.eastdunbarton.gov.uk/proposed-local-development-plan.
You can alternatively email concise representations (2,000 words, max) to [email protected].
To do this, EDC would prefer you to use the form available at https://www.eastdunbarton.gov.uk/proposed-local-development-plan.
You can alternatively email concise representations (2,000 words, max) to [email protected].
It is also worth commenting on the sites put forward by developers in 2019 (especially if you did not comment on them then), since even though they have not yet made it into the Proposed Local Development Plan 2020, developers may well appeal.
- Bankhead Road (S208), 'the Horse's Field'
- Waterside Road/Gartshore Road (S345), 'the Cornfield'
- the Waterside bing (S315 – not marked on map below)
- Wester Gartshore (S348)
- Gartconner (S200)
- Saddler's Brae (S339); and
- the Gartshore estate (S57).
To read what people said about these seven sites and the Moss Road one in the 2019 consultation, see MIR Report on Consultation also available at https://www.eastdunbarton.gov.uk/proposed-local-development-plan-2 .
Socially Distanced Santa, 19 December 2020
Whatever is going on in the world, nothing can stop Santa, especially when he has the support of both elves and the Waterside Village Events team, organizing sanitizer, time slots at the grotto and social distancing. Santa's grotto on 19 December, complete with magic, reindeer and chocolate, brought much-needed joy to children's hearts in Waterside, so thank you, Santa, thank you, elves, and thank you, Waterside Village Events team!
Waterside Window Wanderland, 6-9pm, Saturday & Sunday 5 & 6 December 2020
Things were very different in 2018 when we all voted for help from the Coalfields Regeneration Trust to fund the Window Wanderland project proposed by Caroline Notman. However, Waterside pulled out all the stops on 5 and 6 December 2020 to make it an event to be hugely proud of.
There were nativity scenes and stars...
And dogs and cats and foxes...
And lots of wonderful illuminations, including the tree and two reindeers ceremonially lit up at the start of events by the Waterside Village Events team and some kind helpers (see story below this one).
And finallly, just in case you'd forgotten the defining feature of 2020 and the need to socially distance and stay safe, there was a little Coronavirus dragon to provide a slightly light-hearted reminder.
With thanks to Caroline Notman for bringing the Window Wanderland idea to Waterside, to the Coalfields Regeneration Trust for funding Waterside's Window Wanderland registration, and of course to the Waterside Village Events team for providing a splendidly decorated tree and illuminations and also the significant funding for craft materials for those dressing up their windows with colourful home-created designs. Thanks too to all who contributed photos, especially Caroline herself, Danny McFadden, Lisa Giffen, Debbie Carmichael and Lynne Bateman.
Waterside Village Events Switches On Christmas in Waterside, 5 December 2020
Because of the COVID-19 situation, the traditional gathering around the tree with carols and lanterns was not permitted in 2020, so the Waterside Village Events team opted for another way of brightening up Waterside – goodbye weak battery-powered lights; hello brilliant illuminations! And there might have been a few carefully separated candy canes hanging on the branches of the lovely tree (the latter very kindly obtained by Fiona Price) to sweeten the evening further.
With thanks to the Waterside Village Events team for bringing light to central Waterside, to Lynne Bateman and Siobhan Craig for coordinating everything, to Fiona Price for getting a tree, to Ian Sullivan for sand, to Karen and Neil Bathie for the power source and to Scott Wilson, Glenn Wilson, Neil Bathie and Scott Bateman for all their hard work installing and decorating the tree.
With thanks to the Waterside Village Events team for bringing light to central Waterside, to Lynne Bateman and Siobhan Craig for coordinating everything, to Fiona Price for getting a tree, to Ian Sullivan for sand, to Karen and Neil Bathie for the power source and to Scott Wilson, Glenn Wilson, Neil Bathie and Scott Bateman for all their hard work installing and decorating the tree.
Local Development Plan Consultation Now Under way – Includes Waterside Sites
As the poster shows, a consultation on East Dunbartonshire Council's proposed new Local Development Plan (LDP2) is now taking place and will continue till 15 January 2021. The page where the Local Development Plan, other relevant policy documents, and assessments of nine additional sites proposed by developers for housing can be found here.
The proposed new Local Development Plan includes 4.H20 Moss Road/MIR S353 (the site of the lock-ups on Moss Road), where the council wants to build some eight affordable homes. If you have views about this, it is well worth responding to the consultation.
The other very significant document being consulted on (and linked to from the same page) is the Additional Sites Assessments document, which includes the nine additional sites put forward by developers for housing. These include:
If these places matter to you, please make sure you take part in the consultation. The cow field is thought to have capacity for 170 houses, while the meadow to the east of the Dam Braes path would have 30.
The proposed new Local Development Plan includes 4.H20 Moss Road/MIR S353 (the site of the lock-ups on Moss Road), where the council wants to build some eight affordable homes. If you have views about this, it is well worth responding to the consultation.
The other very significant document being consulted on (and linked to from the same page) is the Additional Sites Assessments document, which includes the nine additional sites put forward by developers for housing. These include:
- green-belt Pit Road S369 (the cow field between Pit Road and the Luggie Water) and
- green-belt and local nature conservation site (LNCS) Fauldhead South S370 (the meadow on the south side of the river between the Luggie, the Dam Braes footpath and Chryston Road).
If these places matter to you, please make sure you take part in the consultation. The cow field is thought to have capacity for 170 houses, while the meadow to the east of the Dam Braes path would have 30.
Above: 1) the cow field and 2) the meadow beside the Dam Braes path that developers would like to build houses on
There are other sites you are sure to want to comment on too: 4.BR9 Waterside Bing is recommended in the proposed Local Development Plan as a biodiversity/green network enhancement opportunity. However, in the Monitoring Statement, there is a second option, to develop it as business land.
According to the proposed Local Development Plan, 4.BE7 Pit Road is 'an active business site with a mix of uses'. It is described as a 'development opportunity: Access to the site and the site’s general condition may require improvement and there is no capacity for further development on the site'. However, the Monitoring Statement recommends that 'the council work with the land owner to understand their aspirations for the site and any opportunities for improvement'.
As well as the new sites of interest to Waterside residents, there may also be policies that you will wish to comment on.
There are a number of documents that are not available on the page; for example, the Green Belt review. This News page will be updated once we have further information. We will also be adding clarification as soon as we have it on whether we need to comment again on other sites put forward previously by developers, such as the Horse's Field.
Register to take part in one of East Dunbartonshire Council's online information sessions as listed below by emailing [email protected]
According to the proposed Local Development Plan, 4.BE7 Pit Road is 'an active business site with a mix of uses'. It is described as a 'development opportunity: Access to the site and the site’s general condition may require improvement and there is no capacity for further development on the site'. However, the Monitoring Statement recommends that 'the council work with the land owner to understand their aspirations for the site and any opportunities for improvement'.
As well as the new sites of interest to Waterside residents, there may also be policies that you will wish to comment on.
There are a number of documents that are not available on the page; for example, the Green Belt review. This News page will be updated once we have further information. We will also be adding clarification as soon as we have it on whether we need to comment again on other sites put forward previously by developers, such as the Horse's Field.
Register to take part in one of East Dunbartonshire Council's online information sessions as listed below by emailing [email protected]
- 12.00-12.45pm on Wednesday 28 October or
- 7.00-7.45pm on Tuesday 17 November.
ASN school Planning Application Made – Clock Now Ticking for Objections
Planning application TP/ED/20/0576 (the proposed additional support needs school to be built on Waterside playing field) is now in.
While the official deadline for comments is Monday 5 October 2020, the council will accept submissions throughout the assessment of the application, though it is probably best to get your comments in as soon as possible. Documents associated with the application can be found here.
Waterside Community Council remains firmly opposed to this proposal (in line with all feedback we've received from villagers and near neighbours as well as many other factors), and we will provide any help we can to those wishing to comment.
The only objections that will be considered at this stage are ones that constitute "material planning considerations". There is a toolkit to help you decide what is or isn't a material planning consideration here.
This Waterside Community Council News page will be updated as we have further information.
While the official deadline for comments is Monday 5 October 2020, the council will accept submissions throughout the assessment of the application, though it is probably best to get your comments in as soon as possible. Documents associated with the application can be found here.
Waterside Community Council remains firmly opposed to this proposal (in line with all feedback we've received from villagers and near neighbours as well as many other factors), and we will provide any help we can to those wishing to comment.
The only objections that will be considered at this stage are ones that constitute "material planning considerations". There is a toolkit to help you decide what is or isn't a material planning consideration here.
This Waterside Community Council News page will be updated as we have further information.
Luggiewatch Picking up where Others Left off, 19 July & 23 August 2020
Luggiewatch litter picks resumed on 19 July 2020, with the usual fun atmosphere, the usual large quantities of litter removed and the usual lovely lunch generously provided afterwards by Lisa Giffen at Archie's. The only change from previous litter picks was social distancing and the very welcome arrival of a new contingent of volunteers from the Rotary Club, Kirkintilloch, which has adopted the Luggie Water as part of a Rotary International and UN Adopt-a-River scheme.
On 23 August 2020, the numbers taking part were even bigger, with several family groups each taking on a section of the river and surrounding landscape to clear.
What a wonderful effort by everyone, though what a shame we still need to do this. When will everyone realize the harm done to nature and our beautiful landscape by littering and fly-tipping?
With thanks to David Hardy for being our first aider for the event and for very kindly providing hand sanitizer and gloves, to Jim and Debbie Carmichael for organizing equipment, to Danny McFadden and Debbie Carmichael for their photos, and of course, as always, to our wonderful Lisa Giffen at Archie's.
On 23 August 2020, the numbers taking part were even bigger, with several family groups each taking on a section of the river and surrounding landscape to clear.
What a wonderful effort by everyone, though what a shame we still need to do this. When will everyone realize the harm done to nature and our beautiful landscape by littering and fly-tipping?
With thanks to David Hardy for being our first aider for the event and for very kindly providing hand sanitizer and gloves, to Jim and Debbie Carmichael for organizing equipment, to Danny McFadden and Debbie Carmichael for their photos, and of course, as always, to our wonderful Lisa Giffen at Archie's.
Sad Farewell to Waterside resident Tam Willson (6 February 1965-13 June 2020)
Tam died suddenly on Saturday 13 June, leaving his wife, Carole, and their two cats.
Tam was a very active member of the Waterside community, never missing a community council or a Luggiewatch meeting, and always ready to play his part by contributing his thoughts, helping on a stall or donating generous amounts of food and drink. He was also a member of Waterside Miners Club and loved the Wednesday night quizzes (where his specialist subjects were current affairs, sports and music). He also hugely enjoyed his Friday nights with the boys in the pool room listening to music. Outside Waterside he was active in both Ceartas and his local ataxia group.
Tam had been afflicted by cerebellar ataxia over the last decade or so, which largely robbed him of his voice and also stopped him playing golf, since it made walking progressively difficult. Not long after he was diagnosed, Carole became ill with multiple sclerosis. Undaunted, the two of them got on with enjoying life, helping each other (and others) in a complementary manner, joining in everything (with Tam driving them everywhere) and even hosting Luggiewatch barbecues.
Tam and his wicked sense of humour will be enormously missed. All possible condolences to his much-loved Carole.
Tam was a very active member of the Waterside community, never missing a community council or a Luggiewatch meeting, and always ready to play his part by contributing his thoughts, helping on a stall or donating generous amounts of food and drink. He was also a member of Waterside Miners Club and loved the Wednesday night quizzes (where his specialist subjects were current affairs, sports and music). He also hugely enjoyed his Friday nights with the boys in the pool room listening to music. Outside Waterside he was active in both Ceartas and his local ataxia group.
Tam had been afflicted by cerebellar ataxia over the last decade or so, which largely robbed him of his voice and also stopped him playing golf, since it made walking progressively difficult. Not long after he was diagnosed, Carole became ill with multiple sclerosis. Undaunted, the two of them got on with enjoying life, helping each other (and others) in a complementary manner, joining in everything (with Tam driving them everywhere) and even hosting Luggiewatch barbecues.
Tam and his wicked sense of humour will be enormously missed. All possible condolences to his much-loved Carole.
Personal Tribute To Tam from his friend Edward Z. Smith
I first met Tam and Carole at the Springwell Inn in the latter part of the 1980s shortly after they moved into their house at Muirhead Cottages. At first they sat quietly in the corner seat by the bar window but soon got to know people and quickly made friends with the pub regulars. At the time Carole was a nurse and working with elderly folk in Cambuslang. I remember entertaining the residents and staff at their Christmas functions, where Carole would be the life and soul of the party. Back then, Tam was a lift engineer, a very heavy occupation, as he recalled, requiring him to carry his toolkit between city centre buildings in Glasgow and beyond to maintain or repair various lifts and escalators. After a while Tam changed jobs and was employed as a security van driver, which entailed delivering cash between, if I recall correctly, Glasgow and Aberdeen. Always keen on travel, Tam had hauled Carole all the way to the Seychelles, where they married on the beach, and he would proudly share pictures of the occasion with us at the Springwell Inn. Tam was also very proud of their great-aunts, who lived in Chicago, USA (the Golden Girls maybe) and whom he visited with Carole. Every year he would send off a Hawkeye calendar to each of them. A very keen golfer, Tam would go down to his home town to play the Clydebank course or, if the weather was inclement, to watch football on the golf club TV. Tam also had an extremely keen interest in pop music, with very broad tastes – favourite artists included ZZ TOP, Jimmy Nail, Doctor Hook, Billy Connolly, The Beautiful South, Matt McGinn and Benny Hill. When the Springwell Inn closed, Tam and his friend Frankie (karaoke performer of note) joined us in the pool room of the Waterside Social Club. Once again, he quickly made friends with the regular clientele and bar staff and became a fixture on Friday nights. Tam will be remembered by all his friends from the Springwell Inn and Waterside Club as a very nice guy who, whilst battling his own serious illnesses, daily looked after his beloved Carole. RIP Tam Willson. Edward |
Consultation on Latest ASN School Plans till 5pm on Friday 19 June 2020
For more details and the consultation feedback form, see link here.
