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Burgh Beautiful Working towards a |
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Progress Report - January 2005Burgh Beautiful is on the MoveAfter much planning, things are starting to happen. The Steering Group of Burgh Beautiful has a group of regulars including:
We could use some more active help. If you can see a way in which you could contribute, please contact Joyce Paterson, Tel: 01506 847021 or e-mail: joyce@eagleview.freeserve.co.uk
We are Looking for Greenhouse SpaceCould you take on a tray or two of seedlings, or a couple of lamp post baskets, bring them on and harden them off ready for planting out at the beginning of June? Let us know if you can help. We now have a number of projects in the pipeline and hope to have them in place by the summer. We are pleased to be getting valuable co-operation from many companies and businesses in Linlithgow. West Lothian Council are extremely supportive and many thanks go to Jim Saunders of the NET Team and Andrina Dunlop, who has just retired from the Town Centres Management for all their help and guidance and practical help.
The Linlithgow Grange Rotary Club are considering sponsoring display beds at two of the town entrances, possibly Blackness road and Westport. These are being designed by Joy Dawson and it is hoped to have plans finalised for planting by February, which is the Rotary Centenary. StationInspired by a visit that ScotRail organised for us to Aberdour, we have planted a small border on the Edinburgh side of the station with bulbs and spring flowers, and tidied and planted the brick planter on the Glasgow side. First ScotRail representatives have now had a site meeting with us, which was very positive, and have agreed to fund planting, improvements and cleaning at the station. Barrels will be fixed in threes on the platforms in time for next spring and they will clean up and re-carpet the tatty area in the stairwell and fund a new tree - probably artificial as the position isn't great for a real tree. We are developing an idea to get the primary schools involved in artwork for the waiting area. The Council has promised to put up tourist information in the display cases at the station, which have been empty for over a year. PlantingThe small border at Lowport that we planted for this summer has been much admired. Whether the beech hedge will survive continuous waterlogging from this winter's flooded drains only time will tell. We had many enquiries for the names of the flowers - which were Cosmos, and lime green Nicotiana, both half-hardy annuals. We shall be selling these on our plant stall at the end of May. Our thanks to Estate Signs, Mill Rd Industrial Estate, who sponsored the information sign there, and replaced it on two occasions when it went AWOL at the weekend. The Star and Garter are sponsoring new tubs on their corner and Joy Dawson did a wonderful plan for a border in front of Tesco at the Low Port roundabout. At the moment we are awaiting a legal agreement with the Regent Centre management, West Lothian Council and ourselves, to be able to use the area. The border will have a Scottish theme. A similar border is planned for the West Port roundabout area at the Mains Rd corner. We are also getting estimates for a stone wall and seat with perennial planting near Katie Wearie's tree, with a plaque telling the legend. McCarthy and Stone have offered to sponsor a display bed at the corner of their new retirement homes. It is hoped that the other builders currently developing sites in town will also give us some help.
The border at the bottom of Provost Rd is in need of refurbishing. The Net team are going to clear it and dig in the excellent compost from their recycling plant. We have ordered the plants and hope to plant them very soon. We are also working with Low Port School and parents to plan improvements to the waiting area outside the school. We have worked with the Council on replanting in front of the High St flats to the west of the Health Centre. The plants went in at the beginning of January and we delivered leaflets to the residents explaining what is happening, in the hope that the plants will not suffer the same fate as the cordylines last year. There is a limit to how much this area can be changed due to fibre optic cables underneath and the previous rat and litter problem, so the red chips are remaining, for now at least. We chose plants that will hopefully look good in isolation and give a succession of interest through the year. West Lothian Council provide excellent bedding displays in the summer and next summer for the first time there will be planting at the Cross in the centre of town. The Conservation Officer has agreed to two large black metal planters. These will be octagonal, complementing the form of the Cross and steps. Several shops in the High Street have started putting out very attractive flower tubs and a number of window boxes are beginning to make an impact. We had hoped to be able to have banners designed for the lamp posts at Lowport and Westport roundabouts. These would depict the history of Linlithgow. However, the lamp posts are apparently not sufficiently strong to take the torque generated by banners or hanging baskets in a strong wind. Replacement of the lamp posts is unfortunately not on the Council plans for the next 5 year period. We are looking at half baskets that clamp together onto lamp posts. Unless these are well planted with well established trailing plants they can look very sad. However, if we can find enough volunteers with greenhouse space in the town, we might be able to do this in partnership with the Council, who are able to put them up and do the watering. We are also working with the Council to replace the tarmac and create an attractive area at the western corner of Mill Road traffic lights. Future plans include replanting the Rose Garden behind the Burgh Halls. There is a new method for dealing with Specific Rose Replant Disease, which will make it possible to put new roses in without replacing the soil in the borders. The borders outside the Health Centre are also beginning to look past their best and we are investigating an idea to get one of the youth groups involved in restoring them perhaps with a medicinal herbal theme. We are also discussing a project to improve the area behind the bus stop at Tesco. High StThe group are looking at possible solutions to the derelict Victoria Hall, and are keeping up pressure for the Council to apply for a Heritage Towns Lottery Grant. We will also be promoting a litter awareness campaign. Advent FairWe had a stall at the Fair which raised much needed funds and also gave valuable publicity.Local businesses were very generous in providing prizes for our competition and raffle at the recent Advent Fair. We would like to thank the following:
Plant SaleOur first plant sale last year was very successful, and we plan to have another on the last weekend in May. In all we have about 14 projects under way, and have long term plans for larger projects. It is to be hoped that as the town becomes more attractive, greater civic pride will be generated and we can have some impact on the perennial problem of litter and cleanliness. In time perhaps we can rival places like Alness, Pitlochry and Falkland who all manage to put on such wonderful and imaginative displays. CAN YOU OFFER ANY HELP? Anyone with an interest in getting involved can get in touch with Burgh Beautiful by e-mailing burgh-beautiful@lct.org.uk |
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