Currie Community Council
October 2000 Meeting
Activities in the past year
The council introduced a new
pattern of bimonthly speakers, alternating with purely business
meetings. We have heard our MSP Iain Gray, Ken Tippen of the Planning
Department and other guests. Trevor Jones, Chief Executive of Lothian
Health, has agreed to speak at the meeting on Monday 13 November.
After two decades of work as treaurer and secretary, usually
simultaneously, Gordon Browne has retired. He has put in a long and
arduous stint and many of the successes of the Community Council over
the last twenty years have been achieved with Gordon's help. We give
him our thanks, and welcome his offer to continue to contribute to the
Fair committee.
Graham Dane has provided a regular monthly report
to the Currie and Balerno News and edited the council's Website. This
is at http://www.ma.hw.ac.uk/ccc/ and has continued to grow steadily
with additions on the history and geography of the parish. We hope it
will soon include items on the Common Riding, Dougal Haston and other
aspects of Currie. Many thanks are due to Stan Zachary for
maintaining and to Heriot-Watt University hosting the site, which is
edited by Graham Dane.
Planning Convener Archie Clark has done a
tremendous amount of work in preparing submissions to the current
Enquiry as well as regular monitoring of planning applications. He
has provided a detailed monthly report and devoted a great deal of
care and time to the service of the community in this way.
David
Bertram's flower tubs have continued to decorate Currie and add a
touch of colour. This is a continuing contribution and we owe David
many thanks for his hard work.
Christina Mann and Natalie Doyle
ably represented young people throughout the year. They have been
replaced by two new volunteers from Currie High School, Lynsey Renwick
and Nicola Wren.
Derek Henderson has represented the council on
Currie High School Board and been a very helpful link.
We marked
the millennium in George V Park by the planting of a cedar tree by
Iain Gray MSP and of many bulbs by pupils of Curriehill Primary
School. Brenda McGovern is to be congratulated on seeing this project
through, and also on organising the Environmental Millennium Event in
June, which took the place of this year's Currie Fair and left us a
lasting memento in the form of an elaborate wooden seat. Other plans
for improving the park include a path and trim course and additional
access to the Water of Leith. Brenda also saw her work on the Currie
Community Map 2000 come to a succesful conclusion with its publication
by Edinburgh Green Belt Trust.
Various councillors atended
consultation meetings thoughout the year on such topics as the Master
Plan for Heriot-Watt University, developments at the Health Centre and
governance of the city.
This has been an active year, but we have
suffered greatly from the lack of a Secretary. Karen Forbes
volunteered to act as Minutes Secretary, although not a Currie
resident, and we benefited from her input until changed circumstances
at work forced her to resign.
Graham Dane
Chair