Saturday 31 May 2008

Edinburgh At Risk Day Today Sat 31st May





Cartoon by Frank Boyle which appeared in The Evening News August 2007.
See bigger Cartoon here

Edinburgh At Risk Day Today Saturday 31st May 10 -4pm

“Edinburgh is at greater risk than it has been since the 1960`s”


Conservation Architect James Simpson OBE (ICOMOS newsletter Spring 2008)


James Simpson will be opening the day at approx 11am, venue at 8 St Marys which is open from 10am for coffees etc

Come and find out what’s going on in the city of Edinburgh and its surrounding areas. Have you got concerns about proposed developments, demolitions of buildings, disappearing green spaces and management of Common Good Land and Assets? Don’t know what to do? Come and meet others who have concerns and find what they are doing.


EAR was founded by a number of Edinburgh campaigns in 2007 and is a non-political umbrella organisation open to all who value the city’s communities, culture, history and her future. Campaigns involved so far include Save Our Old Town, Save Meadowbank, Orroco Pier (South Queensferry), Porty Greenkeepers, Friends of Corstorphine Hill and Save Glenogle Baths ...


Come along to The Canongate Project shop at 8 St Mary’s Street, just off The Royal Mile. Stay for entire day or drop in at whatever time suits you. Films, workshops and discussions etc





Above is the architect Allan Murray and if you see him in your neighbourhood be afraid,be very afraid

Thursday 29 May 2008

Tonights Talk/Discussion -Another Way is Possible

Gabriel's Wharf is one of the assets managed by Coin Street Community Builders (CSCB) which is a social enterprise and development trust which seeks to make London's South Bank a better place in which to live, to work and to visit. CSCB has transformed a largely derelict 13 acre site into a thriving mixed use neighbourhood by creating new co-operative homes; shops, galleries, restaurants, cafes and bars; a park and riverside walkway; sports facilities; by organising festivals and events; and by providing childcare, family support, learning, and enterprise support programmes. So like they say there is another way, can we make it happen here in Edinburgh? Come along tonight and get inspired. CSCB Website Wikipedia On CSCB


Thursday 29th May 7pm - 9pm

Talk and discussion, by Wendy Reid of Development Trusts Association Scotland. Learn how local people can set up Development Trusts to improve the quality of life in their community.
DTA Scotland Website
At The Canongate Project Shop, 8 St Mary`s Street, just off the Royal Mile
See Map


About Development Trusts From DTAScot website -

What are they?

Development trusts are community run organisations that :

aim to achieve the sustainable regeneration of a community and therefore are concerned with the economic, social and environmental and cultural needs of their community are independent but seek to work in partnership with other private and public sector organisations are owned and managed by the local community aim to generate income through trading activity that enables them to move away from dependency on grant support. All trading surpluses are principally reinvested in the organisation or community.


What do they do?

Local people set up development trusts to tackle local issues and to improve the quality of life in their community. As a result, development trusts become involved in a very wide range of activities.Just some of the activities which development trusts are currently involved in include…………….running the local shop and post office .....…developing play park and recreational facilities ……...managing a housing development...……developing renewable energy projects such as wind farms …..……managed workspaces …………setting up training programmes …………running childcare or youth services …….……preserving the local heritage …………restoring and conserving historic buildings …………countryside ranger service........running the village petrol pump.......a multi purpose arts and crafts centre....property development......tourism......environmental improvemnts ....childcare.....furniture recycling.....running a sports centre ....commercial forestry and woodland management.....

In short, anything and everything that might help build a vibrant and sustainable community.
Despite the diversity that is reflected in what they do, all development trusts are underpinned by a strong ethos of self help and self reliance and a belief that community regeneration which is achieved through community owned enterprise is the way to build strong and sustainable communities.

Wednesday 28 May 2008

Week 4 Events

The Canongate Project is going so well, thanks to all who have been along and enjoyed the various events so far, here are the latest ones this week
Wednesday 28th May
6.30pm - 7.45pm Walking talk on Women of the Old Town with Donald Smith of Scottish Storytelling Centre. Leave from 8 St Marys St.

Thursday 29th May
7pm - 9pm Talk by Wendy Reid of Development Trusts Association Scotland. Learn how local people can set up Development Trusts to improve the quality of life in their community.
7pm - 8.30pm Banner making group Come and help produce a community banner. A great opportunity to create something special for the Canongate.Every Thursday until the 5th June
Friday 30th May
3-5pm Street Party Organising Group Get involved in organising the Street Party. A fantastic day out for all the community and visitors

Saturday 31st May
10-4pm Edinburgh At Risk
“Edinburgh is at greater risk than it has been since the 1960`s”
Conservation Architect James Simpson OBE (ICOMOS newsletter Spring 2008)

Come and find out what’s going on in the city of Edinburgh and its surrounding areas. Have you got concerns about proposed developments, demolitions of buildings, disappearing green spaces and management of Common Good Land and Assets? Don’t know what to do? Come and meet others who have concerns and find what they are doing.

