Web kcn issue 19 jun jul 16

Kings wells

Issue 19 June - July 2016 Free bi-monthly magazine

Community News a gazette magazine

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hopping great BIG THANK YOU to the brave souls that came out for the 3rd big Kingswells litter pick.

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On Saturday 16th April 2016, they did an amazing job.

Residents of Kingswells battled the rain, the sleet, the snow and the odd bursts of sunshine, to collect litter, in horrible weather conditions.

Forty- five bags of litter were collected from all over Kingswells.

Beer cans and vodka bottles; many thrown over the bridge as some sort of target practice were the prevalent litter finds.

Followed closely by a considerable amount of crisp wrappers everywhere. Plastic drinks bottles where stuck up in trees, bushes, shrubs and grass all over the village. Odd finds included baby dummies, a traffic cone, a hand bag, and an alloy wheel!

A huge thank-you to everyone who came out and picked up the litter. And to those in the background who helped with posters, and support in other ways. It all makes such a difference.

The next litter pick is planned for Saturday 8th October 2016.

Words : Organiser Claire Burt

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landline: 01224 949085 mobile : 07813 964 875 email : kingswells@gazettemagazines.com web : www.gazettemagazines.com

independent publisher All enquiries : Sue Simpson Disclaimer : Whilst we’d be flattered if you would like to borrow something from the gazette be polite and ask first! Thank you.

We try our hardest to ensure accuracy of editorial content but no responsibility can be taken for any errors and/or omissions. The views expressed within the gazette are not necessarily those of the publisher or advertisers. When replying to offers, competitions and other correspondence, we would strongly recommend that you check published information with each organisation beforehand. All artwork is accepted on strict condition that permission has been given for use in this publication. We thank you for taking the time to read the small print.

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A note from Sue ...

This issue we kick off with a remembrance danceathon in memory of Sandra MacPherson, a prominent member of the Kingswells community who will be sadly missed. I am so disappointed that I will not be able to attend as I’m away on a dance weekend - so I’ll be there in spirit - hoping you all have an amazing celebration.

So the weather is trying so hard to be good so grab every opportunity you can this summer and enjoy it. I have no exciting holiday this year but plenty of short weekend breaks which I cherish. Exciting news about the refurbished Fourmile Bar? Please let us know what you think if you take a nice summer stroll to try it out first hand!

No vouchers in this magazine unfortunately but there is a special lunchtime menu at Ciao Napoli if you fancy treating yourself and a friend before the kids break up. Can I also wish all the good dad’s a very Happy Father’s Day - enjoy your breakfast in bed!

As a final note, I hope you will all have a fabulous summer. Time with the family, trips away, Codonas and just generally enjoying the outdoors.

Remember not to leave your dogs in the car on a hot day! Remember to keep valuables out of sight for opportunist thieves! And no bush fires!

Next magazine will be Aug/Sept - so if you have any events coming up in that time or over the autumn then get in touch and let us know. Or dare I say any pre-organised Christmas events - get them into us as soon as possible. There is also a new Slimming World class at Kingswells Hall which starts at 5.30pm great way to keep on top of your healthy eating.

Go grab that cuppa and enjoy the magazine.

Until next time,

Sue x

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upils will be participating in a Danceathon in memory of Depute Head Teacher, Sandra MacPherson on Friday 17th June. Pupils will dance throughout the morning in school and the whole school will gather in the field next to the playground at 2pm for some whole school dancing and singing. We would love to make this event as big as possible and would like to invite all parents, grandparents, carers, friends and members of the community. Sandra's favourite colours were navy or red and she really loved spots which you can wear if you wish.

Bring your dancing shoes and we will dance to a selection of songs including some of Sandra's favourites. Pupils will be dismissed from school at 3.15 as usual but we will continue the music and dancing until 4pm to allow pupils from Bucksburn Academy to come along and join in if they wish to.

Donations will be collected to be shared between CLAN and buying a lasting memorial at school in the form of a piece of equipment for the playground. We look forward to seeing many of you there.

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A little bit of Italy... ...in Little Belmont Street

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wee reminder from Adventure Aberdeen 5 minutes walk from His Majesty’s Theatre and Music Hall – special lunch and pre-theatre aboutmenus. its Community Freshly baked home mode home made pizzas with lashings of toppings. meeting room. is Seafood, prime Tender pasta dishes full of tasty ingredients and lusciousThis cream sauces. steaks, chicken dishes, all with that extra touch of genius which is true Italian cooking! within the main body of the building and is hireable 7 Little Belmont Street | Aberdeen | AB10 1JG by community groups at www.poldinos.co.uk a very competitive rate.

The room is the old gym ... in Little Belmont Street hall of the school and We have been serving fine Italian cuisine since 1977. can accommodate up to Extensive à la carte menu for lunch and dinner.

25 people comfortably.

5 minutes walk from His Majesty’s Theatre and Music Hall been serving fine italian cu We have The room has a mixture - special lunch and1977. pre-theatre menus.

Extensive à la carte menu for lunch We have been serving fine italian cuisine since of formal and informal baked home-made pizzas with lashings of toppings.

Extensive à la carte menu forFreshly lunch and dinner. seating, a large screen and 5 minutes walk from His Majesty’s Th Tender pasta dishes full of tasty ingredients and luscious cream – special lunch and pre-theatre men digital projector, public sauces.