Help Available in Waterside and Now In G66 More generally
Waterside Gains Defibrillator, 30 April 2020
At a Coalfields Regeneration Trust fun day at the Miners Club on 15 September 2018, Waterside attendees voted to use some of the Coalfields Community Futures funding on a defibrillator. This project had been suggested by Waterside resident Jackie Brown. Well, as of 30 April 2020, the defibrillator is finally here, and wired to the side of Archie's shop.
There are clear instructions on it, and it won't operate unless needed, so there's no danger of harming anyone.
In an emergency, if the shop is open, call Archie's on 0141 776 2350, and someone will bring it to you.
Otherwise you need to take your phone to the defibrillator, ring 999 or 112, give the location code printed on the box to get an access code to open it, which will allow you to take the defibrillator out.
In these circumstances you'd also be asking the emergency services to attend, but having a local defibrillator could save vital time.
In due course there will be training in defibrillator use, and we'll put up a list of first responders in the area who can help.
Huge thanks to Jackie Brown for her hard work and perseverance in seeing the project through and for paying for installation and maintenance; to Lisa Giffen of Archie's for not hesitating to allow us to install the defibrillator at the shop; to the Coalfields Regeneration Trust, the British Heart Foundation, and East Dunbartonshire Council for so generously providing the funding for defibrillator and case.
Now let's just hope it will never be needed.
There are clear instructions on it, and it won't operate unless needed, so there's no danger of harming anyone.
In an emergency, if the shop is open, call Archie's on 0141 776 2350, and someone will bring it to you.
Otherwise you need to take your phone to the defibrillator, ring 999 or 112, give the location code printed on the box to get an access code to open it, which will allow you to take the defibrillator out.
In these circumstances you'd also be asking the emergency services to attend, but having a local defibrillator could save vital time.
In due course there will be training in defibrillator use, and we'll put up a list of first responders in the area who can help.
Huge thanks to Jackie Brown for her hard work and perseverance in seeing the project through and for paying for installation and maintenance; to Lisa Giffen of Archie's for not hesitating to allow us to install the defibrillator at the shop; to the Coalfields Regeneration Trust, the British Heart Foundation, and East Dunbartonshire Council for so generously providing the funding for defibrillator and case.
Now let's just hope it will never be needed.
COVID Response, April 2020
Above: Lynne and Scott Bateman at work coordinating help for those in need in Kirkintilloch, Waterside and Lenzie
When lockdown was announced, Waterside Village Events manager Lynne Bateman and one or two others immediately started thinking about how best to help those who could no longer go out to shop or pick up prescriptions because of their need to self-isolate but who had no one to do this for them. So volunteers willing to run essential errands were sought via Waterside social media pages, and leaflets delivered to every household in Waterside with details of a number to ring for help.
The idea spread, and soon Lynne was recruited to help a wider Kirkintilloch response unit, and then Lenzie became part of the operation, too.
Now Lynne and her husband, Scott, together with Susan Murray, are running G66 COVID Response, and they're taking texts, messages and referrals from OPAL and East Dunbartonshire Voluntary Action, before distributing requests for help as appropriate among 12 coordinators, each operating in their own local area, who in turn pass on shopping and prescription requests to one of the 80 other kind volunteers in each area. With over 16,000 homes in Kirkintilloch, Waterside and Lenzie, numerous requests for help are coming in, so it's all go for Lynne, Scott, Susan and their coordinators and volunteers. Enormous thanks are due to all of them.
The idea spread, and soon Lynne was recruited to help a wider Kirkintilloch response unit, and then Lenzie became part of the operation, too.
Now Lynne and her husband, Scott, together with Susan Murray, are running G66 COVID Response, and they're taking texts, messages and referrals from OPAL and East Dunbartonshire Voluntary Action, before distributing requests for help as appropriate among 12 coordinators, each operating in their own local area, who in turn pass on shopping and prescription requests to one of the 80 other kind volunteers in each area. With over 16,000 homes in Kirkintilloch, Waterside and Lenzie, numerous requests for help are coming in, so it's all go for Lynne, Scott, Susan and their coordinators and volunteers. Enormous thanks are due to all of them.
Meanwhile at Archie's...
Preparations should have been underway for the now cancelled 2020 Waterside Easter Duck Race, but instead...
(Photo from the Edward Z. Smith Archives)
Lisa Giffen and her team are doing everything in their power to ensure Waterside wants for nothing and no one goes hungry. They're cooking vast numbers of meals and preparing large batches of soup to supply this need, with Waterside children getting free lunches on a Monday and a Friday (with their own collection time slots to ensure social distancing is followed). Archie's are also doing deliveries round the area to help those self-isolating, and they're making sure they get stocks of hard-to-come-by articles such as pasta, tinned tomatoes and toilet paper.
Not surprisingly, Archie's heroic efforts were recognized in the linked-to article entitled 'A small store with a big heart at Waterside' in the Kirkintilloch Herald.
Not surprisingly, Archie's heroic efforts were recognized in the linked-to article entitled 'A small store with a big heart at Waterside' in the Kirkintilloch Herald.
Waterside Locks Down, 23 March 2020
Like everywhere else in Scotland (and in Britain), Waterside is now in lockdown – no leaving the house unless you're a key worker; you're one of the few children still having to attend school; you're out for your once-a-day exercise; you're collecting medicine; you're helping someone vulnerable; you're shopping for essentials (as infrequently as possible); or exceptional circumstances apply. And some people will be shut in entirely because the illness we're hearing about everywhere is thought to pose a particular risk to them or because they may themselves be infected.
If you're out and about and encounter friends, there can be no hugs or handshakes: you need to keep others at least two metres away unless they already share your home. And all to try to stop (or slow) the spread of a virus that emerged in China at the end of last year (with symptoms ranging from fevers, coughs, loss of smell to nothing at all) and which has since killed thousands worldwide (mainly in the most vulnerable groups) while overwhelming health services.
The more cases of the virus, the more chance there is of the NHS not being able to help everyone. Which is why we need to stay put and not allow the virus to spread, and why we're getting all those instructions about how to make sure our hands are clean.
Whatever your age, if you have time on those hands, why not record (in emails and photos) incidents and scenes that show how life has changed during this coronavirus pandemic. And if you send short excerpts to [email protected], we'll combine them into a story of Waterside (or maybe the Kirkintilloch area) in the Time of the Coronavirus that everyone can look back over in the years to come.
You may be hunkering down, but you can still make history...
And there'll be room for some thank yous too.
If you're out and about and encounter friends, there can be no hugs or handshakes: you need to keep others at least two metres away unless they already share your home. And all to try to stop (or slow) the spread of a virus that emerged in China at the end of last year (with symptoms ranging from fevers, coughs, loss of smell to nothing at all) and which has since killed thousands worldwide (mainly in the most vulnerable groups) while overwhelming health services.
The more cases of the virus, the more chance there is of the NHS not being able to help everyone. Which is why we need to stay put and not allow the virus to spread, and why we're getting all those instructions about how to make sure our hands are clean.
Whatever your age, if you have time on those hands, why not record (in emails and photos) incidents and scenes that show how life has changed during this coronavirus pandemic. And if you send short excerpts to [email protected], we'll combine them into a story of Waterside (or maybe the Kirkintilloch area) in the Time of the Coronavirus that everyone can look back over in the years to come.
You may be hunkering down, but you can still make history...
And there'll be room for some thank yous too.
Photo above: Bankhead Road © Debbie Carmichael
Waterside Miners Club Closes For Business, 8 March 2020
Waterside Miners Club has very sadly closed for business. This came at the end of a really busy final weekend (7-8 March 2020), in which the bar staff gave their all despite being about to lose their jobs. Since there is nowhere else in the village for community meetings and indoor events, Waterside Community Council very much hopes a community buyout of the premises might just be possible, but much depends on how the Coal Industry Social Welfare Organisation (CISWO) responds to the idea and whether funding can be obtained. For more information as well as for photos taken over the last two days, please see the Miners Club News page on this website.
Chock-a-block Traffic Exercise, Sunday 23 February 2020
On hearing that the planned new school on Waterside playing field would likely result in 270 additional return vehicle journeys at peak times on the already busy Bankhead Rd (the only way into and out of Waterside), Waterside Action Group responded by organizing a traffic simulation exercise. Not wanting to inconvenience people more than necessary, they arranged it for a Sunday, which meant that there was less traffic than on a school day on Waterside Road to add to the mix. Even so traffic backed up very fast, as can be seen in some of the pictures taken by Edward Z Smith, Matt Wilson, Scott Wilson and Debbie Carmichael.
Huge thanks are due to the photographers and marshals, who braved the elements; to the drivers who helped open our eyes to a very undesirable, fume-filled future with little green space left to filter the pollution; to the solitary cyclist; and most of all to organizers Ian and Brian.
Below is Edward's response to the situation.
Below is Edward's response to the situation.
Happy 80th Birthday, Janice, and Congratulations on 30 years With WCC! (January 2020)
Waterside Community Council secretary Janice Whyte receives her Waterside Local Hero prize from WCC chair Janice Herriot and a four-legged friend at Waterside Village Fest 2018 following nominations from the public.
Long Row, Waterside, where Janice was born (the last baby to be born in the cottages) 80 years ago. Suspecting she might be on the way, the doctor tramped through the snow from Kirkintilloch to Waterside. And she was!
See if you can spot Janice in Gartconner photos from 1949 (probably) and 1952, her radiant smile just the same back then.
You can't miss her as a cover girl (with dog, of course) with The Stones...
And here's Janice baptising the village sign with a pitcher of Luggie water (and revealing her wicked sense of humour).
But it was performing in Cinderella in 2018 that really brought out her regal side.
Creative by nature, Janice is never more at home than making cards, cross-stitch pictures, cakes and Easter bonnets. Here she is with her embroidered picture of the Lint Mill, Waterside.
Above is a birthday greeting to Janice from Edward Z. Smith. With thanks to him, Danny McFadden, Angela Begley and the anonymous school photographer for the above photos, without which this birthday/anniversary piece would not have been possible.
Below are some more birthday greetings.
Below are some more birthday greetings.
Cordy Lilly Happy birthday, Janice. Whether you’re taking minutes (oh so many over the years), reciting poetry, making a splash at a sign inauguration, serving teas at community events, feeding everyone with home-baked shortbread, or presenting prizes at Gartconner, your grace and smiles make everyone feel brighter.
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Edward Z. Smith Janice is a very young 79 coming on 80 – must have been all those holidays in the sun. Happy birthday, Janice!
Little Party to Celebrate Janice's Birthday at Waterside Miners Club
ASN School Drop-In Information and Consultation Events (15 & 23 January 2020)
On his busiest night of the year, Santa Drops in to Help Waterside Village Events
Someone had tipped off Santa that Waterside Village Events was spending Christmas Eve giving out hampers to families around Waterside, so he decided to add to the fun by personally delivering pressies to some youngsters in the area. Five hours later, at 9pm, he unfortunately had to get back to his main job, so elves returned to their glades and Village Eventers finally headed home.
Huge thanks to everyone who contributed to the hampers, and to Waterside Village Events for giving up their Christmas Eve to scatter magic dust around Waterside. They certainly brought happy smiles to lots of faces.
Huge thanks to everyone who contributed to the hampers, and to Waterside Village Events for giving up their Christmas Eve to scatter magic dust around Waterside. They certainly brought happy smiles to lots of faces.
Waterside Village Events Christmas Party (14 December 2019)
Santa was back in Waterside on 14 December for the Waterside Village Events Christmas party at Waterside Miners Club. And what a party it was, with dancing, merriment, presents, prizes and even delicious hot dogs! Generation Events helped get everyone in the mood for a cracking time.
Magical start to the Christmas season at Waterside Christmas Market (30 November 2019)
As the stalls did a brisk trade in pastries, pies, calendars, slates, soaps and scents in the lounge at Waterside Miners Club, and the tea urn quickly emptied and had to be refilled next door in the darts room, four figures burst onto the scene.
Yes, it was everyone's favourite Laplander and three elfin assistants come to bring some early Christmas gifts to Waterside.
One little one found the experience just a teensy bit overwhelming.
While a young lady who'd been busy helping out on Archie's stall selling scrumptious pies and cakes wasn't fazed at all. Mince and tattie pie, anyone? Or how about haggis, neeps and tatties? Steak? Apple turnover? ...
Meanwhile, a camel insisted on showing why he would be all wrong for the next nativity play.
On the Luggiewatch stall, a large contingent of Luggiewatchers had turned out. Now they've cornered the market in decorated slates from the Sunday school and Luggie calendars, they were diversifying into 'Make me an offer', with a little help from an elf.
Another elf, who was taking an interest in the Body Shop stall, could be heard giving tips on magical potions.
There were magical creations on some other stalls too.
And in the darts room temporary cafe, as tea and talk flowed, Judith Eele from Community Enterprise wanted to know how people would like to see Waterside Miners Club in the future as she asked them to fill in a survey at surveymonkey.co.uk/r/WatersideMinersClub. Many Waterside folk are hoping a refurbished club could be round the corner, so please help by completing the survey if you haven't done so already!
With all possible thanks to everyone in Waterside Village Events for putting on another Waterside spectacular, and for getting Christmas properly under way!
Huge thanks too to photographer Edward Z Smith for his beautiful photos of this lovely family event (and for lending his camera to Cordy and giving instructions on how to use it when he was otherwise engaged).
One Bing Ascent Begets Another (27 October 2019)
Some family members couldn't make it to Edward Z. Smith's original bing-top reunion, so a fortnight later, three generations of the Smith family – William Smith (ex Waterside resident and coal miner), his son, and two of his grandsons – made their own bing pilgrimage, accompanied by Edward and also John Smith.
A few other local people were out and about too. There were the bikers who offered Edward a lift.
And the practised Munro bagger who needed a little help on the scree...
...before looking relaxed at the top.
Some were out for a crisp autumn walk.
Paths, nature, views, sunshine...what more could you want?
Consultation – Local Development Plan (LDP) 2
The Main Issues Report, which, according to East Dunbartonshire Council, is 'a key step on the path towards an updated Local Development Plan', is now out. See www.eastdunbarton.gov.uk/mir, where you will also find other key documents. The updated Local Development Plan will come into force in 2022.
A consultation on the Main Issues Report and associated documents will continue till 5pm on 10 December 2019, by when you need to have submitted any comments in order to have them taken into consideration. There is a link to an online feedback form on the same page, though you can also submit feedback in other ways; for instance, by emailing [email protected].