EAR was founded by a number of Edinburgh campaigns in 2007 and is a non-political umbrella organisation open to all who value the city’s communities, culture, history and her future. Campaigns involved so far include Save Our Old Town, Save Meadowbank, Orroco Pier (South Queensferry), Porty Greenkeepers, and Save Glenogle Baths.

Come along to The Canongate Project shop at 8 St Mary’s Street, just off The Royal Mile. Stay for entire day or drop in at whatever time suits you. Films, workshops and discussions etc More at www.eh8.org.uk

11am-1pm Film Screenings 4 "Community Counts"A collection of contemporary films looking at particular issues raised by communities of place and communities of interest which includes advice about community campaigning and a comic short about community consultation.
Sunday 1st June
2-3.30pm Walk with Jim Johnson around the Old Town focussing on the street improvement schemes. Leave from 8 St Marys St

2-4pm Family Funday activities, face painting, stalls, refreshments

3-4pm Street Party Organising Group Get involved in organising the Street Party. A fantastic day out for all the community and visitors on the 28th June

Friday 23 May 2008

Remembering Ken Skeel



On Sunday we lost a friend and neighbour here in The Canongate. Ken Skeel was active in The Save Our Old Town Campaign. Painting banners, attending campaign awareness raising events and so on. He even completed a painting he was doing for the campaign while he was in hospital in the last few days of his spectacular life. He was one of the founders and stalwarts of the historic vigil for a Scottish Parliament that set up camp on Calton Hill for five years between 1992 and 1997. This helped paved the way for the creation of a Scottish Parliament, keeping the issue in the forefront of Scots' minds 365 days a year. We will all miss your cheery disposition Ken when bumping into you out and about. You were a gem.

This notice appeared in yesterdays Herald. Our thoughts are with his partner Nell at this difficult time.


SKEEL — KEN. Peacefully, at Edinburgh Royal Infirmary, on Sunday, 18th May, 2008, Ken Skeel, aged 61, brilliant artist, dancer, story teller and passionate campaigner for Truth and Justice in the world. Dearly loved and loving partner of Nell, uncle of Gale, friend and great inspiration to many. Funeral at Corstorphine Hill Cemetery, Edinburgh, on Monday, 26th May, at 2.30pm, to which all friends are respectfully invited. Donations in lieu of flowers to ‘SOOT’ (Save Our Old Town), at http://www.eh8.org.uk/ or Plant a Tree.


For you Ken and we will be thinking of you tomorrow at The Common Good Day Scotland, where you should have been.



“This is a green world, with animals comparatively few and small, and all dependent on the leaves. By leaves we live. Some people have strange ideas that they live by money. They think energy is generated by the circulation of coins. Whereas the world is mainly a vast leaf colony, growing on and forming a leafy soil, not a mere mineral mass: and we live not by the jingling of our coins, but by the fullness of our harvests.” - Patrick Geddes

Monday 19 May 2008

Common Good Day Scotland Sat 24th May



COMMON GOOD DAY SCOTLAND

Saturday 24th May

10-4pm
at 8 St Marys Street
Just off The Royal Mile
Edinburgh

Common Good is the name given to the inherited property of the former burghs of Scotland. This land and assets still exist and still belong to the people and could be a significant resource for regenerating local communities.. Common Good expert Andy Wightman will be in attendance along with others involved in campaigns throughout the country. Come and get involved in reclaiming the rightful inheritance of the people of Scotland. Come and spend the day with all those involved in reclaiming our Common Good. Discussions, talks, films….information to take away so you can become a Common Good Detective
Other Week`s Events here Mon 19th - Sun 25th May as part of The Canongate Projects` 6 week programme
Andy Wightman will be giving a talk on Edinburgh`s Common Good on Thursday 22 May, 7pm Augustine United Church, George IV Bridge
This talk is organised by the Cockburn Association (The Edinburgh Civic Trust), in partnership with the Edinburgh Old Town Association.

(There is Common Good Land involved in the proposed land sale by the council to Caltongate developers Mountgrange)

A piece on The Common Good By Andy Wightman

In recent years the idea of community ownership of land and assets has been enthusiastically embraced by politicians across the UK and particularly in Scotland. In a country where over half the privately owned rural land is still held by a mere 352 landowners, land reform now allows communities a pre-emptive right to buy land when it comes onto the market.



But before having embraced this new fashionable idea, politicians might have paused to consider the fate of the common land that already existed. Had they done so they would have realised that community ownership is nothing new.