Seafood, 5 minutes walk from His Majesty’s Theatre andprime Musicsteaks, Hall chicken dishes, all with that extra wifi, a kitchenette with urn, touch of genius which is true Italian cooking!

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Freshly baked home mode home ma microwave, dish washer, Open Monday to Saturday 12 noon to 2.30pm and 5.30pm to 10.15pm Tender pasta dishes full of tasty ingre steaks, chicken dishes, all with that ex Freshly home mode home made pizzas with lashings of toppings. crockery, therebaked are two 01224 647777 Tender dishes full of tasty ingredients and luscious cream sauces. Seafood, primeGift toilets, one withpasta disability 7 Little Belmont Street | Aberdeen | AB10 1JG Open Monday to Saturday: 12 no steaks, chicken dishes, all with that extra touch of genius which is true Italian cooking!

Vouchers and baby changing Available facilities. The room has 7 Little Belmont Street | Ab Open Monday to Saturday: 12 noon to 2.30pm & 5.30pm to 10.15pm disability access. It can be booked at any time but is 7 more Littleavailable Belmont generally in Street | Aberdeen | AB10 1JG the evenings.

We have been serving fine italian cuisine since 1977.

Extensive à la carte menu for lunch and dinner.

Open Monday to Saturday: 12 noon to 2.30pm & 5.30pm to 10.15pm

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THE FOURMILE PUBLIC BAR SET FOR JUNE OPENING The Fourmile in Kingswells is set to raise community spirits as it announces plans to re-open its public bar on Friday 10th June.

Following a three-week refurbishment, The Fourmile has transformed its lounge area into a traditional pub for the local community, and has unveiled the new bar will be called The Smiddy.

Located in the heart of Kingswells, the new-look bar, designed by award-winning architects, Nicoll Russell Studios, has a traditional vibe with touches of community history incorporated into the new interiors. The bar has also been updated with new seating and tables, updated mirror bar gantry, sleek wooden flooring, and additional HD television screens with Sky TV and BT Sport.

The Smiddy, which will be open seven days a week, will continue to serve its popular Scottish food and extensive drinks range with a wide selection of Scottish gins, vodkas, whiskys and craft beers on offer.

Operations Director of The Fourmile, Alan Aitken, said: “The Fourmile has held a long standing connection within the Kingswells community but we felt the area was lacking with no real local pub for the surrounding residents. Although a relatively minor refurbishment, we feel these interior changes will make a huge difference to the atmosphere and provide the community with an excellent place to enjoy a relaxing drink or watch some sport with friends.”

seeking a relaxing drink after work to those looking to catch up with all the latest sports action like the upcoming Euro 2016 tournament.”

The Fourmile, which also has a large open plan restaurant with conservatory, will also be launching a new menu and welcoming back the Sunday carvery as of Sunday 12th June.

Opening Times for The Smiddy: Mon - Thurs 5:00pm to Midnight Friday 2:00pm to Midnight Saturday 12:00noon to Midnight Sunday 12:00noon to 11:00pm

“We are really excited for the opening of The Smiddy and we hope the local community will join us to celebrate and revive the venue back to its heydays. We believe the new interiors will appeal to a variety of customers, from those

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uthentic, fresh Italian food at the heart of Aberdeen

Ciao Napoli is a traditional, independent, family-run Italian restaurant set in the centre of Aberdeen, specialising in genuine Neapolitan cuisine.

Brothers Peppe and Nino Lepre welcome you to their specialist eatery, which boasts an abundance of hand-crafted dishes created using fresh ingredients. Everything is prepared and cooked on the premises by our experienced team with freshly baked bread served up daily from our in-house Italian baker.

Established over 10 years ago, Ciao Napoli is located in Bon Accord Crescent, Aberdeen, and is the perfect setting for corporate or special occasions, as well as a family gettogethers or a romantic dinner for two.

Our chefs can cater for up to 50 people, with bespoke menus and celebration cakes available to order.

With authentic interiors and a varied lunch and dinner menu, the restaurant and its talented chef team transport you straight to the heart of southern Italy.

Join us for our special lunch menu or why not pop along for an early supper at the end of the week with our NEW Fizz Friday offer.

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Police Report It’s pleasing to report that during the months of April and May your local Community Policing Team have not been required to deal with any reported crimes of any note in the Kingswells and surrounding areas.

Of the relatively small number of crimes committed it would also appear that overnight type crimes relating to motor vehicles being broken into or stolen has once again stopped which will be reassuring for local residents.

Previous police updates requesting assistance from home and vehicle owners to ensure that basic security checks are carried out appears to be of benefit to all in reducing the potential for criminal activities impacting in your area.

Unfortunately Police Scotland are still required to investigate incidents of this type across Aberdeen and rural locations but excellent results are being achieved in the detection of this type of offending.

Of the vehicle related crimes in the Kingwells area there has been two incidents where insecure vehicles were entered and items of personal property stolen.

This acts as a timely reminder for all vehicle owners to remember to lock vehicles even if the vehicle is left unattended for a short period as it will discourage opportunist criminals.

Several minor road traffic offences have been detected as a result of regular high visibility mobile police patrols being undertaken by officers from the Bucksburn Community Policing Team supported by

colleagues from the specialist Roads Policing Unit.