A consultation on the Main Issues Report and associated documents will continue till 5pm on 10 December 2019, by when you need to have submitted any comments in order to have them taken into consideration. There is a link to an online feedback form on the same page, though you can also submit feedback in other ways; for instance, by emailing [email protected].
Some of the sites proposed for housing development by owners and developers can be seen on the above map (from page 12 of the Site Assessments document). These include 'the Horse's Field' (S208); 'the Cornfield' (S345); the lock-ups on Moss Road (S353); the Waterside bing (S315 – not marked on map); the area beyond Gartconner (S348); Gartconner (S200); Saddler's Brae (S339); and the Gartshore estate (S57).
While only site S353 at Moss Road figures in the Main Issues Report's preferred options (page 55), it is worth saying what you think about development on any of these sites, as all could surface again following the consultation, since no doubt owners and developers will be responding to the consultation too and pushing for their sites to be included in the updated Local Development Plan.
Drop-in sessions with officers from the planning department are to be held at the locations/times detailed below.
East Dunbartonshire Council is currently also running a consultation on the local transport strategy 2020-2025. See www.eastdunbarton.gov.uk/draft-local-transport-strategy. Comments on this must be in by 12 November 2019.
Somewhere Next To a Rainbow
If you were a child in the fifties, sixties or seventies in Waterside, you were probably forever climbing the bing with your pals before careering down on a tin tray, perhaps dislocating the odd finger as you went, and covering yourself with bruises. For the bing was your high slide, your playground and the site of numerous adventures.
Fast-forward a few decades, with maybe the occasional twinge of arthritis in those fingers, and you’re planning a little reunion. Should you make it over a glass of something, say at Waterside Miners Club? Very nice. But if you have Edward Z. Smith organizing it, why not relive past escapades and have it atop the Waterside bing with a rainbow or two in the background and the occasional train hurtling past!
Fast-forward a few decades, with maybe the occasional twinge of arthritis in those fingers, and you’re planning a little reunion. Should you make it over a glass of something, say at Waterside Miners Club? Very nice. But if you have Edward Z. Smith organizing it, why not relive past escapades and have it atop the Waterside bing with a rainbow or two in the background and the occasional train hurtling past!
So up they came...
But at least one had beaten them to it.
Some of the group hadn't seen each other for thirty years.
Others tend to get together more often.
People had travelled from near and far (from Waterside, Bonnybridge and even St Gaudens in the south of France) for this bing-top assembly, so it was a good chance for a natter or even a hug...
...as well as to admire the views and let Edward and Matt take photographs for posterity.
Standing on the edge looking down at the sheer drop, it was hard for those who'd never done it to imagine how anyone ever dared to scramble or slide down “our Waterside mountain”. Others were clearly just waiting for their opportunity.
So when the wind seized Edward's hat, Archie Docherty (73), his own one firmly in place, took it as his cue to scamper over the top and down the side to retrieve it as some of us looked on open-mouthed.
Then it was back down the bing for all of us with a lot of cheery reminiscences on the way.
A very special thanks to all those Waterside friends and former neighbours who took part in this lovely gathering, and huge thanks too, of course, to Edward and Matt for ensuring everyone started the weekend on a high this Saturday 12 October 2019 and for capturing the occasion on camera. Finally, thanks to everyone for letting nouvelle Watersider and trigger-happy auxiliary photographer Cordy join in the fun.
For Matt Wilson's song about the Waterside bing (filmed on location by Edward Z Smith) go to www.youtube.com/watch?v=q17Sjxtrtrk.
Gartconner releases Photos of the School's 2019 Summer Walk with Luggiewatch
At the end of the summer term and in the middle of Waterside Village Fest week (19 June 2019), the whole of Gartconner set off with their teachers and some parents for a nature walk along the Luggie in the company of three Luggiewatch members – Luggiewatch's Debbie and Jim Carmichael having instigated the walk – and photographer Edward Z Smith.
As always on such occasions, the stepping stones provided an exciting challenge for the youngsters, who'd evidently brought some lucky mascots with them.
Then it was up the steps into the unspoiled meadow above, where its glorious wild flowers, bushes, trees, blaeberries and other plants (for instance, pignuts) bore witness to its having been left unploughed for decades.
More thrills were in store where the path narrowed beside a steep slope down to the river. Head teacher Mr Manley gamely stood blocking the gap to allow everyone to pass safely by.
Finally it was on to Archie's, where kind Lisa and David (with help from Kate in the background) handed out healthy snacks and drinks before the children continued their way back to Gartconner.
Thanks to Edward Z Smith for creating this lovely photographic record of the occasion.
Lords of the ring at Waterside Miners Club, 21 September 2019
The Waterside Village Events team was so impressed with W3L's Wrestling Showdown at Waterside Village Fest this summer that they persuaded them back to the village for a full evening's show – family entertainment at its most muscular: full of energy, excitement, unexpected moves, magic, humour and audience interaction.
Happy families, a full house, everyone enjoying the fun... Well done, W3L Wrestling League! Well done, Waterside Village Events!
Photos above by Debbie Carmichael
Photos above by Debbie Carmichael
Waterside Village Events' Trip to Burntisland, 10 August 2019
Two coachloads of Watersiders set out for Burntisland from outside the Sunday School at 11 o'clock on Saturday 11th – brave souls as weather warnings predicted thunder, lightning, and torrential rain. But Lynne Bateman, Emma Wilson and Emma Whiteford of Waterside Village Events had picked their day well, and all was warm and sunny till right at the end, when there might have been a wee splash.
The day was a great success, with comments such as 'Fab day out...can't wait for the next event!', 'What a fantastic day!', Had an amazing time!', 'Had a brilliant day from start to finish!' So huge thanks to the events team for putting this on for us (even organizing fish and chips for everyone at the end). And as they've now recruited two more event coordinators (Siobhan Craig and Debbie Carmichael), there's doubtless even more fun to come.
A few photos from the day by Lynne Bateman, Siobhan Craig, Brenda Freely, Ashleigh Hunter, Paul Monaghan, Emma Stalker and Netta Tait below.
The day was a great success, with comments such as 'Fab day out...can't wait for the next event!', 'What a fantastic day!', Had an amazing time!', 'Had a brilliant day from start to finish!' So huge thanks to the events team for putting this on for us (even organizing fish and chips for everyone at the end). And as they've now recruited two more event coordinators (Siobhan Craig and Debbie Carmichael), there's doubtless even more fun to come.
A few photos from the day by Lynne Bateman, Siobhan Craig, Brenda Freely, Ashleigh Hunter, Paul Monaghan, Emma Stalker and Netta Tait below.
Super Saturday at Waterside Village Fest, 22 June 2019
One of a number of aerial pictures captured by Edward Z. Smith early on Saturday afternoon
'Super Saturday' is an understatement! With people turning out in their droves, and so many different things to see and do, locals and visitors (whether from Aberdeen, Blairgowrie or Cumbernauld) were full of praise for the Waterside Village Events team who'd brought it all together. There were entertainments to suit all ages, with funfair rides and bouncy castles, a circus workshop, wrestling, fire jugglers, Star Wars characters, the Dino Team, a psychic and a caricaturist; and there was also home-grown entertainment too, with Rosebank United moving the goalposts, so to speak, to host 'Beat the Goalie' on their home turf. Clann An Drumma were among those performing, as were Rookie Rockstars and Chloe Mayhew. And star-in-the-making Aimee Bryceland (from ITV's The Voice Kids) was singing at Waterside Village Fest for the second year running. We'll all be glued to the next rounds of this hit TV show. Also on stage there was the M-MAG Muay Thai Gym and CF Dance School in addition to Generation Events, who brought mascots with them too.
The stalls were interesting too. Among the stallholders were well-known local faces: Waterside Village Events team secretary Emma Wilson had recruited mum Janice McBride to help with her Body Shop stall; Tracey Hume had the Gartconner teddy tombola; Danny and Aine McFadden, Debbie and Jim Carmichael, Marie Leese, Fiona and Rudy Shannon were there on the Luggiewatch stall (did you see the way Debbie had transformed slates from the Sunday school into beautiful works of art, featuring Donna the horse, robins, thistles and even Koi carp?); some Luggiewatchers (Carole and Tam Willson, and Cordy Lilly) had donned their other hats and were on the Waterside Community Council table with WCC chairperson Janice Herriot, gathering signatures for a Save Our Field petition, and selling copies of Around Waterside: Images Old & New by Edward Z. Smith, who took most of the photos featured on this page; Karen ('Fairy Godmother') Chesney-Bathie was selling cards – her stand was practically bare by the end of the afternoon.
It was certainly a marvellous day to remember and an enormous achievement for the Waterside Village Events team, who deserve to be praised to the skies for Waterside Village Fest week. So huge thanks to them, and also to their funders (the National Lottery Community Fund, East Dunbartonshire Council's Community Grant Fund, Sanctuary Housing, LA Travel and SS Plant Services) for making it possible. And huge thanks too to the Coalfields Regeneration Trust for funding events equipment, among other things, through their Community Futures scheme. Massive thanks are due to photographer Edward Z. Smith for the hours he spent attending every event in Waterside Village Fest week (not to mention putting on one fantastic show himself), catching it all on camera and then going home and working on the pictures to produce so many of the beautiful images of the festival found here.
At Waterside Miners Club after it was all over, Lynne Bateman was heard mentioning plans for next year's Waterside Village Fest. So let's hope Waterside and surrounds will be allowed to continue to flourish and to hold events on this vital playing field for many years to come.
It was certainly a marvellous day to remember and an enormous achievement for the Waterside Village Events team, who deserve to be praised to the skies for Waterside Village Fest week. So huge thanks to them, and also to their funders (the National Lottery Community Fund, East Dunbartonshire Council's Community Grant Fund, Sanctuary Housing, LA Travel and SS Plant Services) for making it possible. And huge thanks too to the Coalfields Regeneration Trust for funding events equipment, among other things, through their Community Futures scheme. Massive thanks are due to photographer Edward Z. Smith for the hours he spent attending every event in Waterside Village Fest week (not to mention putting on one fantastic show himself), catching it all on camera and then going home and working on the pictures to produce so many of the beautiful images of the festival found here.
At Waterside Miners Club after it was all over, Lynne Bateman was heard mentioning plans for next year's Waterside Village Fest. So let's hope Waterside and surrounds will be allowed to continue to flourish and to hold events on this vital playing field for many years to come.
Below: a little puzzle from Edward
Photos below by Danny McFadden
Photos below by Paul Monaghan
Party In the Park at Waterside Village Fest, 21 June 2019
Events manager Lynne Bateman of Waterside Village Events, who, with Emma Wilson and Emma Whiteford, brought us Waterside Village Fest
Just add together bands Mc4 and Satellite 10, a DJ, a bar and a funfair, and you have the perfect mix for a wonderful Party in the Park. What a fantastic night full of wonderful music and very good cheer it was!
Photos below by Danny McFadden
Photos below by Stephanie McVittie
Photo below of Karen, Moira and Edward by Paul Monaghan
Below: Waterside Village Events manager Lynne Bateman with Stuart McDonald MP, who kindly came to our festival
Luggiewatchers 'PLALKing' and Talking At Waterside Village Fest, 20 June 2019
Luggiewatch's pick-litter-as-you-walk (PLALK) event started with a photo gathering on and around the Sunday School wall, the scene of so many Waterside photos over the years. And then it was on to the 'wander with a purpose', whether that was picking litter, having a natter or learning from Edward Z. Smith, who was taking these photos, about the history of the stepping stones, an anti-tank device down by the Luggie, the Fauldhead air-raid shelters, or the Woodilee Hospital farm.
Waterside Village Fest Blazing A Trail, 19 June 2019
Participants in the orienteering registered at the carved bench on the Moss Road/Taig Road green to get their maps, their cards to stamp and their instructions. Sixteen teams took part, and some even did the trail more than once to see if they could improve their timings. The enthusiasm was palpable and the happiness and good humour infectious. There was also a healthy element of good-natured competition. How delightful to see everyone engaged in outdoor challenges in our beautiful village, and free to roam whether on grass or asphalt in a safe, positive environment.
We are hugely indebted to the Coalfields Regeneration Trust and their Community Futures scheme for funding the orienteering equipment which made this lovely event possible. Thanks to James Quigley for suggesting orienteering as a project and for getting all the items needed for it as well as to both him and Caroline Quigley for running the event so perfectly.
To find out how the teams did in their 30-minute, 20-marker course, see chart.
To find out how the teams did in their 30-minute, 20-marker course, see chart.
Waterside Village Fest Gets off to a Flying Start, 18 June 2019
Huge thanks to high-flying, high-photographing storyteller Edward Z. Smith for 'Fasten your Seat Belts and Hold on Tight!', the illustrated talk on his photographic escapades in the Scottish skies (and occasionally in the bowels of the Scottish earth) that he gave at Waterside Miners Club annexe to launch Waterside Village Fest week 2019. Among the audience were some of Edward's former colleagues from McGavigan's, so doubtless unique and insightful aerial memories (and astounding images) were not the only ones shared.
Enormous thanks too to the Waterside Village Events team (Lynne Bateman, Emma Wilson and Emma Whiteford) for pulling out all stops for this year's Waterside Village Fest. Here's to many more Waterside Village Fests in the years to come!
Photos above by Danny McFadden; photos below by Matt Wilson
Immediately below: McGavigan's camaraderie lives on among former team members
Enormous thanks too to the Waterside Village Events team (Lynne Bateman, Emma Wilson and Emma Whiteford) for pulling out all stops for this year's Waterside Village Fest. Here's to many more Waterside Village Fests in the years to come!
Photos above by Danny McFadden; photos below by Matt Wilson
Immediately below: McGavigan's camaraderie lives on among former team members
Contrary to what it says on Edward's screen, this was not the end, but only the end of the beginning of Waterside Village Fest 2019
First Luggiewatch bat walk, with the aid of CRT-Funded Bat detector, 23 May 2019
Following a gathering in the lounge at Waterside Miners Club, Luggiewatch's first group of bat walkers set out at around 9.15pm for a gentle stroll along the Luggie, over the stepping stones, through the meadow above, and down the Dam Braes path while awaiting sunset at 9.36pm, when the bats would come out and feast on midges and other insects.