Before the Reformation, as much as half of Scotland was held in some form of common ownership. There were extensive Crown commons that had never been feudalised, commonties in every parish for the use of the common people, extensive burgh commons which provided income and sustenance to ScotlandÕs burghs and a whole array of mosses, loans, greens and other forms of communistic arrangement. As it happens, common ownership of land is a very old idea.



Tom Johnston, the historian and former Secretary of State for Scotland concluded in that," adding together the common lands of the Royal Burghs, the common lands of the Burghs which held their foundation rights from private individuals, the extensive commons of the villages and the hamlets, the common pasturages and grazings, and the commons attaching to run-rig tenancies, we shall be rather under than over estimating the common acreage in the latter part of the sixteenth century, at fully one-half of the entire area of Scotland.



He goes on, "As late as 1800 there were great common properties extant; many burghs, towns and villages owned lands and mosses; Forres engaged in municipal timber-growing; Fortrose owned claypits; Glasgow owned quarries and coalfields; Hamilton owned a coal pit; Irvine had mills, farms and a loom shop; Kirkwall owned farms and a town hall; Lanark had a mill and an inn; Lochmaben had a farm; Musselburgh had five mills, a brick and tile work, a quarry, a town hall, a steel yard and shares in a race stand; etc........."



By the time the Royal Commission on Municipal Corporations in Scotland reported in 1835, however, '"Wick had lost in the law courts its limited right of commonty over the hill of Wick, and owned no property; Abernethy owned nothing, nor did Alloa. Bathgate was the proud possessor of the site of a fountain and a right of servitude over four and a half acres of moorland. Beith had no local government of any kind; Bo`ness owned nothing; Castle-Douglas owned only a shop; Coldstream was stripped bare, not even possessing rights in its street dung"



Visit any town in Scotland and you will come across names such as Market Muir, Market Street, Muirton, Links, and Green. These all denote forms of common land such as all burghs in Scotland owned at on time. The property of the burgh was known as the common good since it was to be used for the common good of the inhabitants.



And this property still exists. It still belongs to the people and forms an important part of their cultural heritage. It is also a significant resource for regenerating local communities. But since 1975 when Town Councils were abolished, this land has been subsumed within new local authority structures and assets that should have been carefully stewarded for the benefit of the inhabitants of the former burghs have, instead, been lost, neglected, and in many cases misappropriated. Some communities took action to protect their assets. Thus, for example, St Andrews transferred their town common (which happens to have the famous golf course on it) to a Trust through a private Act of Parliament.



Look at the accounts of most local authorities in Scotland and you will find a page or two devoted to the Common Good funds. These are funds inherited from the former Town Councils of the burghs of Scotland in 1975. Some funds are quite sizeable. Aberdeen has £31 million, Inverness has £6.9 million and Musselburgh £7.5 million. Most are far more modest ranging from a few thousand to one or two hundred thousand pounds.



The real tragedy, however, is that the true extent of the common good of our towns is staggering and yet too many local authorities simply donÕt know what it is, where it is, how much it's worth, or who it really belongs to. The total reported value in the accounts of local authorities stands at just over £181 million. That's £400 of assets for every man, woman and child in Scotland! But given the missing assets, inaccurate accounting and lost receipts the total is probably in the region of £2 billion.



In Hamilton alone, £50 million has disappeared from the Common Good Fund. In Edinburgh, millions of pounds have gone missing and, incredibly, the former Waverley Market in Princes Street, a common good asset worth over £40 million is leased on a 206 year lease for 1p per year!



How has this sorry state of affairs come to pass? Why has such wealth not been managed in such a way that its value grew and would provide land for much needed community use such as housing? The answer is a complicated tale of incompetence, forgotten history, ignorance of officals and clear misappropriation of funds. Citizens are beginning to wake up to this hidden wealth. At the same time, communities are being empowered to take ownership and control of land and property and to fashion a more prosperous and sustainable future for themselves. However, much of this has been achieved through the allocation of money from the Lottery.
For many communities its not necessary to seek opportunities on the open market or to seek financial support from the Lottery in order to build up their asset base since common good assets already exist and could form the basis for building a multi-million property portfolio that could deliver housing, leisure and much needed community facilities.



A new Act of the Scottish Parliament should ensure a proper asset register, proper accounting and, most importantly, a statutory power for community bodies to take back title to their common good assets. If this were done, the consequences could be massive in terms of economic regeneration, civic pride, community cohesion and the development of a new commonweal.
And they could go further by endowing communities who have no Common Good Fund with one, by supporting a bold vision of community led urban regeneration. In my view the whole of the Clydeside regeneration project should be community owned and managed. They are doing these sorts of things in London (Greenwich Leisure and Coin Street Community Builders are just two examples) and other parts of England. Common Good assets are the place to start.