Unfortunately Police Scotland have received a number of reports of grassland fires occurring in the Kingswells area in the general vicinity of the Concraig housing complex which are suspected to be deliberate.

From investigations carried out by the police and Scottish Fire & Rescue Service it is suspected that this type of incident may involve local youths who engage in this dangerous and antisocial type behaviour.

Whilst to date there has not been any incident where nearby buildings are affected with the arrival of drier weather there is an increased potential for fires to become more large scale.

Partnership working is on-going with local schools to allow officers to educate pupils of the dangers of this type of behaviour.

Local residents are encouraged to report any suspicious incidents that may assist to identify those responsible and allow appropriate action to be taken.

In doing so the Bucksburn, Dyce & Kingswell Community Policing Team strive to ensure that your community remains a desirable and safe area to live in. Whilst we continue to work in partnership with local community groups we genuinely welcome the support you provide in preventing any emerging criminal behaviour from occurring.

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Latest News

Readers are reminded that a full account of Community Council business and other local and Aberdeen news is available on our website at http://www.kwells.org

Football Stadium You will know by now that Aberdeen Football Club (AFC) wants to leave Pittodrie and build a new 20,000 seat stadium, football academy and training facilities at Kingsford on the A944 between the AWPR flyover and Westhill. At this stage, AFC has been floating the idea and has not yet applied formally for planning permission. All we have to go on at this stage is an artist’s impression of what the facility might look like. Needless to say, the local press and AFC officials have been highly excited about the move although views amongst Dons fans appear to be more mixed.

In the current and upcoming Aberdeen Local Development Plans, the site in question is shown as green belt with no plans for development.

The stadium, as proposed, would be 1.1 miles as the crow flies from the nearest residential area of Kingswells but much closer to Westhill. The fields in question were formerly used as a landfill site for building waste. Since then they have been grassed over and used as grazing land. They have little nature conservation value although in winter hundreds of migrating geese often gather there to feed. That said, the area in question is green belt and building on it could pave the way to the eventual merging of Kingswells with Westhill.

The site would be well served by the AWPR for fans arriving by coach or car from north and south.

Fans coming from central Aberdeen would probably travel via the Lang Stracht or Skene Road and the A944. On match days, heavy traffic on the A944 seems inevitable and suitable road and junction improvements would be required.

Facilities in our area for visiting fans are clearly much more limited than around Pittodrie where there is plenty of access to eateries and bars in the city centre. However, our two licensed premises at Fourmile House and the Village Hotel in Prime Four are reacting positively to the prospect of additional custom from fans.

Drum Group, who manage Prime Four, is taking a neutral stance about the stadium.

Members of Kingswells Community Council have had a useful initial meeting with members of Westhill and Elrick Community Council to discuss the proposals. We hope to work in partnership with them. At this stage, both community councils are adopting a neutral stance until we have more detail about AFC’s plans and the views of residents become clearer. By the time you read this, the

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two community councils will have attended an initial meeting called by AFC to give us more information about their proposals .

As always, KCC will try its best to act in best interests of the local community. We are unlikely to support the development at Kingsford unless a number of conditions are met: 1.

AFC will have to convince us that there will be real benefits to the local community.

2.

Parking facilities within the Kingsford site itself should be designed to cater for ALL vehicles during match days, including cars and buses. Parking by fans in neighbouring streets in Kingswells and Westhill would be completely unacceptable.

3.

The Kingswells park-and-ride could be identified as an overspill parking area for cars.

However, any such move should not be allowed to inconvenience normal users of the parkand-ride. The footpath/cycle lane along the A944 towards Westhill is potentially dangerous for large numbers of fans continuing to the stadium on foot. A coach shuttle service should be funded by AFC to transfer fans safely from the park-and-ride to the stadium.

4.

AFC will need to improve roads and junctions in the area to ensure that traffic on match days is no worse than currently experienced. The area affected would likely extend well beyond Kingswells and Westhill.

5.

Additional bus stops and pedestrian crossing points will be required on the A944.

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6.

AFC will have to provide adequate funding to Aberdeen City Council for clearing up any litter generated by fans in and around the park-and-ride.

7.

Unlike most football stadiums, this one would be located in a semi-rural area. Light pollution from the stadium and floodlit pitches should be kept to an absolute minimum.

Acoustics in the stadium should be such that the out-spilling of noise into the surrounding area is also kept to an absolute minimum. (Although the stadium is over a mile from Kingswells, the prevailing wind is towards us and will carry the sound).

Aberdeen Football Club has promised a period of public consultation. KCC would strongly urge you to attend one of these sessions, regardless of whether you support or object to the development. During this consultation it is very important that you identify any concerns you may have to AFC. To have any effect, we will need to raise any concerns in large numbers. This will make it more difficult for AFC to ignore them in their plans.

Road Closures We are about to face a period of road and lane closures in the area in order to provide gas and other utilities to the new development at Countesswells. These are bound to cause considerable inconvenience and annoyance to the travelling public in terms of delays and having to find alternative routes that will often take longer. Once again, travellers are being penalised just to convenience developers.