With hawthorn and broom in flower, trees providing good climbing for the youngest and most athletic, and the stepping stones rising high above the surface of the river, it was a lovely evening's walk. But when the bats came out and started swooping and diving close above us, everyone was entranced by the spectacular aerial display of these fast and graceful creatures, identified by the-CRT-funded bat detector as common and soprano pipistrelles as it converted their ultrasonic echolocation calls into an audible musical tinkle.
Congratulations to Danny McFadden for his pictures of pipistrelles (which move incredibly fast) and people.
And huge gratitude to the Coalfields Regeneration Trust for their generosity in funding bat detector, tablet and training (with the wonderfully knowledgeable Alan Wood of Starling Learning) through their Coalfields Community Futures scheme, which made Luggiewatch's bat walks possible.
With hawthorn and broom in flower, trees providing good climbing for the youngest and most athletic, and the stepping stones rising high above the surface of the river, it was a lovely evening's walk. But when the bats came out and started swooping and diving close above us, everyone was entranced by the spectacular aerial display of these fast and graceful creatures, identified by the-CRT-funded bat detector as common and soprano pipistrelles as it converted their ultrasonic echolocation calls into an audible musical tinkle.
Congratulations to Danny McFadden for his pictures of pipistrelles (which move incredibly fast) and people.
And huge gratitude to the Coalfields Regeneration Trust for their generosity in funding bat detector, tablet and training (with the wonderfully knowledgeable Alan Wood of Starling Learning) through their Coalfields Community Futures scheme, which made Luggiewatch's bat walks possible.
Launch of 5-Year Waterside Community Action Plan, 13 April 2019
Today saw the launch of the Waterside Community Action Plan, a document put together by the Coalfields Regeneration Trust (CRT) that looks at what Waterside villagers like and dislike about their community and environment, and what issues and improvements they'd like to see prioritized over the next five years. Many of the points made in the action plan come from a survey carried out in Waterside last year as part of the Coalfields Community Futures scheme.
Community projects that together benefited from a Coalfields grant of £20,000 (following voting at a fun day in September) are listed in the action plan and were described at the launch, along with the benefits they are likely to bring (or have already brought) to the village.
Huge thanks go to the Coalfields Regeneration Trust (and Enid, Lauren, Pauline and David in particular) for all they've done and are doing for Waterside.
Below: project participants talk about the projects, and CRT trustees Nicky Wilson and Bob Young pass on their impressions.
Community projects that together benefited from a Coalfields grant of £20,000 (following voting at a fun day in September) are listed in the action plan and were described at the launch, along with the benefits they are likely to bring (or have already brought) to the village.
- We heard a little about the computer equipment and Lego that Gartconner after-schools clubs will be putting to excellent use.
- And there was information about the bat walks Luggiewatch volunteers will be leading with the help of a CRT-funded bat detector and training – these walks will complement the photo and nature ones Luggiewatch already does (in addition to its litter picks and its calendar and schools activities).
- Then there was the WCC booklet (provided free to all Waterside households recently) with its wonderful pictures of village life over the years captured and captioned by Edward Z. Smith, many of whose photos feature in the community action plan too.
- Next there was the WCC Waterside Living History Project, as a result of which lots of Waterside residents will soon be interviewed on camera or just on sound – some interviews even kicked off at the launch.
- The Waterside defibrillator funded by the British Heart Foundation together with the CRT was talked about next.
- Then it was on to WCC's Window Wanderland and orienteering projects – come February, a wealth of Waterside windows will be decorated with illuminated paper designs and will doubtless be the talk of the village.
- The WCC village improvement project, which we heard about next, will lead to all sorts of floral enhancements as well as some tools to lend out to villagers wanting to tidy their gardens.
- The Waterside Village Events team had put in for a grant for events equipment, as a result of which their shiny new tea urn was bubbling away in the background awaiting its chance to provide hot drinks to accompany Lisa Giffen's terrific buffet.
- Waterside Village Events had also requested money for their annual Christmas celebrations; for a children's health and well-being project; and of course for the Christmas pantomime. So Debbie Carmichael talked about Cinderella, as performed to two packed houses at Waterside Miners Club in December 2018. Everyone who'd attended this show, written and directed by Debbie herself, can confirm the fun had by all, the professional performances, and the wonderful way the cast all worked together, leading to fabulous performances.
Huge thanks go to the Coalfields Regeneration Trust (and Enid, Lauren, Pauline and David in particular) for all they've done and are doing for Waterside.
Below: project participants talk about the projects, and CRT trustees Nicky Wilson and Bob Young pass on their impressions.
Below: another group photo, this one taken by Enid Trevett of the CRT.
A new Benchmark in Creativity?
Q: How do you celebrate the arrival of a new carved bench showing iconic features of Waterside's past and present?
A: With local artefacts, villagers and a photo shoot by Edward, of course!
We had a shovel from the Waterside shovel factory; picks and saws that had served their time down the pits; flax that would once have been harvested, retted, spun and woven by our linen workers; a salvaged part of our beloved Spiders Bridge; a model of a pithead; and an embroidered representation of the old mill and dam made and held up by community council secretary Janice Whyte. Meanwhile world champion fly caster Harry McLaughlin gamely kept a bird of prey from falling upon us.
Waterside's unique bench was carved by Iain Chalmers of Chainsaw Creations. What a challenge villagers set him with their list of Waterside features they wanted him to include: the old mill; the cottages on Bankhead Road; the viaduct; the stepping stones; the river; symbols of coal mining; a bucket of coal; a shovel; Donna the Clydesdale; a heron; an otter with an eel; a kingfisher; and riverside plants.
Iain rose to the challenge, as you will see from the photo below or whenever you rest a while on Waterside's newest feature.
A: With local artefacts, villagers and a photo shoot by Edward, of course!
We had a shovel from the Waterside shovel factory; picks and saws that had served their time down the pits; flax that would once have been harvested, retted, spun and woven by our linen workers; a salvaged part of our beloved Spiders Bridge; a model of a pithead; and an embroidered representation of the old mill and dam made and held up by community council secretary Janice Whyte. Meanwhile world champion fly caster Harry McLaughlin gamely kept a bird of prey from falling upon us.
Waterside's unique bench was carved by Iain Chalmers of Chainsaw Creations. What a challenge villagers set him with their list of Waterside features they wanted him to include: the old mill; the cottages on Bankhead Road; the viaduct; the stepping stones; the river; symbols of coal mining; a bucket of coal; a shovel; Donna the Clydesdale; a heron; an otter with an eel; a kingfisher; and riverside plants.
Iain rose to the challenge, as you will see from the photo below or whenever you rest a while on Waterside's newest feature.
With thanks to Iain as well as to Jackie Gillespie of EDC's Streetscene team, who liaised and organized; to the Stalled Spaces grant-awarding body for giving us the funds to commission this work; to everyone who joined us this 30 March 2019 for a picture or who brought along precious objects; and lastly to Edward for turning his concept of a commemorative image into reality (with a little help from Matt Wilson and Harry McLaughlin).
For more photos marking the arrival of the new bench, please see below.
For more photos marking the arrival of the new bench, please see below.
New Waterside Book By Edward Z. Smith Delivered to Waterside Homes
If you live in Waterside, Edward's latest book, Around Waterside: Images Old and New, probably arrived on your doormat on Sunday 17 March 2019.
This colourful portrait of Waterside, its people and its community events was printed as one of Waterside Community Council's Coalfields Community Futures projects, so we are indebted both to the Coalfields Regeneration Trust for enabling printing, and to Edward for capturing and celebrating village life in glorious images and words; he knows just how to bring out the best in our lovely village. Thanks too to Scott at Kenwil for turning Edward's creation into a beautifully bound glossy book.
This colourful portrait of Waterside, its people and its community events was printed as one of Waterside Community Council's Coalfields Community Futures projects, so we are indebted both to the Coalfields Regeneration Trust for enabling printing, and to Edward for capturing and celebrating village life in glorious images and words; he knows just how to bring out the best in our lovely village. Thanks too to Scott at Kenwil for turning Edward's creation into a beautifully bound glossy book.
Standing and delivering the Waterside way: author, photographer and now postie Edward shows Janice McBride pictures of her family and friends.
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His book delivery round complete, Edward will now be free to give his illustrated talk ('A Waterside Miscellany') at 7.30pm on Saturday 23 March 2019 in the hall at Waterside Miners Club. He first gave this talk at the Barony Chambers, Kirkintilloch, earlier this month. For details, please see below.
Kathleen Lyons gets her copy from assistant postie Cordy at the start of the delivery operation.
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A Waterside Miscellany – illustrated talk by Edward Z. Smith – 6 March 2019
(And at Waterside Miners Club annex on 23 March 2019)
Photo of Edward taken at the Coalfields Community Futures Fun Day, Waterside, on 15 September 2018 by Debbie Carmichael
The Barony Chambers was packed on the afternoon of Wednesday 6 March 2019 for Edward's exuberant exploration of all things Waterside.
Informative, revealing, captivating and fun, Edward's illuminating reflections on images both historical and from his own body of work had his audience by turns fascinated, laughing, surprised and thoughtful. No one could be left unmoved by his cheerful evocation of Waterside village life over the years or his plea that the Waterside community be left some space in which to flourish.
'A very well presented and gripping tale by Edward ... so many memories. My brother and I used to sit on the red bing for hours watching the trains go past (the Coronation Scot, the Queen Elizabeth I, the Mallard), having been packed off with a picnic by our mother ... A wonderful picture too of Long Row, where I was the last baby to be born. And who'd have thought there would even be a piece of our much-missed Spider Bridge that I could touch!'
Janice Whyte, WCC Secretary
'An unforgettable and magical look through the lens as everyday life in Waterside becomes social history; also an invaluable lesson in presentation skills – great news that Edward has agreed to give this talk in the village soon.'
Cordy Lilly, WCC Website Coordinator
Informative, revealing, captivating and fun, Edward's illuminating reflections on images both historical and from his own body of work had his audience by turns fascinated, laughing, surprised and thoughtful. No one could be left unmoved by his cheerful evocation of Waterside village life over the years or his plea that the Waterside community be left some space in which to flourish.
'A very well presented and gripping tale by Edward ... so many memories. My brother and I used to sit on the red bing for hours watching the trains go past (the Coronation Scot, the Queen Elizabeth I, the Mallard), having been packed off with a picnic by our mother ... A wonderful picture too of Long Row, where I was the last baby to be born. And who'd have thought there would even be a piece of our much-missed Spider Bridge that I could touch!'
Janice Whyte, WCC Secretary
'An unforgettable and magical look through the lens as everyday life in Waterside becomes social history; also an invaluable lesson in presentation skills – great news that Edward has agreed to give this talk in the village soon.'
Cordy Lilly, WCC Website Coordinator
Thanks to the Kirkintilloch & District Society of Antiquaries for arranging this talk for Local History Week.
Rosebank United & Veteran Players pitch in to save Waterside Park, 17 February 2019
Waterside playing field has one of the best grass football pitches in East Dunbartonshire. And hiring it is within the budget of amateur teams, unlike artificial pitches. So it's no surprise that local teams – past and present – want to save it from the bulldozer for the sake of future generations, as do many well-known people in footballing circles. To demonstrate their passion for the Waterside pitch, players from Rosebank United, from former Waterside teams and from the village played two matches on 17 February, uniting, with their supporters, for some photos in the interval.
In the above images, captured by Edward Z Smith, it's clear players are not averse to tackling. The same can be said of local people, who are determined to tackle council officers and others who would deprive them of a health-giving outdoor space for sport, play, exercise and cultural events even though other sites scored much higher in the council's own options appraisal.
Above: Brian Sewell passes on tips to his players.
Above: Ian Bowman lines up with Waterside Veterans and Allstars.
Above: Waterside United now
Above and below: more scenes from the Protest Match event, all taken by Edward
Huge thanks are due to a number of people for making this memorable and fun (despite the reasons for it) event possible.
To Ian Bowman, Brian Sewell and Scott Wilson for planning and organizing it; to the players who so kindly gave their time and made donations to help this cause that they believe in so strongly; to Lisa Giffen of Archie's for generously making hundreds of rolls to feed hungry players and supporters; to the team who made teas and coffees; and to Edward for taking and making available his gorgeous pictures of another wonderful Waterside event.
To Ian Bowman, Brian Sewell and Scott Wilson for planning and organizing it; to the players who so kindly gave their time and made donations to help this cause that they believe in so strongly; to Lisa Giffen of Archie's for generously making hundreds of rolls to feed hungry players and supporters; to the team who made teas and coffees; and to Edward for taking and making available his gorgeous pictures of another wonderful Waterside event.
Waterside Stepping Stones make a splash for Local History Week
A picture by Edward Z Smith of the Waterside stepping stones (and a number of local residents and dogs) figures prominently in EDLC's advertising for Local History Week (2-9 March 2019) - see pdfs.
As part of Local History Week, Edward will be giving an illustrated talk entitled 'A Waterside Miscellany' at 2pm on 6 March in the Barony Chambers next to the Auld Kirk Museum. If you're free, don't miss it! |
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Waterside Pantomime and Party Time, 14, 15 December 2018
Photos: Danny McFadden
Cinders and Watersiders really had a ball at The Waterside Village Events Christmas pantomime on Friday evening and Saturday afternoon. Written and directed by Debbie Carmichael and funded by the Coalfields Community Futures scheme, whose grant also paid for sound and lighting equipment that will be put to good use in the years to come, the play fizzed and sparkled with life and humour as the completely professional cast scooted, schemed or squeaked around the stage clearly having a lot of fun. As were the audience, who threw themselves into the responses and the singing and laughed a lot (especially at some very topical references). How wonderful that our small village can put on a show of this standard, one that could have been equally well received in any theatre in the land.
On Saturday evening, Waterside Village Events (Lynne Bateman, Emma Wilson and Emma Whiteford) put on a post-pantomime party at Waterside Miners Club, where the pantomime had been staged, with Lisa Giffen doing a wonderful buffet, Generation Events providing non-stop entertainment, and even Santa popping in (no doubt at home in the snowy conditions). It was lovely to see children and adults all dancing and enjoying themselves together. Village life at its best. All in all, a weekend to make one especially proud to be a Watersider.