There are literally hundreds of millions of pounds floating about in the form of previously unaccounted for sets, undervalued assets and underused assets. This wealth belongs to the local community and not to the Council and can be used to begin a process of civic renewal and physical regeneration, to deliver wealth and prosperity, and to give back to towns across Scotland some self respect, belief and power to better the welfare of their community.






This article appeared on Andy`s blog on The YouScotland Website
Andy Wightman is an independent writer and researcher. His report, "Common Good Land in Scotland". A review and critique is available at Scottish Commons










Saturday 17 May 2008

May Reshuffle in Glasgow 12-8pm

Whats on Here

Get yourself and the kids over to the Pearce Institute in Sunny Govan today. A day full of free events which mixes the idea of enjoyment of local space and place, such as community centres with some discussion and workshops along with housing and the environment. Bob from Citystrolls is interested in the corrosion of the social base in our society. The disappearance and undermining of incipient culture in our communities by private and council led partnerships. The privatisation of our Common Good. Business in our parks. The Reshuffle event today is one small step in creating a stronger social base from which people can stand up for and get the best for their community and way of life and not be at the mercy of big business and councils.

Thursday 15 May 2008

Defiant Doors



Dawe defiant over Caltongate

Yet another piece on the musings of our Council Leader .....

Meanwhile nothing not a morsel on The Canongate Project and its events.


CITY leader Jenny Dawe today clarified her stance on the controversial Caltongate development after coming under fire from opposition politicians.
As reported in the Evening News, Councillor Dawe highlighted the £300 million scheme as an example of the "thorny issues and tough decisions" faced up to by the Liberal Democrat/SNP coalition.But former Labour Lord Provost Lesley Hinds – a member of the planning committee – pointed out that party politics should not influence the planning process.Calling on Cllr Dawe to clarify the issue, Cllr Hinds said: "The rules are quite explicit on this issue – decisions made on the planning committee cannot be whipped."But the Lib Dem leader responded: "Of course the planning committee is apolitical, and that's the way it always should have been and will continue to be in this administration. "My point was simply that Caltongate was a tough decision that had to be taken and that now that it's been made, subject to the scrutiny of Scottish Ministers, allows for the re-development of – in particular – an ugly gap site in the heart of the city."

Tuesday 13 May 2008

This Weeks Events

Richard Demarco looking at the disturbing images of "Caltongate" at The Canongate Project Shop last Monday the 5th May after he had given his talk "A Portrait of Edinburgh as a World Heritage Site" which was both entertaining and thought provoking. Heres this weeks events ..


Tuesday 13th May
3-4pm.Reminiscence Group
The memories and experiences of people testify to the special significance of the Canongate. If you have spent time in the Canongate at some point in your life drop in and join us for a chat and a cup of tea.Then every Tuesday until the 10th June 3-4pm

Tuesday 13th May
7-9pm Film Screenings
"Past Perspectives" A collection of dramatisations, experimental, and artistic films looking at some of the characteristics of Edinburgh and her inhabitants from the Scottish Screen Archives
Wednesday 14th May
2pm - 3.30pm What does World Heritage Status mean to Edinburgh and her residents?Talk and discussion with Jane Jackson and David Hicks of The Edinburgh World Heritage Trust.
7pm - 9pm Do you have an idea to make a difference in your community? Talk by Eileen Inglis of Scotland UnLtd, Come and find out how you can get support and funding.
Thursday 15th May
2pm - 4pm Learn how local people can set up Development Trusts to improve the quality of life in their community.Talk by Wendy Reid of Development Trusts Association Scotland.

7pm - 8.30pm Banner making group Come and help produce a community banner. A great opportunity to create something special for the Canongate.Every Thursday until the 5th June
Friday 16th May
3-5pm Street Party Organising Group Get involved in organising the Street Party. A fantastic day out for all the community and visitors

Saturday 17th May
11am-1pm Film Screenings "Past Perspectives" A collection of dramatisations, experimental, and artistic films looking at some of the characteristics of Edinburgh and her inhabitants from the Scottish Screen Archives.
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Sunday 18th May
2-4pm Family Funday activities, face painting, stalls, refreshments

3-4pm Street Party Organising Group Get involved in organising the Street Party. A fantastic day out for all the community and visitors on the 28th June.
ALL EVENTS AT or LEAVE FROM 8 ST MARYS STREET

Sunday 11 May 2008

Scottish Ministers have deferred the decision on Caltongate


For those of you who keep asking "so it that it over? What's happening now?" It isn't over and we are waiting for Scottish Ministers to decide about Caltongate and a possible Public Enquiry into the whole decision making and sell off of public and common good land. The Evening News reported last week that Scottish Ministers have extended the time to make a decision about Caltongate, read more about it here


There was also some news on the decision for Edinburgh Zoo to sell off land it owns on Corstorphine Hill to developers to build luxury homes. Corstorphine are having a local enquiry. Read more about it here

And finally Portobello has a new Masterplan that does not include a supermarket or a five storey new complex on the Promenade after extensive community consultation. The council can do it when they want to, read about the story here








Saturday 10 May 2008

Jenny Dawe proves she is tough!