Aberdeen City Council has agreed to the closures so must take much of the responsibility for the impending disruption. The impact could have been minimised if the services were installed within the development instead of along the existing roads. KCC has told our city councillors in no uncertain terms how we feel about the situation and they in turn have raised the matter with the relevant department.

This table summarises the various closures.

Different sections closed from early May to late Countesswells Road August Lane closures controlled by temporary traffic lights Kingswood Drive (south of from mid July to late August. 9.30 am to 3.30 pm on Broaddykes Drive) to Kingswells weekdays and Friday night to Monday morning at Roundabout weekends.

Closed from late August to mid December (access for Kingswells to Cults residents only) Kingswells to Bieldside via Road and lane closures from mid to late July Blacktop Road The closure of the Kingswells to Cults road for nearly four months is ridiculous in the extreme as the road serves as an unofficial bypass that takes heavy traffic at peak periods. We do not accept that land now owned by the developers cannot be used to run in utilities to Countesswells, rather than dig up a busy commuter route.

Benches In the last edition of the magazine, we reported that KCC had successfully negotiated, at no cost to the community, the installation of five granite benches with Sir Robert McAlpine Ltd, the

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construction company for Prime Four. By the time you read this all five benches should be in place ready for the summer weather. The benches were positioned to let weary walkers take a rest and also to offer some of the best views over the countryside.

The Community Council would like to thank Sir Robert McAlpine Ltd and in particular David Rice and David Reid, the engineers who carried out the installations on our behalf. Thanks also go to KCC members John Gerrie and Kenneth McAlpine for their perseverance in seeing this project through to a very successful conclusion.

PHOTO David Reid, engineer, with KCC members Kenneth McAlpine and John Gerrie at the new bench beside the east consumption dyke.

Fast Broadband We are very pleased that some of the homes in Kingswells with exchange-only lines can now receive fast broadband.

More exchange-only lines are in the pipeline.

Litter Pick Many thanks, once again, to Claire Burt and her band of intrepid volunteers who turned out in bad weather on 16 April to help clean up Kingswells.

Open Space Maintenance at Broaddykes After long-lasting pressure from KCC, we are delighted to learn that Aberdeen City Council is taking back responsibility for ground maintenance in parts of Broaddykes. The areas in question are currently managed by a residents’ association. Aberdeen City Council has issued letters to the homes affected.

Expansion of Prime Four The Scottish Government Reporter will make a final decision soon on whether to include a site for the westwards expansion of Prime Four in the Aberdeen Local Development Plan. Kingswells Community Council has tried very hard to oppose this expansion and has sent a final plea to the Reporter to exclude it from the Local Development Plan.

The proposed expansion will ruin a lovely bit of countryside around the nature conservation site at West Hatton Woods and the historic Quakers’ burial ground. The rural setting of the historic consumption west of Kingswells will also be spoiled if it has a backdrop of office buildings.

As the song says: “you don’t know what you’ve got ‘til it’s gone” PHOTO West Kingswells consumption dyke looking towards West Hatton Woods. Prime Four wants to build 4-5 storey office blocks on the other side of the woods. www.gazettemagazines.com t : 01224 949085

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A Framework Document, describing how the next phase of Prime Four could be developed, is currently out for consultation. You can view the plans and how you can respond to them on Aberdeen City Council’s website at http:// www.aberdeencity.gov.uk/ masterplanning/ by clicking on Draft Site OP63.

KCC would encourage you to make your views known. We will post our own comments on the KCC website at http://www.kwells.org New members wanted Your Community Council is always looking for new members. Why not join us and make a difference to your community ?

Change of venue for July meeting The 13th June meeting of KCC will take place as usual in the Community Centre at 8 pm. For the subsequent meeting on 11th July we are trying out a new venue at a meeting room in Adventure Aberdeen on Fairley Road.

Come rain or shine, we hope to make your summer

Special Summer Groups running for 4 weeks (dates below) over the summer holidays.

BOOKING ESSENTIAL Email karen@sensationall.org.uk to book your session today!!

18th – 22nd July Tues (19th) – Music Group 10:00 am – 12:00 pm Wed (20th) – Lego Group 10:00 am – 12:00 pm Thurs (21st) – Sensory Disco 4:00 – 6:00 pm

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Tues

25th – 29th July

1st – 5th August

(26th)

(2nd)

– Music Group 1:00 – 3:00 pm

Wed (27th ) – Lego Group 1:00 – 3:00 pm

Tues

– Music Group 10:00 am – 12:00 pm

Wed (3rd) – Lego Group 10:00 am – 12:00 pm

8th – 12th August Tues (9th) – Music Group 1:00 – 3:00 pm Wed (10th) – Lego Group 1:00 – 3:00 pm Thurs (11th) – Drumming Group 11:00 am – 12:00 pm

Please do mention Kingswells Community News when responding to advertisers - thank you

BucksburnAcademy news Football Teams Successes As we reach the end of another schools football team season the school teams finished on a high note. The S1 team won the Trophies International Cup 7 a side tournament for the first time and our two teams from the Wing won the Special Schools cup and the Support for Learners cup.

Bucksburn Academy Student to Compete in the Special Olympics The school is very proud of Owen Stephen who has recently been selected to represent Great Britain in the downhill skiing event at the next Special Olympics World Winter Games which will take place in Austria in 2017. What an incredible achievement.