Submission to Scottish Government
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Since 20 March 2018, Waterside Community Council and many local people have been been doing all they can to save the Waterside park from being built on, as the park is so important for sport, exercise and events, is one side of the beautiful green gateway into the village, and is a boundary preventing coalescence with Kirkintilloch. The community council believes there are other better sites for the school the council proposes to build there, but there is only one Waterside playing field; there would also be traffic problems if the field were built on.
Following the vote by East Dunbartonshire councillors on 15 November 2018 to move forward with the proposal to build there, despite powerful speeches by Cllrs. John Jamieson and Stewart MacDonald, our next recourse was to ask the Scottish Government to call in the proposal on the grounds of flaws in the consultation process. To see the document we sent to the government, please click on the icon. Thanks to Jim Carmichael for doing the bulk of the work drafting our submission, and to everyone who sent in tips on how to go about it. We should know the outcome in five weeks. |
Spider Bridge Sculpture by Toby Paterson, Simon Whatley and Doug MacLeod
At the November 2018 meeting of Waterside Community Council, Toby Paterson and Simon Whatley presented plans for a sculpture commemorating the Spider Bridge to be created as one of the Trails and Tales projects.
Ideally, they would like the sculpture to be erected in Waterside, so emphasizing historic links between Waterside, Kirkintilloch and Lenzie, since Waterside was the start of the journey to Lenzie for many of those using the much-loved Spider Bridge. The sculpture would be a particular talking point for those walking the Heritage Trail.
Click on the file icon below to see plans showing the sculpture, which features a piece of the Spider Bridge recovered from the Bothlin Burn, together with the Waterside flower bed, which Toby, Simon and Doug believe would make the perfect location for it.
What do you think? Would you like to see the sculpture in Waterside, and what do you think of siting it over the flower bed? If not on the flower bed, where else around Waterside would you like to see it? Please give us your views by sending an email to [email protected] or messaging us on Facebook.
For information about the artists, see http://www.trailsandtales.org/artists.
Ideally, they would like the sculpture to be erected in Waterside, so emphasizing historic links between Waterside, Kirkintilloch and Lenzie, since Waterside was the start of the journey to Lenzie for many of those using the much-loved Spider Bridge. The sculpture would be a particular talking point for those walking the Heritage Trail.
Click on the file icon below to see plans showing the sculpture, which features a piece of the Spider Bridge recovered from the Bothlin Burn, together with the Waterside flower bed, which Toby, Simon and Doug believe would make the perfect location for it.
What do you think? Would you like to see the sculpture in Waterside, and what do you think of siting it over the flower bed? If not on the flower bed, where else around Waterside would you like to see it? Please give us your views by sending an email to [email protected] or messaging us on Facebook.
For information about the artists, see http://www.trailsandtales.org/artists.
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Waterside Christmas market, Followed by carols round the tree, 1 December 2018
Above photo: Danny McFadden
Upstairs at Waterside Miners Club provided a perfect setting for the 2018 Waterside Christmas Market. There were stalls bursting with crocheted Christmas decorations; painted glassware; jewellery; scarves and hats; cheeses; pet accessories; and Christmas gifts. And there was Waterside's very own Luggiewatch, with its offering of plant-related books and toys, its painted slates, and of course its stunning 2019 calendar.
It seemed that almost everyone popped in to make Waterside Christmas Market extra special. That included Santa Claus on a pre-Christmas flying visit, plus a well-known elf, whom Santa had recruited for the occasion.
Face-painting and Santa's grotto proved particularly popular.
Below are some of the tempting stalls, as photographed by Danny McFadden at the start of the market, that made the Christmas Market such a wonderful success.
As dusk fell, it was time to get Christmas really under way with carols round the tree, hot chocolate and cakes. After two carols had been sung to a haunting trumpet accompaniment, Waterside Village Hero 2018, aka Janice Whyte (or rather 'Her Maj' to give her the title befitting her part in the forthcoming Waterside pantomime – 14 and 15 December), wished everyone a happy Christmas before switching on the Christmas tree lights. Happy Christmas to you, too, Your Majesty!
Vote Unwinnable thanks to an "Undemocratic" process,
but the Fight Goes On
15 November 2018
You'd think there would have been two votes. One on whether the ASN school should go ahead or not. Another on whether the location should be Waterside playing field or not. But there was only one. Yes to the school in Waterside, or No to the school for another five years.
As the current school accommodation is dilapidated and past it, what choice did the councillors have? Of course they voted for the children to have a new school. Some doubtless would have preferred Waterside to be able to keep its playing field, its regular football matches, its one proper community green space, its village identity, its ability to hold village galas and barbecues; a place for local kids to play and burn off the calories. Some doubtless would have preferred a plan whose implementation would not have to contravene numerous government and local planning policies, thereby setting a dangerous precedent for the future too. But they were stymied, because if they saved Waterside, they would be condemning children to another five years in unsuitable conditions.
How did it come to this? Questions will need to be asked.
Councillor Jamieson asked for it to be put on record that he considered the process had been undemocratic: 'the most undemocratic process I've experienced as a councillor.' Councillor MacDonald asked why councillors hadn't been informed of the five-year moratorium on having another school consultation when they voted to proceed with this one back in March, and he related concerns about loss of village identity, loss of green space and the dearth of pitches in East Dunbartonshire. He pointed out that the Waterside pitch was an exceptionally good one following a costly council spend on it a few years ago. Councillor Jamieson asked why objection letters from the public had not been made available to councillors.
To splutters of disbelief and the odd boo from the public gallery, Councillor Polson stated that the council would try to meet the community's aspirations. Meanwhile Depute Chief Executive Thomas Glen, who'd told us on 12 June that a full-size pitch could be accommodated on the field and who produced an illustrative plan as recently as 9 October to try to prove to sceptical Watersiders that this was indeed so, was now talking about pitches coming in various sizes. It seems scepticism in the face of council promises is utterly justified.
Waterside will fight on. We have three weeks to make representations to the government. Then there will be the planning process. We will not lie down (unless it is on our football pitch to deter the bulldozers). Power to the Waterside population who are united against this injustice while wanting the children to be happy wherever their school is eventually built.
Photos: Edward Z. Smith
As the current school accommodation is dilapidated and past it, what choice did the councillors have? Of course they voted for the children to have a new school. Some doubtless would have preferred Waterside to be able to keep its playing field, its regular football matches, its one proper community green space, its village identity, its ability to hold village galas and barbecues; a place for local kids to play and burn off the calories. Some doubtless would have preferred a plan whose implementation would not have to contravene numerous government and local planning policies, thereby setting a dangerous precedent for the future too. But they were stymied, because if they saved Waterside, they would be condemning children to another five years in unsuitable conditions.
How did it come to this? Questions will need to be asked.
Councillor Jamieson asked for it to be put on record that he considered the process had been undemocratic: 'the most undemocratic process I've experienced as a councillor.' Councillor MacDonald asked why councillors hadn't been informed of the five-year moratorium on having another school consultation when they voted to proceed with this one back in March, and he related concerns about loss of village identity, loss of green space and the dearth of pitches in East Dunbartonshire. He pointed out that the Waterside pitch was an exceptionally good one following a costly council spend on it a few years ago. Councillor Jamieson asked why objection letters from the public had not been made available to councillors.
To splutters of disbelief and the odd boo from the public gallery, Councillor Polson stated that the council would try to meet the community's aspirations. Meanwhile Depute Chief Executive Thomas Glen, who'd told us on 12 June that a full-size pitch could be accommodated on the field and who produced an illustrative plan as recently as 9 October to try to prove to sceptical Watersiders that this was indeed so, was now talking about pitches coming in various sizes. It seems scepticism in the face of council promises is utterly justified.
Waterside will fight on. We have three weeks to make representations to the government. Then there will be the planning process. We will not lie down (unless it is on our football pitch to deter the bulldozers). Power to the Waterside population who are united against this injustice while wanting the children to be happy wherever their school is eventually built.
Photos: Edward Z. Smith
Waterside will not stay silent
Waterside Community Council sent the letter below to East Dunbartonshire councillors to make them aware of community views that were so effectively neutralized out of the ASN school consultation report.
Dear Councillor
Because of the neutral tone of the ASN Consultation report published recently, you may well be under the impression that there are no real barriers to building the new ASN school on the Waterside playing fields. Indeed, the report gives the mistaken impression that residents’ concerns can be allayed, our aspirations met and our village even enhanced by the school; it does not include the letters and comments from villagers in response to the consultation that would paint a very different picture; nor does it mention the anger directed at council officials at the consultation meetings in the village.
For this reason I am writing on behalf of Waterside Community Council to advise you of what Waterside villagers actually think of this proposal (based on all the comments we have received).
The community recognises a new school is very much needed. However, this school needs to be in the right place, and not to require a massive sacrifice on the part of the surrounding population. Other sites are possible. Waterside came only sixth on the options appraisal list, and that included just those sites that were already within council ownership. We have been told that Merkland and Campsie View parents and staff were originally offered the choice of Auchinairn or Waterside, and voted for Waterside – clear evidence again that Waterside was not the only possible site.
The community is deeply angered that a public body can target the one outdoor space we have that can be used and IS used for football, galas and children’s play simply because it holds the title deeds to the ground. This green place, so much used and valued by football teams, Waterside children, and walkers among others, is fundamental to the physical, mental, community and sporting life of our village (and to the sporting life of East Dunbartonshire football teams, as Brian Sewell of Rosebank United has written to you). It is also vital to our very village identity, since it separates us from Kirkintilloch. Over recent years the Waterside community has been making huge strides to improve community life, with the return of community-wide events (duck races and Easter fun days, Christmas fairs, a nativity play, a pantomime, community bulb and fruit tree planting events, Christmas tree light switch-ons, and this year’s Waterside Village Fest [a new take on the gala]) and an increase in the wonderful community spirit there is in Waterside. Of late we have been backed by the Coalfields Regeneration Trust in our endeavours.
Building on this site would show a council that does not listen; a council that is prepared to let our village lose its village identity; a council that is prepared to crush legitimate community aspirations relating to keeping a proper community outdoor space; a council that arrogantly puts itself above all the Scottish Government and local planning policies that would make building here impossible if adhered to; and a council that lacks the imagination to find a better solution (partly, doubtless, for short-term financial considerations, since it has been explained to us that EDC cannot take the risk of buying another site).
We are now told that the school building and its 108 parking spaces and taxi/bus waiting areas can be made to fit on to the field in such a way that a football pitch can be accommodated (though sharp-eyed villagers noticed illustrative plans seeking to show this did not take account of the topography); we are also told that this will allow a community space for galas. This cannot be true. When booking the ground for this year’s Waterside Village Fest, we were told to ensure all attractions were off the pitch itself in case we damaged it – easy to keep off the pitch part with the field as it is, but impossible if the only green space is the pitch itself.
There are many other concerns in the village, including ones relating to the following: traffic (we already suffer from traffic delays and have three coach companies operating out of the village; air-quality deterioration caused by the additional traffic; parking (if staff try to park in the village – we already have parking problems).
Waterside is a community that works, and Waterside Community Council and its Events subcommittee, its Wild Flowers subcommittee, its Heritage subcommittee and its Village Hall subcommittee are committed, as is local environmental group Luggiewatch, to making Waterside better and better. Please listen to Village voices and ask council officers to find another solution to the problem of where to site the school. Please don’t let Waterside and the health and happiness of current and future Watersiders be sacrificed. Please don’t leave Waterside villagers feeling unjustly treated, bitter and disempowered. Please don’t take away an asset that brings joy to villagers, improves our health and fitness, and allows us to come together. Please vote against building the school on our one and only playing field when you vote on this issue this coming Thursday 15 November.
...
Dear Councillor
Because of the neutral tone of the ASN Consultation report published recently, you may well be under the impression that there are no real barriers to building the new ASN school on the Waterside playing fields. Indeed, the report gives the mistaken impression that residents’ concerns can be allayed, our aspirations met and our village even enhanced by the school; it does not include the letters and comments from villagers in response to the consultation that would paint a very different picture; nor does it mention the anger directed at council officials at the consultation meetings in the village.
For this reason I am writing on behalf of Waterside Community Council to advise you of what Waterside villagers actually think of this proposal (based on all the comments we have received).
The community recognises a new school is very much needed. However, this school needs to be in the right place, and not to require a massive sacrifice on the part of the surrounding population. Other sites are possible. Waterside came only sixth on the options appraisal list, and that included just those sites that were already within council ownership. We have been told that Merkland and Campsie View parents and staff were originally offered the choice of Auchinairn or Waterside, and voted for Waterside – clear evidence again that Waterside was not the only possible site.
The community is deeply angered that a public body can target the one outdoor space we have that can be used and IS used for football, galas and children’s play simply because it holds the title deeds to the ground. This green place, so much used and valued by football teams, Waterside children, and walkers among others, is fundamental to the physical, mental, community and sporting life of our village (and to the sporting life of East Dunbartonshire football teams, as Brian Sewell of Rosebank United has written to you). It is also vital to our very village identity, since it separates us from Kirkintilloch. Over recent years the Waterside community has been making huge strides to improve community life, with the return of community-wide events (duck races and Easter fun days, Christmas fairs, a nativity play, a pantomime, community bulb and fruit tree planting events, Christmas tree light switch-ons, and this year’s Waterside Village Fest [a new take on the gala]) and an increase in the wonderful community spirit there is in Waterside. Of late we have been backed by the Coalfields Regeneration Trust in our endeavours.
Building on this site would show a council that does not listen; a council that is prepared to let our village lose its village identity; a council that is prepared to crush legitimate community aspirations relating to keeping a proper community outdoor space; a council that arrogantly puts itself above all the Scottish Government and local planning policies that would make building here impossible if adhered to; and a council that lacks the imagination to find a better solution (partly, doubtless, for short-term financial considerations, since it has been explained to us that EDC cannot take the risk of buying another site).
We are now told that the school building and its 108 parking spaces and taxi/bus waiting areas can be made to fit on to the field in such a way that a football pitch can be accommodated (though sharp-eyed villagers noticed illustrative plans seeking to show this did not take account of the topography); we are also told that this will allow a community space for galas. This cannot be true. When booking the ground for this year’s Waterside Village Fest, we were told to ensure all attractions were off the pitch itself in case we damaged it – easy to keep off the pitch part with the field as it is, but impossible if the only green space is the pitch itself.