It's funny how the promise of 20% share of profits and £4.5 million can buy your opinions, isn't it Mrs Dawe? Last year you thought Caltongate was grotesque yet this year it proves that you and your council are tough. No it doesn't it means you fell for the spin from the developers and the council officials and the promise of 20% of £300 million once ALL the development is sold off. When will that be, if ever at all? Not a penny before though! £4.5 million for all that land in the council's city centre and world heritage site is pretty cheap don't you think considering some of it is common good (and not the council's to sell) and some of it is council housing (now lying empty and direlect when there is a housing crisis on, could it not have least been used for temporary housing in the meantime?) and you are gambling on the status of Edinburgh's world heritage.

And it was all sold off the table - it didn't go to the "open market" just to Mountgrange, who may or may not have been the highest bidder or offered the most of best value. Jenny, you sell yourself and the people of Edinburgh short. A tough decision would have been to reject Caltongate and to insist on something better for the Old Town not to accept what was on offer by one developer

Dawe praises 'tough' council

Friday 9th May 2008 in the Scotsman

COUNCIL leader Jenny Dawe today said that approval for the controversial Caltongate scheme proved that her administration can make tough decisions.

The £300 million plans for the Old Town have been backed by councillors on the planning committee and now await a response from Scottish ministers.

In a speech to mark the first anniversary of the Lib Dem/SNP coalition, Councillor Dawe said: "It had been suggested a coalition – particularly with such tight numbers – might lead to paralysis.

"This, quite simply, has proved untrue. We have shown ourselves ready to act properly and in the best interests of the city and to face up to the thorny issues and tough decisions which the previous administration ducked out of."See the article here


However last year she said - you can see the article in the Evening News here
"I'm not anti-development at all. However, I do believe that any development must respect the heritage of the city.
Malcolm Fraser is a very well known and respected architect and I was astounded to discover he was behind those images which appeared in the Evening News last week. The images were just grotesque and hideous. "I would've expected someone of his reputation to produce something a bit more sympathetic to its surroundings, but they were pretty gross."

Friday 9 May 2008

The Canongate Project Events



All events are here at The Canongate Project Shop, 8 St Mary’s Street,. Walks leave from here. Please book in advance for walks and talks to avoid disappointment.


This weekends events


Starting Friday 9th 3pm -5pm Street Party Organising Group

Get involved in organising the Street Party. A fantastic day out for all the community and visitors.
Then every Sunday from 11th May 3-4pm until the 8th June

And Fridays from the 16th May 3-5pm until the 13th June

Street Party on Saturday 28th June Street Party 11-4pm East Market Street –Stalls, Live Music, Children’s Activities, Street Theatre Saturday 10th May

11am -1pm Repeat of Film Screen 1 A Mile of Memories
A collection of historical documentary and educational films featuring the Royal Mile and including Walkabout Edinburgh with Richard Demarco from 1970.


Saturday 1pm - 2.30pm Banner Making Group Launch

Come and help produce a community banner. A great opportunity to create something special for the Canongate. There will be a trip to the People’s Story Museum on The Canongate to look at community banners from the past. Meet at shop first.

Sunday 11th May 3-4pm Street party Organising Group.


Get involved in organising the Street party on East Market Street. A fantastic day for all the Community and visitors on Saturday 28th June 11-4pm. Live music, street theatre, stalls, childrens activities.


Sunday 4.30pm -6 pm 'Hidden Gardens of the Royal Mile'.


Walking tour with Jean Bareham of Bluyonder Tours. The tour will include some social history, but will mainly cover how people use green space in the city these days.
See a little-known side of Edinburgh's Old Town in this easy walking tour. Behind the historic buildings discover the surprising number of gardens and green 'nooks and crannies', all with a story to tell. You'll see modern community gardens created by today's residents; hear how 70 derelict sites were made into children's gardens in the 19th Century; and take a breather in a beautiful space laid out and planted as a 17th century Scots town garden.

Rest of Programme


TALKS

May


Wednesday 14th May 2pm - 3.30pm
Talk and discussion with Jane Jackson and David Hicks of The Edinburgh World Heritage Trust. What does World Heritage Status mean to Edinburgh and her residents.

Wednesday 14th May 7pm - 9pm
Talk by Eileen Inglis of Scotland UnLtd, Do you have an idea to make a difference in your community? Come and find out how you can get support and funding.