Exam Time It’s that time again when our senior phase pupils complete their national qualification work and sit their exams. Once again students and staff have worked very hard together to complete courses and prepare for the exams. We wish them all the best at this important time

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News from Councillor Delaney...

Following a few weeks in which we have often seen four seasons in one day, we look forward to our summer. Meteorologists are predicting a heat wave lasting up to three months, perhaps even rivalling the summer of ‘76. Climate change is with us, of that there’s no doubt. Warmer summers may appear welcome in our otherwise dreich climate, but the freak flooding we’ve seen in recent years is not, and it’s all inter-related. Some progress to address climate change was made last year at international level but, though welcome, it’s never enough as compromises get thrashed out to get signatures on the dotted line.

Common sense so often flies out the window where politics or vested interests come into play. Unfortunately this has crept into the EU referendum campaign with wild exaggerated claims being made by both sides. My concern is that people who may not yet have formed a view are likely to be more confused than ever. Give us facts, not the fiction, and let the people decide!

Some would say I’m being somewhat naïve, but I reckon people are more intelligent than to fall for some of these cheap headlines. My fear is that the campaign results in people “switching off” in which case apathy wins.

Turning now to local matters, a big concern at the moment is the proposed closure of Hazlehead Swimming Pool in August. This announcement took everyone by surprise, including councillors.

The first I heard of it was when I received an email just minutes after having booked a further block of swimming lessons for my son. There was no prior consultation with either user’s of the pool or the wider community. The matter will be debated at the council meeting on 29th June.

In the meantime, there’s an online petition opposing this closure, which is gathering pace.

You can sign up at http://bit.ly/1R9eCnq Another hot topic is of course superfast broadband. Much to everyone’s surprise there have been some very welcome developments.

Residents of Kingswood Avenue, Kingswood Path, Kingswood Walk and Kingswood Grove are now able to place orders and a number of

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residents have already successfully connected.

BT Openreach has also been doing some work in Fairley Road which hopefully means that Fairley Road, Edmond Gardens and Whiterashes will soon be connected. However, I am currently awaiting confirmation of this.

There are also about 60 homes in Derbeth Grange currently connected directly to the Westhill exchange which have to be connected to the superfast service. The technical solution for this now exists so there’s no reason why these addresses cannot be connected but once again I’m awaiting a response on this matter.

This leaves the rest of the Derbeth area, Wellside and Concraig, which all use the TPON technology offering speeds of typically 3 Mbps – 8 Mbps.

There is currently no cost effective way to convert TPON to superfast broadband. Digital Scotland currently has these properties in abeyance pending a solution being identified. At this point in time there is no guarantee as to whether or not these properties will get connected to the faster service.

On a different matter, you will be aware that resurfacing works are to be undertaken on Kingswood Drive between Broaddykes Drive and Coldstone Avenue over the summer. Although this is very welcome, it’s only the tip of the iceberg, with a number of other Kingswells roads badly needing attention.

Amongst those which have already been reported are Kingswood Avenue, Kingswood Gardens, Clova Park, Clova Crescent, Derbeth Grange, Fairley Road, Huxterstone Terrace and Old Lang Stracht. With the exception of Old Lang Stracht which will see some resurfacing works after the utility works to service the West Huxterstone site are completed, there are no plans to carry out anything more than minor pothole repairs on the other roads.

I appreciate it can be frustrating continually reporting new potholes as they appear, especially when we see only the larger ones

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being filled, often badly, and the smaller ones left until they deteriorate further.

Similarly, I can’t see how that can represent anything other than a waste of public money, but I’ve had that argument and it has fallen on deaf ears!

Regardless, please do keep reporting new potholes as it’s the only way to raise awareness of this ongoing issue, hopefully leading to a longer lasting solution in the longer term.

As always, please get in touch to raise any concerns you may have.

Councillor Steve Delaney Home Tel: 01224 694469 Work Tel: 01224 346614 Email: sdelaney@aberdeencity.gov.uk Web: www.delaney.org.uk Facebook: CllrDelaney Twitter: CllrDelaney

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News from Councillor Cameron...

The time to write articles for the Kingswells News seems to creep up and I find myself having to focus in the last few days before the deadline once more, I missed the deadline for the last edition. I thought that reflections on the last year may be pertinent to bring a sense of perspective to the work of a Councillor within the community. Too often I feel that we are distracted from the day-to-day issues important to our constituents within their communities by becoming embroiled in debates within Council, which may or may not have a direct effect of the citizens we represent in our Wards.

various locations throughout the city for many years and to my knowledge, although the community in Kingswells have been involved in the past, this is the first time a Primary School Class has participated. Along with myself and the pupils there was the class teacher and the classroom assistant. We spent a couple of pleasurable hours, with the aid of the Council Grounds Maintenance staff, planting 2000 bulbs. Definitely a project to continue in 2016, and hopefully beyond, building up the areas of Kingswells which will bloom in the spring each year.