There are many other concerns in the village, including ones relating to the following: traffic (we already suffer from traffic delays and have three coach companies operating out of the village; air-quality deterioration caused by the additional traffic; parking (if staff try to park in the village – we already have parking problems).
Waterside is a community that works, and Waterside Community Council and its Events subcommittee, its Wild Flowers subcommittee, its Heritage subcommittee and its Village Hall subcommittee are committed, as is local environmental group Luggiewatch, to making Waterside better and better. Please listen to Village voices and ask council officers to find another solution to the problem of where to site the school. Please don’t let Waterside and the health and happiness of current and future Watersiders be sacrificed. Please don’t leave Waterside villagers feeling unjustly treated, bitter and disempowered. Please don’t take away an asset that brings joy to villagers, improves our health and fitness, and allows us to come together. Please vote against building the school on our one and only playing field when you vote on this issue this coming Thursday 15 November.
...
Letter to Councillors from Brian Sewell, Vice-President of Rosebank United Football Club
Before you cast your vote on the 15th of November, please consider the following concerns:
Rosebank, at present, have over 160 kids at all age groups with four eleven-aside teams which play their football on a Saturday morning.
Of the 5 grass parks that are still in existence in Kirkintilloch the following have to be considered:
1. Luggiepark was only available for one week last year due to being waterlogged – its changing facility is also approximately 700 yards from the park and is in a terrible state.
2. Whitegates park also suffers from being waterlogged and was off for all but one week of last season its changing facility is also about 700 yards from the park.
3. Tintock was dug up two years ago so unavailable.
4. Merkland, the goals have to be carried approximately 700 yards from the changing compound and erected before dismantling and returning to the compound after the game is finished ( Risks associated with manual handling?
5. Waterside – currently under consideration for development for new ASNS.
There is the Merkand astro facility, however at three times the cost of a grass park this will push the costs out of reach and is not sustainable over a full season. (Our current spend with EDC for lets is £13,500 per annum). In addition, this facility is only available for a noon KO.
When you consider the above, it is clear that we already have a problem in Kirkintilloch with regards to the provision of football parks and changing facilities. If it is decided that the school is to be built on the Waterside playing field, then Rosebank will have to seriously consider folding the 11 aside age groups - over 80 kids - due to the lack of parks and facilities.
An artist’s impression was presented at the last meeting to show that the park could facilitate both a 200 pupil + 100 staff school including parking PLUS a full size football field! I think the saying ‘ If it looks too good to be true’ comes to mind? I have fully read the findings of the councils report on the statutory consultation and being a stakeholder I find the bias of the report towards building the school on the park frankly astonishing.
Waterside playing field is the last remaining open and green space left in the village, all of the surrounding fields/areas are either under development or owned privately and can be sold to developers. By going against their own policies and guidance, if the council allow the school to be built on a green field site this will set a dangerous precedent and open the flood gates to all potential developers.
I’m aware that Sports Scotland have a policy that where there is no alternative but to build on a football field then something of equal size and similar/better quality must be provided to mitigate the loss, I have contacted SS and they have told me that they can only become involved if and when it goes to planning.
With national figures on childhood and general obesity levels and the constant messages from health professionals on the need for people to re-engage with nature and the outdoors for physical and mental wellbeing, the councils plans seem out of touch.
You will be aware that in Waterside we have an excellent and active community council with a growing membership. We carry out many river and surrounding area clean ups, have carried out tree planting throughout the village. We have recently been awarded 20k from the Coal Fields Regeneration Fund to put towards future projects within the village and this was granted because they could clearly see the effort and spirit of the community to improve their environment for all who live there.
In addition to its use as a football field, this green space is in effect a Village Green. It is used by the community for training and exercise, by children, by dog-walkers and Waterside hosted its first community Gala this year on this green space. There is a Panto currently under rehearsal for Christmas, there is also a duck race at Easter each year – so all good, positive news from a village that is considered to be a deprived area. The people of Waterside have been re-energised by the community council and have a renewed sense of community and worth.
Building on this space against the wishes of the entire village population will crush this.
My own opinion, reinforced by the aggressive manner of Thomas Glen at the last meeting, is that the council were banking on the deprived community of Waterside not putting up any resistance to these plans.
Waterside community completely support the building of a new school but not on one of the only two remaining grass football parks in Kirkintilloch especially when your own reports show that there are other more suitable sites.
I appeal to you to consider the points above and vote against this site.
Yours faithfully,
Brian Sewell
Rosebank, at present, have over 160 kids at all age groups with four eleven-aside teams which play their football on a Saturday morning.
Of the 5 grass parks that are still in existence in Kirkintilloch the following have to be considered:
1. Luggiepark was only available for one week last year due to being waterlogged – its changing facility is also approximately 700 yards from the park and is in a terrible state.
2. Whitegates park also suffers from being waterlogged and was off for all but one week of last season its changing facility is also about 700 yards from the park.
3. Tintock was dug up two years ago so unavailable.
4. Merkland, the goals have to be carried approximately 700 yards from the changing compound and erected before dismantling and returning to the compound after the game is finished ( Risks associated with manual handling?
5. Waterside – currently under consideration for development for new ASNS.
There is the Merkand astro facility, however at three times the cost of a grass park this will push the costs out of reach and is not sustainable over a full season. (Our current spend with EDC for lets is £13,500 per annum). In addition, this facility is only available for a noon KO.
When you consider the above, it is clear that we already have a problem in Kirkintilloch with regards to the provision of football parks and changing facilities. If it is decided that the school is to be built on the Waterside playing field, then Rosebank will have to seriously consider folding the 11 aside age groups - over 80 kids - due to the lack of parks and facilities.
An artist’s impression was presented at the last meeting to show that the park could facilitate both a 200 pupil + 100 staff school including parking PLUS a full size football field! I think the saying ‘ If it looks too good to be true’ comes to mind? I have fully read the findings of the councils report on the statutory consultation and being a stakeholder I find the bias of the report towards building the school on the park frankly astonishing.
Waterside playing field is the last remaining open and green space left in the village, all of the surrounding fields/areas are either under development or owned privately and can be sold to developers. By going against their own policies and guidance, if the council allow the school to be built on a green field site this will set a dangerous precedent and open the flood gates to all potential developers.
I’m aware that Sports Scotland have a policy that where there is no alternative but to build on a football field then something of equal size and similar/better quality must be provided to mitigate the loss, I have contacted SS and they have told me that they can only become involved if and when it goes to planning.
With national figures on childhood and general obesity levels and the constant messages from health professionals on the need for people to re-engage with nature and the outdoors for physical and mental wellbeing, the councils plans seem out of touch.
You will be aware that in Waterside we have an excellent and active community council with a growing membership. We carry out many river and surrounding area clean ups, have carried out tree planting throughout the village. We have recently been awarded 20k from the Coal Fields Regeneration Fund to put towards future projects within the village and this was granted because they could clearly see the effort and spirit of the community to improve their environment for all who live there.
In addition to its use as a football field, this green space is in effect a Village Green. It is used by the community for training and exercise, by children, by dog-walkers and Waterside hosted its first community Gala this year on this green space. There is a Panto currently under rehearsal for Christmas, there is also a duck race at Easter each year – so all good, positive news from a village that is considered to be a deprived area. The people of Waterside have been re-energised by the community council and have a renewed sense of community and worth.
Building on this space against the wishes of the entire village population will crush this.
My own opinion, reinforced by the aggressive manner of Thomas Glen at the last meeting, is that the council were banking on the deprived community of Waterside not putting up any resistance to these plans.
Waterside community completely support the building of a new school but not on one of the only two remaining grass football parks in Kirkintilloch especially when your own reports show that there are other more suitable sites.
I appeal to you to consider the points above and vote against this site.
Yours faithfully,
Brian Sewell
Letter to Councillors from Danny McFadden, Chair of Luggiewatch
Dear Councillor,
I email you ahead of tomorrow's council vote on the proposal to build an ASN school on the... Waterside playing field. I strongly urge you to vote against it for the key reasons I will outline below.
As the chair of Luggiewatch and a member of the Waterside Community Council I have taken part in an inordinate amount of meetings and discussions within both groups and with the Waterside community of large, firstly to understand clearly the proposal and eventually to respond to the consultation.
At last night’s WCC meeting I expressed how it was powerfully clear to me that despite all of assertions that the proposal was legal and within protocol, that in fact the final proposal as it stands is the result of a flawed process which misrepresented the community of Waterside, which betrays both council and national guidelines of protection of green and open spaces and in turn is removing a space which is essential to mental and physical health and wellbeing of the community and others who use it.
Regardless of the outcome of the vote, it is now important for us to tell the story of this consultation. It will include the council’s emphasis of the estimated 5 year delay in the event of a vote against it, which was communicated to the staff and parents of the ASN pupils before the wider community were made aware of the consultation. This rendered the consultation process as faulty from the start and I believe is the only reason anyone would vote for the proposal today – to prevent such a delay for the ASN pupils, their families and the staff. This is emotional blackmail.
Indeed by the time the wider community were allowed to engage in the consultation, not only was it as a ‘preferred option’ which was not to be swayed from, but the community of Waterside was being viewed as the threat to the prospect of the build. This was informally expressed to them.
There are too many facts to cover here but a simple taste would be to consider the fact that the feedback given in the final public consultation is not represented properly in the content of the final proposal – that this attitude was evident on paper from the start, where - unlike many of the site appraisals – there was no indication that objections from the Waterside community was likely. This attitude continued throughout in often an aggressive manner.
Therefore I believe that through an FYI request of the responses, a compilation of the local and national standards and protections and the simple honest narrative of testimony of the behaviours, will tell others what has happened here. This is not democracy in action this is an appalling pretend process which has upset many members of the community and does not make sense in the wider criteria of local and national guidelines.
Therefore I strongly urge you to not only vote against the proposal, but also on our behalf, find it within your powers to remove the moratorium and move swiftly to choose from the other five sites that scored higher and build the school!
In doing so, you will protect the only green and open space site available to an active community which continues to rebuild from its legacy of a mining village and is a model to others. As confirmed in a recent Coalfields Community Trust’s community profile we own no green and no open space and can only count on EDC to develop this space for us. An ASN school here means all of us will never have it again.
Regards
Danny McFadden
I email you ahead of tomorrow's council vote on the proposal to build an ASN school on the... Waterside playing field. I strongly urge you to vote against it for the key reasons I will outline below.
As the chair of Luggiewatch and a member of the Waterside Community Council I have taken part in an inordinate amount of meetings and discussions within both groups and with the Waterside community of large, firstly to understand clearly the proposal and eventually to respond to the consultation.
At last night’s WCC meeting I expressed how it was powerfully clear to me that despite all of assertions that the proposal was legal and within protocol, that in fact the final proposal as it stands is the result of a flawed process which misrepresented the community of Waterside, which betrays both council and national guidelines of protection of green and open spaces and in turn is removing a space which is essential to mental and physical health and wellbeing of the community and others who use it.
Regardless of the outcome of the vote, it is now important for us to tell the story of this consultation. It will include the council’s emphasis of the estimated 5 year delay in the event of a vote against it, which was communicated to the staff and parents of the ASN pupils before the wider community were made aware of the consultation. This rendered the consultation process as faulty from the start and I believe is the only reason anyone would vote for the proposal today – to prevent such a delay for the ASN pupils, their families and the staff. This is emotional blackmail.
Indeed by the time the wider community were allowed to engage in the consultation, not only was it as a ‘preferred option’ which was not to be swayed from, but the community of Waterside was being viewed as the threat to the prospect of the build. This was informally expressed to them.
There are too many facts to cover here but a simple taste would be to consider the fact that the feedback given in the final public consultation is not represented properly in the content of the final proposal – that this attitude was evident on paper from the start, where - unlike many of the site appraisals – there was no indication that objections from the Waterside community was likely. This attitude continued throughout in often an aggressive manner.
Therefore I believe that through an FYI request of the responses, a compilation of the local and national standards and protections and the simple honest narrative of testimony of the behaviours, will tell others what has happened here. This is not democracy in action this is an appalling pretend process which has upset many members of the community and does not make sense in the wider criteria of local and national guidelines.
Therefore I strongly urge you to not only vote against the proposal, but also on our behalf, find it within your powers to remove the moratorium and move swiftly to choose from the other five sites that scored higher and build the school!
In doing so, you will protect the only green and open space site available to an active community which continues to rebuild from its legacy of a mining village and is a model to others. As confirmed in a recent Coalfields Community Trust’s community profile we own no green and no open space and can only count on EDC to develop this space for us. An ASN school here means all of us will never have it again.
Regards
Danny McFadden
A VIEW FROM WATERSIDE
On Thursday 15 November 2018, councillors will cast their votes on whether or not the much-needed ASN school project should go forward...on Waterside Playing Field. They will have been told that if they don't vote for it, the closure of the existing dilapidated and outdated school facilities will have to be delayed for another five years for legal reasons – an unconscionable prospect that reveals a deeply flawed process. So with that hanging over them, the fact that Waterside stands to lose its only community space for sport, for exercise, for children's play and for community gatherings may seem to councillors like a necessary evil. As may the loss of Waterside's village identity as the village is dragged, kicking and screaming into Kirkintilloch. As may the fact that numerous planning policies will have to be breached to allow this green open space to be built on (the breaching of which will have developers rubbing their hands in glee at the precedent it sets). As may the potential closure of East Dunbartonshire football teams for lack of sufficient alternative football pitches at the very least while the school is being built. As may the fact that a community that has little apart from its wonderful community spirit and its strong sense of identity, of belonging and neighbourliness will be deprived of an amenity it cares passionately about.
Councillors will be comforted though by the soothing promises of council administrators who now claim that the school can be built in such a way that the space will remain all things to all people. Of course they'll be able to fit a full-sized football pitch on the field that will double as a space for the Waterside Village Fests of the future alongside the school, its 108 parking spaces and its bus and taxi waiting areas.
Many local residents believe these promises are impossible to fulfil (illustrative plans were quickly hidden from view at a recent meeting when one local resident tried to photograph them), and believe they are designed to do no more than to secure the councillors' votes to let the building go ahead in Waterside.
Local residents had believed councillors would see their objection letters before the vote, but these are not included in what residents see as a neutralized report on the consultation that omits all local passion and spins community anger into community engagement, that suggests residents' concerns can be allayed and their aspirations met (something attendees at passionate meetings in Waterside told council officers was impossible if the school were built on the playing fields).