Thursday 15th May 2pm - 4pm
Talk by Wendy Reid of Development Trusts Association Scotland. Learn how local people can set up Development Trusts to improve the quality of life in their community.

Wednesday 21st May 7pm - 9pm
Talk by Bern Balfe, Presentation and discussion about the architect’s design process and how it can serve
the needs of a community

Thursday 22nd May 2pm - 4pm
Sally Richardson of the Save Our Old Town Campaign

Thursday 22nd May 7pm -9pm
Talk - The Radical History of The Canongate with Craig McLean. A presentation & discussion including footage of 1937 May Day march through the Canongate.

Monday 26th May 6pm -7.30pm
Talk with Elizabeth Graham of the Cockburn Association on the heritage organisation’s work.

Thursday 29th May 7pm - 9pm

Talk by Wendy Reid of Development Trusts Association Scotland. Learn how local people can set up Development Trusts to improve the quality of life in their community.


June Talks

Wednesday 4th June 6pm -7pm
Talk by Di Jennings of Local People Leading. LPL campaigns for a strong and independent community sector.

Friday 6th June 6pm - 7.30pm
Talk and discussion with Jane Jackson and David Hicks of The Edinburgh World Heritage Trust. What does World Heritage Status mean to Edinburgh and her residents.

Saturday 7th June 1pm - 3pm
Community Land Partnerships. Talk with Chris Cook.

Sunday 8th June 1pm - 3pm.
Workshop by Bob Hamilton from Citystrolls, Glasgow. How you can be active and make a difference in your community.

Monday 9th June. 7pm - 9pm
Talk “Family Connection” – with Janet Fenton a narrative of personal connection and recollection with the Old Town

Wednesday 11th June 6pm - 8pm
Talk by Sally Richardson of The Save Our Old Town Campaign.

WALKS

Wednesday 28th May 6.30p - 7.45pm
Walking talk on Women of the Old Town with Donald Smith of Scottish Storytelling Centre

Sunday 1st June 2pm - 3.30pm
Walk with Jim Johnson around the Old Town focussing on the street improvement schemes.

Wednesday 4th June 6.30pm - 8pm
Jim Johnson leads a walk around the now redeveloped former S&N breweries between Canongate and Holyrood Road.

Sunday 8th June. 1pm - 2.30pm
Radical walk of the Old Town’ with Allan Armstrong.


WEEKLY GROUPS

Street Party Organising Group

Starting Friday 9th 3pm -5pm
Get involved in organising the Street Party. A fantastic day out for all the community and visitors.

Then every Sunday from 11th May 3-4pm until the 8th June

And Fridays from the 16th May 3-5pm until the 13th June


Saturday 28th June Street Party 11-4pm East Market Street –Stalls, Live Music, Children’s Activities, Street Theatre


Banner Making Group

Banner making group Thursday 15th May 7pm - 8.30pm
Come and help produce a community banner. A great opportunity to create something special for the Canongate.
Then every Thursday until the 5th June


REMINISCENCE GROUP

Tuesday 13th May, 3-4pm.
The memories and experiences of people testify to the special significance of the Canongate. If you have spent time in the Canongate at some point in your life drop in and join us for a chat and a cup of tea.
Then every Tuesday until the 10th June 3-4pm



ALL – DAY GATHERINGS


Common Good Day Scotland

Saturday 24th May 10am-4pm

Common Good is the name given to the inherited property of the former burghs of Scotland. This land and assets still exist and still belong to the people and could be a significant resource for regenerating local communities.. Common Good expert Andy Wightman will be in attendance along with others involved in campaigns throughout the country. Come and get involved in reclaiming the rightful inheritance of the people of Scotland. Come and spend the day with all those involved in reclaiming our Common Good. Discussions, talks, films….information to take away so you can become a Common Good Detective

www.scottishcommons.org.uk




Edinburgh at Risk Day


Saturday 31st May 10-4pm

Come and find out what’s going on in Edinburgh and its surrounding areas…Have you got concerns? Don’t know what to do? Come and meet others who did and what they are doing. EAR was founded by a number of on-going Edinburgh campaigns and is a non-political umbrella organisation open to all who value the city’s culture, history and future and wishes full recognition of Edinburgh’s Common Good.

Film and Photography

Monday 12th May 2pm - 4pm An introduction to Film Making.

Monday 19th May 2-4pm Film Making and Photography


FILM SCREENINGS


Past Perspectives

A collection of dramatisations, experimental, and artistic films looking at some of the characteristics of Edinburgh and her inhabitants from the Scottish Screen Archives.

