Big Dirty Weekend at Delph Pond
Mon, 18/05/2009 - 15:35 — johnlamond
Hi all,
There is to be a Big Dirty Weekend on Sunday 7th June - more info on this link
This is organised by Clackmannanshire Voluntary Service (CVS) and is something which we should all support. Apparently, the council lawyers have discovered that the strip of land between the park and the retaining wall which holds up the gardens of nos 2 - 22 (and probably stops most of the estate from falling into the pond) still belongs to the council and NOT Greenbelt.
CVS will be doing work in the week before the event to clean up that strip of woodland and repair paths, etc.
John
PICTURES ADDED 7-6-09 - Image Gallery
Hear the LIVE Radio Scotland 'Out of Doors' show from the event on iPlayer
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Comments
It was a great event from all
It was a great event from all angles. Particularly good that the weather held up. The Beeb were very happy a) at the turnout - they reckoned that there were 300+ visitors there - and b) at the response from the exhibitors and the public. The exhibitors, Forth Environment Link, Tullibody History Group, Tullibody Healthy Living Initiative, the Park Rangers, etc all expressed pleasure at the turnout and willingness of the visitors to get involved. Diane from Forth Environment Link, who was potting paper pots for the kids with peas, beans, peppers, etc. in them said it was the best event she had ever done and she's been doing these for a wee while.
As to doing it again, if we can keep the profile up with the various agencies, the venue lends itself well to such events, so I don't see why not. From my personal viewpoint as an incomer, I firmed up contacts with some of the locals which can only be a good thing as I discovered that there is still resentment in the village over the building of houses in Delph Wood - and the resentment extents to include the Wimpey houses in Rankine Wynd, etc. as well. Involvement in such events can only serve to heal these wounds in the longer term.
Re: Big Dirty Weekend at Delph Pond
Ok, made it down on the right day eventually.
What a great event it was too, hopefully it'll become an annual event.
For those that didn't make it down, you can see what you missed at the following image gallery:
http://gallery.me.com/delphwynd#100057
John... thanks for posting this, keep us informed if there's anything similar coming along. Well done on your radio interview too.
RE: Big Dirty Weekend
Here's me already to go down and dig-in, take some photos and meet the 'How Clean is Your House' people... and my son points out that this is taking place on SUNDAY, not today...
Anyway, it's just started to pour again so hopefully the weather improves for TOMORROW...
Hope to see some of you down there, I'll be going around with a camera taking some pictures for the website (don't ask me to do any heavy labour, I'll be FAR too busy art directing)
Brian
Clean up
Hi John,
I have to admit that i do not know a lot about the C.V.S. but i do admire anyone that shows a bit of community spirit and is willing to offer a few hours to volunteer their labour.
However if this land belongs to the council , then surely we should expect the council to manage this area.
We certainly pay enough local tax to cover this sort of thing. Please bare in mind that it is local councillors all around the country, including our own , who wash their hands of responcibilty on new developments and are prepared to deal with the type of Gangsters that we have been landed with , ie GREENBELT.
I am quite confident that Mr Middleton & his cronies would love to have all the residents volunteer to manage their land & continue to try & charge us. Is that any differant to the council stting back & letting the C.V.S. do their work for them ?
I am not knocking the C.V.S. but i think it is a fair point.
I would welcome any more info on the land ownership , and the specific boundaries.
Thanks
Eddie.
Ownership
Hi Eddie,
As I think I said, the council has retained ownership only of the strip to the north of the retaining wall. This is where the paths were repaired. CVS also repaired, or rather restored the paths around the pond last October. Long term, the maintenance of this strip is the councils' responsibility. having said that, there is a Delph Pond Action Group and they access various funding means to get works done, so it may be that this strip will be assumed by them as a part of their remit. Perhaps we will see the curling pond being restored?
CVS aren't doing Greenbelt's work. Strange how they have gone quiet though isn't it? No sign of Middleton taking up our invitation to meet.
I have a specific issue with Greenbelt as well. To the west of my garden, is a drainage trench which runs around the estate. My garden is up a 4/5 foot slope from the trench. I discovered last year that the slope was eroding and the soil around the anchors for my fence posts was disappearing. I attempted to stabilise the slope by seeding it and laying turfs on it. In February, I was pleased to see that the turfs had taken and that the seeding was establishing a root system.
4/5 weeks ago I looked at the slope again, it was clear - all the grass was dead laying the slope open to erosion again. Greenbelt's flunkeys had obviously sprayed it with weedkiller. Their aim, I am assuming, was to keep the trench clear, but they had only sprayed the slope and not the base of the trench.
I am awaiting Middleton's response to my complaint.
Delph Wood
Hi John ,
Thanks for the info.
The ownership issue is very interesting. I think that any resident who has paid Greenbelt would now be able to claim a refund , as they have been charging for services for an area that was not their responcibility or ours for that matter. We would have to ask the question if Mr Middleton and his cronies ever decide to pay us a visit. I won,t hold my breath.
I,m afraid i could not make it along on sunday to The Big Dirty Weekend but my wife and daughter went along and told me later that they had a great time. Well done All. I will try not to miss the next event.
Not sure about the curling though, Bambi on ice springs to mind.
Cheers for now, Eddie.
Re: Greenbelt's responsibility
Did anyone see any work being carried out on-site by Greenbelt contractors last Friday (12th June)? I spotted a blue van unloading mowers as I left for work at the entrance but going down past their today it doesn't look like any grass has been cut. And I certainly don't think they made it into the estate at all, the bushes down from us are growing wild and the weeds and grass are taking over; at least it hides the litter that's been their for a year or so.
I spoke to one neighbour today who has decided to get a contractor in to quote for a communal area near them, to replace the grass with chips to save them continuing to do the maintenance. It looks like most of the areas inside the estate that GB are paid to maintain will go this way and, sadly, people will continue paying GB's bills when they arrive without question...