Local residents believe passionately that the children need their new school, but that this desperate need should not be used as blackmail to railroad it through in the wrong place. There needs to be another solution.
Councillors will be comforted though by the soothing promises of council administrators who now claim that the school can be built in such a way that the space will remain all things to all people. Of course they'll be able to fit a full-sized football pitch on the field that will double as a space for the Waterside Village Fests of the future alongside the school, its 108 parking spaces and its bus and taxi waiting areas.
Many local residents believe these promises are impossible to fulfil (illustrative plans were quickly hidden from view at a recent meeting when one local resident tried to photograph them), and believe they are designed to do no more than to secure the councillors' votes to let the building go ahead in Waterside.
Local residents had believed councillors would see their objection letters before the vote, but these are not included in what residents see as a neutralized report on the consultation that omits all local passion and spins community anger into community engagement, that suggests residents' concerns can be allayed and their aspirations met (something attendees at passionate meetings in Waterside told council officers was impossible if the school were built on the playing fields).
Local residents believe passionately that the children need their new school, but that this desperate need should not be used as blackmail to railroad it through in the wrong place. There needs to be another solution.
Coalfields Community Futures Fun Day Event, 15 September 2018, Waterside Miners Club
Some of the attendees at the event put on by the Coalfields Regeneration Trust captured on their way out of the hall
There was a real buzz of excitement about the Coalfields Community Futures Fun Day event, with villagers eagerly checking out the projects that are candidates for funding; casting their votes for their two favourite projects; and selecting the community issues they thought most in need of attention.
As for the children, who would have thought that a bouncy castle would be so much fun that Lynne, our events manager, would decide to buy it! Some of the children had magically changed into clowns and tigers and bats and dogs and cats. There was even the odd unicorn roaming around.
But despite all this excitement, some youngsters still found time to look at the projects on offer, as well as pictures from an exhibition downtown in Kirkintilloch Town Hall till 27 September: Bits and Pieces (by Edward Z Smith, Don Martin and Trevor Cromie).
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For more pictures from the Fun Day, see below.
Thanks to Enid, Pauline, Lauren, David, Chloe and everyone at the Coalfields Regeneration Trust for providing us with this occasion for enjoyment and fun (with a serious purpose), as well as for everything else they are doing to help Waterside; to Lisa Giffen of Archie's for providing the most scrumptious buffet; to Fiona Shannon for serving teas and coffees throughout, thereby missing out on much of the fun; to Lynne Bateman and Emma Whiteford for event organization; to Waterside Miners Club for letting us use the hall; to Edward Z Smith for taking all these wonderful photos; and to everyone who spent time researching and putting in bids (and making a case for them), making posters, leafleting the village, finding props and generally getting stuck in where needed (especially Debbie, Jim, Cordy, Fiona, Rudy, Danny, Margaret and Scott).
Thanks to Enid, Pauline, Lauren, David, Chloe and everyone at the Coalfields Regeneration Trust for providing us with this occasion for enjoyment and fun (with a serious purpose), as well as for everything else they are doing to help Waterside; to Lisa Giffen of Archie's for providing the most scrumptious buffet; to Fiona Shannon for serving teas and coffees throughout, thereby missing out on much of the fun; to Lynne Bateman and Emma Whiteford for event organization; to Waterside Miners Club for letting us use the hall; to Edward Z Smith for taking all these wonderful photos; and to everyone who spent time researching and putting in bids (and making a case for them), making posters, leafleting the village, finding props and generally getting stuck in where needed (especially Debbie, Jim, Cordy, Fiona, Rudy, Danny, Margaret and Scott).
Below: Debbie proposes panto, while Danny and Karen say bring on the Luggiewatch photobook; then will it be bat walks; local heritage and oral histories; orienteering and Window Wonderland; village improvements; a Waterside booklet; a defibrillator; a village events kit; or all of them? The vote count begins...
Waterside resident Lands Gold in World Championships (17-19 August 2018)
With the Luggie, the Kelvin and the canal providing a backdrop to Waterside and Kirkintilloch activities, it isn't surprising that there should be some successful anglers among Waterside and Kirkintilloch folk. However, last weekend saw Harry McLaughlin become a world champion when he carried off the gold medal in the Veteran Salmon Fly Casting event at the 2018 World Fly Casting Championships held in Port Haverigg Marina, Cumbria.
One medal not being enough for Harry, he also won bronze in another class (none of which involve catching fish).
This year, the 123 men, women and young people who descended on Cumbria to compete in the biennial World Championships hailed from 20 different countries. In two years’ time, Harry, whose surname appropriately enough links him with lochs or lakes or fjords, will have the opportunity to defend his title in Sweden.
Photos: Edward Z Smith
One medal not being enough for Harry, he also won bronze in another class (none of which involve catching fish).
This year, the 123 men, women and young people who descended on Cumbria to compete in the biennial World Championships hailed from 20 different countries. In two years’ time, Harry, whose surname appropriately enough links him with lochs or lakes or fjords, will have the opportunity to defend his title in Sweden.
Photos: Edward Z Smith
Waterside Village Fest, 11 August 2018
Well done to Waterside Village Events team (Lynne Bateman, Emma Wilson and Emma Whiteford) for putting on another Waterside spectacular. Once the festival had been opened by Cllr. Susan Murray, there were lots of activities to entertain everyone, and much fun was had by all, as you can see in the pictures below by Edward Z. Smith.
There were high-flying youngsters...
There were high-flying youngsters...
...inflatable slides and play areas...
...children (and adults) wielding saws, hammers and nails and turning pallets into dens, houses, towers and, in one case, a garden seat, which will now be gracing a Waterside garden.
There was even Waterside's answer to Mystic Meg!
Sitting at one of the stalls were Enid and Lauren of the Coalfields Regeneration Trust, who are supervising a Coalfields Community Futures programme in Waterside, which will greatly benefit the village. As they had brought questionnaires, these were tried out on festival-goers. Thanks to everyone who agreed to give their answers, which provided a picture of a Waterside blessed with masses of community spirit and lovely river walks but extremely concerned about the possible loss of Waterside playing field.
For more scenes of festival activities, and even piping, see below.
For more scenes of festival activities, and even piping, see below.
Luggiewatch had a stall selling, among other articles, slate artwork and clocks, all made from Waterside Subscription School slates. They also had decorated "luggies" (pails) and all kinds of wildlife-related books, toys and fridge magnets (these last featuring local wildlife). Luggiewatch T-shirts were on sale too, together with others bearing a Waterside slogan adapted from the comment about Waterside villagers made in Thomas Watson's Kirkintilloch Town and Parish (1894), 'As a community or as individuals they will "tak’ dunts frae naebody"'. The shirts seemed very popular.
At the end of Waterside Village Festival, a prize was awarded to Mrs Janice Whyte
for 28 years of sterling work on Waterside Community Council (as secretary for 25 years)
and for her community gardening (Janice and Jack look after the flowerbed by the Luggie.)
This followed discussions begun on Facebook.
Congratulations, Janice, Waterside Local Hero!
And well done to everyone who helped make Waterside Village Fest such a resounding success!
Picture by Angela Begley
Other pictures by Angela Begley below
And here are some pictures by Danny McFadden of the Luggiewatch stall.
Now you've seen the pictures from Waterside Village Fest 2018, why not see the film made by Edward Z Smith (complete with commentary and interviews by Edward too)? www.youtube.com/watch?v=jZ02Lg-s9Kk
Preparations the night before
A big thank you to everyone who volunteered their time and, in the case of the pallet moving on the right, strength to ensure Waterside Village Fest was such a great success.
Here's to many more such events in the future! (Please note, Lynne, Emma
and Emma!)
A big thank you to everyone who volunteered their time and, in the case of the pallet moving on the right, strength to ensure Waterside Village Fest was such a great success.
Here's to many more such events in the future! (Please note, Lynne, Emma
and Emma!)
Bits & Pieces exhibition, Kirkintilloch Town Hall (10am-4pm, Mon-Thurs till 27 Sept 2018)
If you've enjoyed The Waterside Picture Book by Edward Z Smith, like seeing his YouTube videos and looking at his photographs on this website among other places, don't miss the Bits & Pieces exhibition at the town hall. In collaboration with artist and curator Trevor Cromie, it's devoted to work recording the social and industrial history and stories of East Dunbartonshire, and features photographs by both Edward and well-known local historian Don Martin.
See https://www.edlc.co.uk/heritage-arts/exhibitions/made-kirkintilloch-events-and-exhibitions.
See https://www.edlc.co.uk/heritage-arts/exhibitions/made-kirkintilloch-events-and-exhibitions.
Photos above by Fiona Dean, Bits & Pieces Project Coordinator
Just what was going on here? Answers at the exhibition.
Say What’s Good, Bad, Needed (Or In Need Of Improvement), And Be Listened To (7/7/18)
The Coalfields Regeneration Trust has put together a survey for Waterside and Rosebank residents, and the results, once analysed, will feed into a 5-year action plan. Copies will be hand-delivered round Waterside and Rosebank over the coming days and the completed forms collected a week later.
The survey will give us all a chance to say what's important for our community as well as to comment on any important local issue(s) that we would like to see addressed.
The action plan will be published in September and will carry weight with local authorities and funding bodies when we try to convert the ideas into reality, so it is worth taking the trouble to fill it in. You can do it online if you prefer – and the Coalfields Regeneration Trust would love it if you did: https://www.surveymonkey.co.uk/r/waterside.
Thanks to everyone for your help with this.
Please note that there's a prize draw for those completing the survey (with the chance to win one of two £25 vouchers).
There will also be a fun community event in September when we get the results.
The survey will give us all a chance to say what's important for our community as well as to comment on any important local issue(s) that we would like to see addressed.
The action plan will be published in September and will carry weight with local authorities and funding bodies when we try to convert the ideas into reality, so it is worth taking the trouble to fill it in. You can do it online if you prefer – and the Coalfields Regeneration Trust would love it if you did: https://www.surveymonkey.co.uk/r/waterside.
Thanks to everyone for your help with this.
Please note that there's a prize draw for those completing the survey (with the chance to win one of two £25 vouchers).
There will also be a fun community event in September when we get the results.
Were these the Best Elver Pupils?
On Tuesday 19 June 2018, Gartconner youngsters and their teachers set off on a walk to the Waterside stepping stones to release glass eels (a transparent stage elvers go through before they darken up in rivers) that they’d been looking after for the previous eight weeks. They were accompanied by Willie, Paul, Rona and David of the Clyde River Foundation, as well as by Luggiewatch’s Debbie and Jim (who’d been recommending the Luggie for walks and artwork and are planning more Luggiewatch children’s calendars next year).
Eels are critically endangered, partly because of illegal trade in them – having journeyed all the way from their spawning ground in the Sargasso Sea, vast numbers of young eels are being caught as they approach Europe. So it was good to see these young eels benefiting from the care of local children.
After the eels had been released, members of the Clyde River Foundation demonstrated a special technique they use for catching and weighing fish before returning them to the water, a trout being caught in the process.
At the end of the walk, everyone had the opportunity to see a beautiful female eel thought to be about 20 years old that had been brought from the Clyde to be shown to the group. She was to be returned to her stretch of river after the event.
Thanks to everyone who contributed to making this event a success, including the Clyde River Foundation for providing their expertise, information and eels; Lisa Giffen (and everyone at Archie’s) for insisting on generously supplying a fruity snack and a drink for all the 150 children; Debbie and Jim of Luggiewatch for encouraging greater use of the Luggie; Edward for recording events on camera; and all the Gartconner staff and children, without whom this fishy walk could not have happened.
Public Consultation meeting of 12 June 2018
At a final consultation meeting on 12 June 2018, Waterside and Rosebank residents left no one in any doubt that we think our football park should never have been contemplated as a place to build a school.
Yes, residents said, the school needs to be built. In the right place it would be welcomed. That place is NOT our multipurpose football park, which plays an important part in village life, as well as in children's sport and play, and is a fundamental part of the look of this village we love so much.
Looked down on by photos of members of Rosebank United Football Club, who fear their club would have to close if they no longer had the affordable Waterside grass pitch to play on, as well as by photos of Waterside gala goers of the past (the gala being an event that Waterside Events team has long planned to revive), several people told council officials to leave our football park alone. They said we do not want access to any facilities in any school. Again and again they said we like our football park as it is, without buildings on it. Use another space for the school. There's surely space by the link road, for instance, and at Auchinairn, among other options. Don't take our one amenity away.
Former Luggiewatch chair Jim Carmichael explained how we had believed Waterside football park might be one of the few green spaces remaining as so much development was going on all around us. He said how we had planned to enhance the park's biodiversity value by planting trees and flowers round the edges [in line with recommendations for this in East Dunbartonshire Council's own 2015-20 Open Space Strategy].
One person pointed out that national and local planning policies to protect open space and green belt would not be worth the paper they were written on if this building proposal went ahead. [Our park is designated as both green belt and open space in the current local develpment plan.]
It is clear local residents will not give up our park without a fight. To quote Thomas Watson in the chapter on Waterside from his book Kirkintilloch Town and Parish (1894), 'As a community or as individuals they will tak’ dunts frae naebody.' This refers to an incident in which a Mr Thomson of Merkland had tried to block off a footpath used by villagers. Evidently, 'The Waterside people, who had never been consulted in the matter—although they were the parties most deeply interested—were naturally indignant,' and 'having met together, marched in a body to the obnoxious fence, and tore it up'. Legal action followed, but with the help of 'a Kilsyth gentleman' who 'kent a heap' and a lawyer in Edinburgh, the villagers emerged victorious.
A story for our times, perhaps. For the full account and some other interesting tales about Waterside, see the following link.
Photos of Rosebank United Football Club and of meeting by Edward Z Smith
Yes, residents said, the school needs to be built. In the right place it would be welcomed. That place is NOT our multipurpose football park, which plays an important part in village life, as well as in children's sport and play, and is a fundamental part of the look of this village we love so much.
Looked down on by photos of members of Rosebank United Football Club, who fear their club would have to close if they no longer had the affordable Waterside grass pitch to play on, as well as by photos of Waterside gala goers of the past (the gala being an event that Waterside Events team has long planned to revive), several people told council officials to leave our football park alone. They said we do not want access to any facilities in any school. Again and again they said we like our football park as it is, without buildings on it. Use another space for the school. There's surely space by the link road, for instance, and at Auchinairn, among other options. Don't take our one amenity away.