Tuesday 13th May 7-9pm and Saturday 17th May 11am-1pm


The Bigger Picture

A collection of contemporary films which consider current UK-wide
development trends and the threats to the future arising from them.
These films highlight issues such as loss of identity and heritage,
gentrification, sustainability and quality of design.

Tuesday 20th May 7-9pm and Saturday 24th May 11am-1pm.


Community Counts


A collection of contemporary films looking at particular issues raised
by communities of place and communities of interest which includes advice about community campaigning and a comic short about community consultation.

Tuesday 27th May 7-9pm Saturday 31st May 11am-1pm

Changing Policy

A collection of films and news clips looking at the changing theories
of planning and development through a collection of archive films
and clips highlighting previous trends and policies.

Tuesday 3rd June 7-9pm and Saturday 7th June 11am-1pm


Moving Forward

Films to inspire: examples of successful campaigns and initiatives
that utilise new opportunities which are available to grow and
develop community assets.

Tuesday 10th June 7-9pm and Saturday 14th June 11am – 1pm

Wednesday 7 May 2008

Tonights Talk and News

Query Over Common Good Land

LONG-AWAITED plans to create a hidden underground car park outside one of Scotland's leading visitor attractions are in disarray amid confusion over who owns the land on which the scheme will be sited.
Council leaders have admitted the project – work on which was due to begin later this year – faces lengthy delays because the local authority may not be the owners. The car park outside the Royal Museum in Edinburgh was to be the first of its kind of Scotland and based on a system commonplace in Italian cities such as Rome and Milan. Motorists entering such car parks pay for a space through a computer panel. Once out of the car, a computer-controlled lift takes the vehicle underground, where it is parked automatically.When the owner returns, the car is automatically brought back up to an exit bay. It takes an average of just 50 seconds to either park or retrieve a car. The car parks are monitored from a central control room via CCTV.

Lawyers are being drafted in to check records dating back hundreds of years. It is thought part of the land could be "common good" and the council may face a legal challenge if it tries to use it for what would be a commercial development.Edinburgh City Council has come under fire for mismanaging millions of pounds worth of common-good assets, donated to the city by philanthropists or formerly owned by royal burghs for more than 100 years.

The council has only recently put the contract to run the Chambers Street car park out to tender. The existing 89 parking bays would be replaced by 100 underground spaces built on either side of the statue of William Chambers. It was intended as a pilot which, if successful, was to pave the way for future schemes on George Street and Melville Crescent.

One council insider admitted the issues over land ownership on Chambers Street had only recently been discovered, but were threatening to derail the entire car park scheme in the area.He said: "It's a massive headache. "It's not entirely clear who owns the land below Chambers Street and it will be a fairly Byzantine process to get to the bottom of it."Gordon Rintoul, director of National Museums Scotland, said: "We're aware of the car park proposal. But we're not in a position to assess the likely impact upon both the National Museum of Scotland and the plans for redevelopment of the Royal Museum building." Councillor Tom Buchanan, economic development leader at the council, explained: "Land ownership in the city centre is complex due to numerous owners over a considerable length of time.
The Canongate Project

Tonight at the project shop at 8 St Marys St is a talk by Chris Cook on Community Land Partnerships from 7-9pm
More on this tomorrow

Monday 5 May 2008

This Weeks Events

The Royal Mile looking down towards the Canongate by Richard Demarco.


The Canongate Project
see full programme here


ALL EVENTS AT 8 St Marys Street unless otherwise stated

Monday 5th May


Come and hear the entertaining and inspiring Richard Demarco ` A Portrait of Edinburgh as a World Heritage Site` at 4pm Previously advertised as 2pm in printed brochure. Still spaces available.


Demarco on Edinburgh

Demarco Website

Earlier posting On Demarco


Tuesday 6th May

3-4pm Canongate Reminiscences
The memories and experiences of people testify to the special significance of the Canongate. Every week, on Tuesdays from 3-4pm, we will be leading a group reminiscence workshop at 8 St. Mary’s Street. If you have spent time in the Canongate at some point in your life we’d like to invite you to join us for a chat and a cup of tea. If you are unable to make our weekly meeting at 8 St. Mary’s Street, we can arrange to meet you at your convenience.

Contact Christa at cbtooleyATgmail.com or Margaret at 0131 622 0139.

7-9pm Film Screen (week1) - A Mile of Memories

A collection of historical documentary and educational films featuring the Royal Mile and including Walkabout Edinburgh with Richard Demarco from 1970.

Wednesday 7th May

7-9pm Community Land Partnerships with Chris Cook. Come and learn more about CLP’s.


Thursday 8th May

1-3pm Local People Leading with Di Jennings

"LPL is an informal alliance of national networks, local community groups and individuals that has come together to campaign for a strong and independent community sector in Scotland.LPL has two main functions - to promote the work of local people in their communities and to influence national policy development. We email regular briefings to our supporters on both these themes."
Local People Leading Website

Friday 9th May

3-4pm Street Party Organising Group
Get involved in organising the Canongate Street party. A fantastic day for all the community and visitors.