I had the pleasure last November in being involved with Primary 7 children from Kingswells Primary School planting bulbs on the verge in Kingswells Crescent at the junction of Wellside Avenue. The bulb planting, organised by Aberdeen City Council has been occurring at

The Kingswells Park and Ride site has invariably caused angst over a period of time for various reasons. These include illegal traveller encampments, untidy recycling areas, car drivers using the one way entrance to exit the Park and Ride for convenience and noisy car enthusiasts

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using the area to practice manoeuvres which would be illegal on the highway. By the time this edition of the Community News is published the new barriers will be erected which should minimise the likelihood of illegal traveller encampments. With the help of Police Scotland we have minimised, if not eliminated, the noisy car enthusiasts and hopefully virtually all users of the Park and Ride are obeying the one-way system of entrance and exit thus improving on safety. The tidiness of the recycling area, despite much effort on my part, still presents some issues. This is a challenge which I do not intend to shirk from and will continue to lobby Officers to find a satisfactory solution.

You do not need me to tell you that the road surfaces in Kingswells leave a lot to be desired in respect of quality. However, one particular ongoing issue which I have been working on for some time is the lock block areas within the village. As a candidate in the local government

elections in 2012 one of the user friendly aspects of Kingswells which appealed to me were the numerous cul-de-sacs, invariably paved in lock block, which made for a very child/family friendly and safe environment.

During that campaign, on Fridays (Friday was Grandma’ Day), I was often accompanied by my wife and then 4 year old grandson on his scooter. He did not accompany me anywhere else in the Ward as the areas of Kingswells I refer to were safe for a 4 year old on his scooter. The concept of this still exists but the state of repair of these road surfaces is now unacceptable.

Aberdeen City Council commenced repair work on these by removing damaged terracotta coloured lock blocks and filling the hole with tar, aesthetically unpleasant. Recently, after much negotiation a Senior Council Official attended a meeting of the Community Council and described a potential solution to the problem.

It is anticipated that this will be piloted in a Kingswells cul-de-sac before the winter. If this is

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successful it will be rolled out across Kingswells and in other areas of Aberdeen where this style of road finish was widely used 25 years ago but where the problems you are experiencing are also occurring.

Over the past 24 months, if not longer, there have been concerns that the Fairley Road Field will continue to decline and may even get subsumed into Adventure Aberdeen and no longer be a facility enjoyed by the residents of Kingswells, in particular the residents in the Southerly areas of Kingswells. With the help of Jonathan Kitching, Adventure Aberdeen, and the establishment of a “Friends of Fairley Road Field� group we are making progress towards a facility for the community as a whole. Watch this space, preferably become involved!

I am sure that as residents of Kingswells you are aware of the proposed Countesswells Development between the A944 and Countesswells Road. This is proposed to be a development of some 3000 houses with a Secondary School, two Primary Schools, shops and other employment facilities. Large developments such as this require infrastructure and plans for this are currently started in Countesswells Road.

The other roads to be affected between now and the end of the year are the A944 East of the Kingswells Roundabout; the C89 from the Kingswells roundabout to the lights at Kingswood Drive; Kingswood Drive and the C128C to Cults. The information received from the developer caused some concern as there were fears that Kingswells could be isolated during the phases of the work involving the C89, Kingswood Drive and the A944. Discussions with Council Officers have laid that fear to rest, however there will be periods of time when travel on the C128C to Cults will not be possible.

One of the major, justifiable, gripes that the residents of some parts of Kingswells

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have had for some time is the poor internet speed available to households in the village. Partly this was/is due to the installation of TPON (Telephone Passive Optical Network), this is an early style fibre optic cable technology, which was used by some operators (e.g. BT) to deliver telephone services to a small number of areas including Kingswells. Whilst it offered faster speeds than dial-up it was certainly not acceptable for 2016. Thanks to efforts from our MSP, Mark MacDonald, and discussions with BT, Digital Scotland and the Scottish Government Kingswells would now appear to be communicating at acceptable speeds..

As Councillors we do our best to ensure our constituents receive the best services possible from the Council, have the least amount of disruption during necessary developments and maintain a watching brief on any issues which might have a positive or negative effect on our constituents. To achieve this successfully we need to communicate and this needs to be two-way. Whilst dealing with individual constituent cases are bread and butter for elected members I am well aware that for the wider community this might only be scratching the surface so I would welcome your comments and thoughts to help ensure I serve you to the best of my ability.

Wishing you all a very pleasant summer.

David J Cameron Councillor for Kingswells, Sheddocksley and T: 01224 346612 M: 07876760760 E: dacameron@aberdeencity.gov.uk

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KINGSWELLS PARISH CHURCH As many of you will know our Minister, Alisa MacDonald, is on maternity leave and we are delighted that Alisa gave birth to a son, Finley on 3 May. Both are doing well and we congratulate both Alisa and Neal on the new addition to their family, a brother for Archie!

Though some time has now passed since February when we were involved in ‘Prayer Space’ at our local Primary School it is well worth recording the privilege we felt in experiencing with the children their positive response to the various ‘spaces’ provided for them. Giving thanks, forgiving, expressing hope, and showing amazement at all the wonderful things that the world provides and ‘being still’ were just some of the prayer zones in which they willingly took part. We thank the teachers the parent volunteers who helped to make the event successful. Although the school is missing Alisa as its Chaplain we continue to value the good relationship that we have with the school.