Former Luggiewatch chair Jim Carmichael explained how we had believed Waterside football park might be one of the few green spaces remaining as so much development was going on all around us. He said how we had planned to enhance the park's biodiversity value by planting trees and flowers round the edges [in line with recommendations for this in East Dunbartonshire Council's own 2015-20 Open Space Strategy].
One person pointed out that national and local planning policies to protect open space and green belt would not be worth the paper they were written on if this building proposal went ahead. [Our park is designated as both green belt and open space in the current local develpment plan.]
It is clear local residents will not give up our park without a fight. To quote Thomas Watson in the chapter on Waterside from his book Kirkintilloch Town and Parish (1894), 'As a community or as individuals they will tak’ dunts frae naebody.' This refers to an incident in which a Mr Thomson of Merkland had tried to block off a footpath used by villagers. Evidently, 'The Waterside people, who had never been consulted in the matter—although they were the parties most deeply interested—were naturally indignant,' and 'having met together, marched in a body to the obnoxious fence, and tore it up'. Legal action followed, but with the help of 'a Kilsyth gentleman' who 'kent a heap' and a lawyer in Edinburgh, the villagers emerged victorious.
A story for our times, perhaps. For the full account and some other interesting tales about Waterside, see the following link.
Photos of Rosebank United Football Club and of meeting by Edward Z Smith
Villagers and local residents doubtless preparing to "tak' dunts frae naebody" at the consultation meeting on 12 June 2018
The People's Park, Thursday 10 May 2018
Watersiders and other local residents turned out this evening to show how strongly they feel about retaining the one and only multipurpose community outdoor space they have for sports activities and fun: the football park. It is used for football matches, kickabouts, children's play, walks, community gatherings and Gartconner Primary School cross-country practice, among other things. The Waterside Village events team has for some time been planning to revive Waterside's traditional summer galas, and it is of great concern that the one scheduled for this year could well also be the last if the council's school proposal goes ahead.
Local MP, Stuart McDonald (centre), who very kindly joined Watersiders on the football park to show his support, said: “There is absolutely no doubt we need a new additional support needs school. However I do not agree that Waterside playing field is the appropriate site, especially when there are brown field alternatives available. The playing field is a very valuable community asset and important to the character of the village. I very much hope a better location for this much needed school can be found.”
Watersiders all say how much they hope a lovely new ASN school will soon be built; however, preferably not where it will deprive lots of children and adults of a much-used recreational space. There are other good sites available to the council.
Photos: Edward Z Smith (from the air); Scott Wilson and Matt Wilson (from the ground)
Last Two statutory Public Consultation meetings about school are on Tues 15 May 2018
Meetings were held at Campsie View School in the afternoon and evening of Tuesday 8 May.
There will be two more statutory consultation meetings at the same times at Merkland School on Tuesday 15 May.
For details about the consultation, please see link.
There will be two more statutory consultation meetings at the same times at Merkland School on Tuesday 15 May.
For details about the consultation, please see link.
Passionate Public Meeting About football field proposal (1 May 2018)
Council officers who attended the meeting of 1 May can have been left in little doubt about the importance Waterside football park has for Watersiders. There seemed to be a strong feeling that, while an additional support needs (ASN) school may well be needed, it should not be located where it would deprive Watersiders of their only space to play sport, keep fit, come together and let their children play in safety. Questions were also asked about how the council could justify throwing away the £100,000 spent upgrading the football pitch only a few years ago, as well as about how our one-road-in, one-road-out village could cope with additional school traffic when it's already very congested at key times.
Villagers look forward to seeing details of the other sites proposed for the school and to finding out why they were rejected in favour of a plan perceived as detrimental to Waterside community life and culture.
For a detailed account of the meeting and the questions put to council officers, please see the first document on the minutes page.
One of the leaflets distributed around the village following soundings of village opinion
A Wander Around Waterside reveals Flowers Everywhere (20–30 April, 2018)
On Cairnview roundabout
On Moss Rd and Taig Rd green and opposite
In the two new planters on Bankhead Rd
Daffodil bulbs were planted on the Moss Rd and Taig Rd green by a group of Waterside children and adults on 21 October 2017 with the help of Jackie Gillespie of EDC's Streetscene team and a Stalled Spaces grant, so this is their first year in bloom. They'll be thicker next year. The two new planters were acquired earlier this year by Waterside Community Council and planted this spring by members of Waterside's wild flowers group.
Photos above: Debbie Carmichael
Photos above: Debbie Carmichael
New planters on Bankhead Rd a few days later
Planter in Bloom: A Sign of Spring At last?
On 22 April 2018 Facebook pages were abuzz with news that the long-awaited planter was now in place under the village sign and filled with blooms. And all thanks to the hard work of Emma Wilson of the Waterside Village Events Team, gardening supremo Janice McBride, strong men Ian and Shaun Sullivan, designer and driller Scott Wilson, and of course Eileen Wilkinson, who got on the phone and secured a very generous donation of cut-to-size railway sleepers, which she then stored over the long winter months until they could be magically transformed into our flower bed.
Peer closely between the posts, and you may spot a young Whiteford practising his skills on the football field!
It Can't be all over for Waterside's Football Field, Can it?
On Thursday 29 March 2018 the community council held a preliminary meeting with our three local councillors to request information about the plan for an additional-support needs school in Waterside (rumours had been circulating but there had been no official notification from the council).
It seems that Campsie View and Merkland schools are to be merged into one school (because current facilities are failing and because there have been some policy changes on how support is provided). The site of the new school needs to be near existing primary and secondary schools.
We are told nothing has yet been decided; however the council is now looking at only two sites. First choice: Waterside football field; second choice: existing school at Auchinairn. There will be a consultation, but realistically our input only stands a chance of influencing the plan if we get our arguments in soon.
It was agreed that Waterside Community Council will host a public meeting attended by council officers (date to be advised). At this, we will ask what other sites have been looked at and why they have been rejected. We will leaflet the area in advance to ensure everyone knows about this meeting.
If the Waterside plan goes ahead, it is likely to take in almost the whole of the area around and including the football field, which is already owned by the council. It will not include the developer-owned "cornfield" beside it. The school itself is likely to be a single-storey building.
Cost: the council will get a better school for its budgeted money if it develops our football field because it’s flat. It would be more expensive to develop the sloping site at Auchinairn. The cost to the physical and mental health of generations of Waterside children to come, who would no longer have their football field (a safe space and one that's safely accessible by unaccompanied youngsters grasping their independence) to play on, does not show up on a balance sheet looking strictly at financial outlay. Neither does the cultural cost to Waterside, in that there would no longer be an area where we could hold a revived gala (something that the Events Team was bringing back). However, we will be including points about these less tangible but much-treasured aspects of our football field in any feedback to the council – participants at the meeting of 29 March stressed how important they were. They also pointed out that £100,000 had been spent draining and upgrading the football field only five years ago, as a result of which we currently have one of the best playing surfaces in East Dunbartonshire. Does it really make sense to throw this away? It’s not known as yet whether there would be any effect on our village status; however we might be able to put in trees, for instance, to mark some kind of boundary to ensure Waterside still feels like a village.
We probably would be able to demand some community benefits in return for this loss of a highly valued sports facility – our children might be able to use outdoor facilities at the school (probably not indoor ones because of specialized equipment), but there would not be a full-sized football field where teams could go on playing each weekend as they do now; it’s very unlikely we would be able to get any indoor community facility out of this.
Participants at the meeting made it clear that no one wants to stand in the way of a much needed new school. However, they felt strongly that it should be sited where it did not have to take away Waterside’s only sporting facility. If the cornfield alongside, for instance, were used for this purpose, there would probably be a much more positive response.
Apologies for any inaccuracies there may be in the above. We are at a very early stage in discussions, and neither we (nor our local councillors) have all the details yet.
It seems that Campsie View and Merkland schools are to be merged into one school (because current facilities are failing and because there have been some policy changes on how support is provided). The site of the new school needs to be near existing primary and secondary schools.
We are told nothing has yet been decided; however the council is now looking at only two sites. First choice: Waterside football field; second choice: existing school at Auchinairn. There will be a consultation, but realistically our input only stands a chance of influencing the plan if we get our arguments in soon.
It was agreed that Waterside Community Council will host a public meeting attended by council officers (date to be advised). At this, we will ask what other sites have been looked at and why they have been rejected. We will leaflet the area in advance to ensure everyone knows about this meeting.
If the Waterside plan goes ahead, it is likely to take in almost the whole of the area around and including the football field, which is already owned by the council. It will not include the developer-owned "cornfield" beside it. The school itself is likely to be a single-storey building.
Cost: the council will get a better school for its budgeted money if it develops our football field because it’s flat. It would be more expensive to develop the sloping site at Auchinairn. The cost to the physical and mental health of generations of Waterside children to come, who would no longer have their football field (a safe space and one that's safely accessible by unaccompanied youngsters grasping their independence) to play on, does not show up on a balance sheet looking strictly at financial outlay. Neither does the cultural cost to Waterside, in that there would no longer be an area where we could hold a revived gala (something that the Events Team was bringing back). However, we will be including points about these less tangible but much-treasured aspects of our football field in any feedback to the council – participants at the meeting of 29 March stressed how important they were. They also pointed out that £100,000 had been spent draining and upgrading the football field only five years ago, as a result of which we currently have one of the best playing surfaces in East Dunbartonshire. Does it really make sense to throw this away? It’s not known as yet whether there would be any effect on our village status; however we might be able to put in trees, for instance, to mark some kind of boundary to ensure Waterside still feels like a village.
We probably would be able to demand some community benefits in return for this loss of a highly valued sports facility – our children might be able to use outdoor facilities at the school (probably not indoor ones because of specialized equipment), but there would not be a full-sized football field where teams could go on playing each weekend as they do now; it’s very unlikely we would be able to get any indoor community facility out of this.
Participants at the meeting made it clear that no one wants to stand in the way of a much needed new school. However, they felt strongly that it should be sited where it did not have to take away Waterside’s only sporting facility. If the cornfield alongside, for instance, were used for this purpose, there would probably be a much more positive response.
Apologies for any inaccuracies there may be in the above. We are at a very early stage in discussions, and neither we (nor our local councillors) have all the details yet.
Duck Race Time Again, 1 April 2018 (Easter Sunday)
There was a real community feel to this year's duck race, and an exciting mixture of old and new. While the duck race itself has become something of an unchanging Waterside tradition, with splashdown near the stepping stones and the finish line just short of the footbridge, the accompanying fun in and around the hall at Waterside Miners Club depends on the creativity of the Events Team and helpers. This year we opted for activities children (and adults) could get really involved in. So young Watersiders were taking part in an Easter egg hunt and leaping around in a bouncy castle outside, while inside they were making egg-filled chocolate nests; hooking ducks; colouring in Easter bookmarks; sticking the tail on the bunny; throwing hoops at a target; making scraperboard pictures; and even playing Easter bingo (not the variety played at the Club but one with pictures featuring lambs, rabbits, eggs and flowers). Everyone seemed happy, to the delight of the Events Team and other volunteers.
Thanks to everyone who gave their time to make this possible, partularly Lynne Campbell, Emma Wilson and Emma Whiteford of the Events Team, and their posse of volunteers, and to Waterside Miners Club for lending us the hall and doing everything they could to ensure another Waterside success.
Thanks to everyone who gave their time to make this possible, partularly Lynne Campbell, Emma Wilson and Emma Whiteford of the Events Team, and their posse of volunteers, and to Waterside Miners Club for lending us the hall and doing everything they could to ensure another Waterside success.
Starting a Waterside Fruit tree trail, 24 March 2018
It was the perfect spring day for planting six fruit trees and three fruit bushes (bought with part of our Stalled Spaces grant) under the patient guidance of Maggie and Malcolm from the Rangers team. If all goes well, we can look forward to munching on Waterside's own apples, cherries, plums, damsons and jostaberries in the not too distant future. And this is likely to be only the start; we hope to be able to build up a real fruit tree trail around Waterside in the coming years.
Photos: Dannny McFadden, Debbie Carmichael & Cordy Lilly
Waterside Stepping Stones Are Front-Page News, Spring 2018
How exciting to see photos of Waterside’s newly restored stepping stones on both the front and inside cover of the spring issue of Scottish Local History (Issue 99). The reason: an article by local historian Don Martin on the stone sleepers first used in the Edinburgh & Glasgow Railway, their necessary replacement with wooden ones (owing to the vibration and damage caused to rolling stock and rails) and the subsequent uses made of the stones: milestones; shoring material on rivers and canals; canal quaysides; station platforms; and our very own stepping stones.
By chance, 2017 was both the 175th anniversary of the opening of the Edinburgh & Glasgow Railway in 1842 and the year that saw the stepping stones returned to their former glory by Waterside’s mystery craftsmen.
Congratulations to Edward Z Smith for having his photos featured on both the front and inside cover of so prestigious a journal, and to Matt Wilson for his two now historic photos of shops with cigarette displays that also appear in this issue.
To order your copy of the Spring 2018 issue of Scottish Local History, please follow link.
The Waterside Picture Book Out now, 21 December 2017
The first signed and numbered copies of The Waterside Picture Book by Edward Z. Smith are now circulating in the village to a very enthusiastic response. The book, which is packed full of fabulous-quality pictures of Waterside past and present along with some background stories that also paint a picture of village life, is an exuberant and affectionate tribute to the village and its people over the years. It will fascinate anyone with connections to Waterside, however long-standing or otherwise these may be. Photographs include ones by the author as well as by many local photographers of the past.
Copies, priced £14.50, can be ordered by emailing [email protected].
Update: by popular request, individual prints of photographs (with or without captions) can also be ordered by emailing [email protected] or by messaging us on our Facebook page. The price of an A4 print will be £6.50, which includes a £1 donation to Waterside Community Council. Other sizes can also be arranged and priced accordingly.
Copies, priced £14.50, can be ordered by emailing [email protected].
Update: by popular request, individual prints of photographs (with or without captions) can also be ordered by emailing [email protected] or by messaging us on our Facebook page. The price of an A4 print will be £6.50, which includes a £1 donation to Waterside Community Council. Other sizes can also be arranged and priced accordingly.