Saturday 10th May

11am -1pm Repeat of Film Screen 1 A Mile of Memories
A collection of historical documentary and educational films featuring the Royal Mile and including Walkabout Edinburgh with Richard Demarco from 1970.

1-2.30pm Banner Making Group Launch
Come and help us produce a community banner. A great opportunity to create something special for the Canongate. There will be a trip to the People’s Story Museum. Meet at shop first.

Sunday 11th May

3-4pm Street Party Organising Group

TTBC 'Hidden Gardens of the Royal Mile'.

Walking tour with Jean Bareham of Blueyonder Tours. The tour will include some social history, but will mainly cover how people use green space in the city these days.

Saturday 3 May 2008

Open Day Sucess


The formal launch of the Canongate Project was a success - over 100 people were in attendance with people coming from all over - some people travelled from Northumbria, Fife, Glasgow, Peebles and all over Edinburgh. If you came thanks for your support. Someone said they said they thought they might have seen Donald Anderson peeping in the window - we were packed to the gunnels so he would have been quite annoyed if he did but I suspect it was just Wee Wullie Winkie, rather than the Propoganda Pirate of the Caltongate..

Thanks to everyone who came to the Open Day today. Over 60 people came and participated in drawing maps, filling out surveys, chatting, drinking tea, eating cakes and planning how they wanted to get involved in the Canongate Project.

The Canongate Project is open tomorrow too and there are lovely homebakes to buy - come and try them.

Whilst the open day went full swing Catriona Grant from SOOT spoke on the May Day march - and got a really good response. The thing everyone wants to talk about is the common good - so many people just have never heard of it before, however if they come to the Common Good day on 24th May they will learn do much. Cat and Meg gave out over 300 pamphlets advertising the Canongate Project on the march and on the rally and everyone was really interested.

Next two events are Sunday 4th May - Open Day from 11 and Monday 5th May is Ricky de Marco speaking at 4. That's a change from 2.

Please check the blog daily for changes and additions.

Viva la Republic.

Friday 2 May 2008

Weekend Launch and coming events



***PLEASE NOTE*** Richard Demarco talk is at 4pm on Monday the 5th May at 8 St Marys St, not 2pm as in programme, booking advisable 07788 755303 or email canongatecommunityforumATyahoo.co.uk


Canongate Community Forum Weekend Launch of


“THE CANONGATE PROJECT

Full Programme Here







Sat. 3RD & Sun. 4TH May11am – 4pm




No.8 ST. MARY`S STREET(Just off the Royal Mile)

Teas & coffees




Home Baking






Stalls

Face Painting
Prizes & Fun For All Ages

Thursday 1 May 2008

Waiting on Mr Chande

The letter below appears in todays Evening News Letters pages, it was in response to a blatant piece of propoganda by developers Mountgrange`s boss Manish Chande which was entitled "King of Caltongate heads for victory"



Well, here in the Independent Republic, this had us laughing out loud, "KING" so he wants to rule people? only problem is the place he wants to rule does not even exist!!! Well, in his mind perhaps. And "Victory"? who has he been at war with?


We await Mr Chandes`s retraction of the defamatory statement in the article, the rest of the article should be retracted too....but this statement is the one that requires immediate action.

Letter -- The Evening News has chosen the title

"Pointing the finger of blame at Davies"



I WAS very disappointed to read your article entitled " King of Caltongate heads for victory" in your paper on April 29. I found the entire piece highly misleading and insulting.


The inaccurate telling of events at the 2006 Christmas party hosted by Mountgrange where myself and others from age two to 72 were singing Christmas carols as guests entered the party, requires urgent attention.



Manish Chande said in the article: "The convener was coming in when someone hurled some abuse at his wife, and like any husband, he reacted. Maybe he shouldn't have but he's a human being and that's human nature."I had my two-year-old daughter Lily in my arms when the then planning convener Trevor Davies arrived with his wife. As we were singing a carol, Trevor Davies turned around, and appearing vexed stuck his middle finger up at Lily, myself and our neighbour; his wife looked embarrassed, quickly grabbed her husband by the jacket and pulled him in to the reception.

The incident was reported to Standards Commission and the following is an excerpt from their findings:"In the absence of a denial by the respondent of the complainants' specific description of his reaction and his admission to having made a small gesture I was inclined to the belief that the complainants' version of events more accurately described the respondent's reaction."

I now request that Manish Chande publicly apologise and retract this defamatory comment at the earliest opportunity.
Sally Richardson,
Secretary of The Canongate Community Forum,
Canongate