Elsewhere in this Newsletter you will have been made aware of our Victoria Tea that is to be held on Saturday 23 July. Please come and join us and experience a nostalgic dip into the past! Arrangements are also in progress to hold a strawberry tea and Sunday summer service for older members: this is an event that is much appreciated by many of our members to which they look forward each year. Members of our Church are also, with the help and encouragement of the staff at Kingsmead Home, holding a short service once a month on Sunday afternoons. The residents enjoy singing some of the old hymns and many know the words ‘off by heart’. Members also help from time to time with the entertainment sessions in singing and dancing.

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For the first time in the last 22 years, there has been no Christian Aid House-to-House collection this year – none of the familiar red and white envelopes were popped through letterboxes. The organiser felt it was time to retire!! However envelopes are still available in church and cans were put in local shops for Christian Aid Week.

“Thank you” to those of you who donated and a huge ‘thank you’ to all the special people of all ages who delivered, collected and counted over the years – together we made over £50,000. As to the future who can tell? Perhaps someone else will feel moved to organise house-to-house collections sometime to come On Sunday 15 May we celebrated ‘Pentecost’ Sunday, often referred to as Whitsun. Members attended a Picnic and joint service with other local Churches of Scotland at Craigiebuckler. The church was filled and it was a most uplifting occasion with joint choir, biblical sketches and orchestra – the singing was a joy to experience. It was a fitting celebration of what is often referred to by many Christians as the Birthday of the Church, the time when the disciples of Jesus received the Holy Spirit. The disciples then went out into the world to spread the ‘good news’ of the teaching of Jesus and churches began to be born first in parts of the Middle East and since then, over many years, across the world.

The core of that teaching is the awareness of unconditional love. This is a love that knows no bounds and is conveyed through our care, compassion and nurture of others – there are no barriers of race, colour, sexual orientation or status. Christians commit themselves to this teaching and though often failing nevertheless strive to follow in the example and pattern of the life of Jesus. If ever there was a time when we

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need to demonstrate and fulfil his call for unconditional love, it is now.

From Pentecost the gospel crosses every border All tongues are loosened by the Prince of Peace Today the lost are found in His translation.

Whose mother-tongue is Love, in every nation.’ (from a ‘Sonnet for Pentecost’ by Michael Gaud) Summer is now upon us and we look forward to holidays and times of relaxation; we hope that you all have a wonderful time, being refreshed in body, mind and spirit.

Our services continue throughout the summer each Sunday at 11.00am to which you will be made most welcome.

Our quarterly Communion is on Sunday 3 July at 11.00am. For further information visit our Web Site http:// www.kingswellschurch.com

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Competition winners Individual sweet - 1st K Hendry 2nd M Sheran 3rd A Nicol Floral arrangement in a cup & saucer 1st M Bruce 2nd M Sheran 3rd M Anderson May President Kathleen Hendry welcomed members & guests to our open night.

A fashion show by KAGA accessories from Fyvie, raffle, tea & homebaking was enjoyed by all. A very successful evening.

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Kingswells School Sports We were delighted that the rain held off and that once again Kingswells Sports Day was a huge success, with pupils from all year groups participating in a variety of different activities throughout the day. All pupils enjoyed both participating in the activities and also supporting one another, demonstrating a real feeling of ‘team spirit’.

Sports day is a great way of bringing people together from all year groups. It allows pupils to work together in teams and build upon many skills; it also helps to encourage and inspire all our pupils to participate in sport.

As this year Sports Day was the grand finale to a fantastic Health Week programme it was great to see the whole school consolidating the learning that has been happening in classes throughout the week and having a great time as a whole school community! The pupils, staff and parents participated in the Active Schools 100 rowing challenge and a film of our efforts can be viewed on the Active Schools Bucksburn ASG Facebook page. Check out the Kingswells School website if you would like to see some more photos from the day and to see the highlights of our health week.

Sensory Room for Kingswells School Kingswells is an inclusive school and we support children with a wide variety of needs.

We are a large, busy, open plan school and we recognise the need for some of our pupils to access a quiet space at times. Two years ago the management team designated two areas for development as sensory areas. We received initial funding from Westhill Round Table and this allowed us to provide basic sensory resources. This has been used successfully in school for over 18 months.

Two of our parents with experience of children with Additional Support Needs and developing sensory spaces offered to help fundraise to create higher quality sensory areas which would have even greater impact. We are delighted to have this fantastic resource and appreciate the support that our parents, local companies and in particular our four main sponsors (Premier Oil, Maersk Training, Nexen and Apache) have given us. An official opening took place on Monday 23rd May and already our pupils with Additional Support Needs are benefitting from this.

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25

Duke of Edinburgh Award The DofE is the world’s leading youth achievement award, giving millions of 14 to 24-year-olds the opportunity to be the very best they can be.

Adventure Aberdeen manage Aberdeen City Council's licence to deliver the Duke of Edinburgh Award at 16 centres across Aberdeen. Over 1200 young people are currently registered to complete awards within the city, with nearly 300 young people completing Bronze, Silver or Gold awards during 2015.

Given the size of the programme, the Duke of Edinburgh programme within the city would not run without the support of a large number of willing volunteers who administer the programme within their centres, and help arrange expeditions for young people to experience Scotland's more adventurous and scenic places!

Therefore, we are always keen to recruit

willing volunteers to help centres with their programmes - either in an administrative role, or to help supervise expeditions (which can be between 2-4 days depending on the award level).

In particular, we are currently looking to help Aberdeen Open Awards Centre (AOAC) to recruit new volunteers to support their annual DofE programme. The AOAC are a constituted and self-funded volunteer group registered with Aberdeen City Council who currently have over 100 young people registered to complete awards.

The centre run monthly drop in sessions at Adventure Aberdeen's office in Kingswells to train and support young people who are registered to complete an award, and also organise and provide training and supervision for expeditions going out between March and October each year.

Adventure Aberdeen support AOAC by completing PVG checks, and providing DofE specific and expedition training for all new volunteers who are keen to become involved, with all training provided free of charge to volunteers.

If you would be interested in volunteering some time to help support young people through such a rewarding programme, then please contact Mark Pain (Wider Achievement Manager) on 01224 2770990 or email dofe@aberdeencity.gov.uk .

You can also follow us on facebook (search for Dofe Aberdeen City) or twitter (@ DofEAbdn)

Westhill Bowling Club invite you to come along and try bowling, the green is situated in the Denman Park Westhill and will open on the 16th April for the outdoor season.

If you are interested come along to the club or contact Isobel McLean on 01224 742745 for more details, all ages are welcome. Look forward to seeing you on the green.

26

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The Tesco Bank Summer Reading Challenge Scotland takes place in Aberdeen City Libraries again this year with the exciting theme of The Big Friendly Read celebrating 100 years of Roald Dahl. The Challenge runs from Friday 1 July until Saturday 20 August and encourages children to read up to six books over the summer holidays borrowed from their local library, including our service at Kingswells.

Any library book can be read - from picture books to talking books – and children will receive rewards throughout the Challenge.

Themed events will take place at libraries throughout the holidays; further details are available at www.aberdeencity.gov. uk/Library

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12/09/13 10.48

MSP News May 2016 Firstly, I would like to express what an honour it is to be back serving as your MSP in the fifth term of the Scottish Parliament. Thank you to everyone who took part in the electoral process and cast their votes on the 5th May. It is important to get involved in the democratic process to ensure your voice is heard, and I am humbled to have been chosen to represent your community in the Scottish Parliament.

In addition to my re-election, I have been tasked with overseeing a key area as the Minister for Childcare and Early Years; supporting the Scottish Government in taking forward expansion plans for paid childcare.

As well as my responsibilities in the Scottish Government, I will continue to work hard to improve things for the Kingswells Community.

In regards to the broadband issues that many residents in Kingswells are experiencing; I continue to make representations to relevant agencies. I recently met with John Swinney to further discuss the Scottish Governments plans for 100% superfast broadband coverage for every household in Scotland, and will follow this up with Digital Scotland. I am also seeking a meeting with Aberdeen Football Club to further discuss the plans for a new stadium at Kingsford.

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In relation to the ongoing works for the Aberdeen Western Peripheral Route (AWPR); I hope that the residents of Kingswells can see the continuing progress being made, and that disruption is being kept to a minimum while the works are ongoing.

As your representative, it is important for me to hear from you so I am aware of any issues that may be affecting your day to day life or your wider community. This enables me to work to resolve any arising issues to the best of my ability. It also allows me to make the connection if there are any wider issues that can be resolved through my work in the Scottish Parliament.

If you would like to get in touch with me with any questions or issues you may have, please do not hesitate to contact me on mark. mcdonald.msp@parliament.scot or speak to a member of my staff in my constituency office on 01224 789457.

I would like to finish by saying I look forward to serving as your Member of the Scottish Parliament for Aberdeen Donside for the next 5 years, along with the challenging and rewarding work it brings.

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Summertime Has Arrived!

Summertime has arrived but while we enjoy the sunshine, please remember to spare a thought for your pets. Here are a few things that will help keep them safe and well.

Heat - Always have fresh water available at all times for your pets. Avoid exercise during the heat of the day, stick to early morning and evening walks especially for older or overweight dogs with heart problems. Remember to watch out for smaller pets too, make sure your guinea pig or rabbit has adequate shaded area in runs and hutches. Please never leave your pet in a car on a warm day! The temperature can rise rapidly and a warm car can turn into a sauna quickly causing heat stress and could lead to death. Pets can recover from heat stress but prompt action is essential. If at any time you think your pet is suffering from heat stress move them immediately to a cool area and call your vet.

Grass seeds – During walks in the meadows, forests and just around the open fields, grass seeds can be a problem. They can get trapped in dog’s ears, or embedded in their paws, or other areas. It is a good idea, after walks, to examine paws and coats.

Sun burn – Cats love sun bathing! Please remember cats with white ears and noses are particularly at risk from sun burn and subsequent cancer. The risk is reduced, if you keep them out of the sun, or as odd as it may sound, by applying sunblock to these areas during the hot weather.

Bee & wasp stings - Another seasonal problem. As with humans, some pets have an allergic reaction to them, and may require veterinary treatment, if stung.

Fleas & Ticks - Flea, tick and other parasites will make their presence know. Though fleas and ticks can be present all year round summer time without a doubt brings Tails & Trails Aberdeen an increase. Rabbits rear ends sometimes become damp and this Contact Nicola on 07801966724 moist area attract flies which lay their eggs. These in turn hatch and or nicolaburnett72@hotmail.com become maggots which burrow through the rabbit’s skin. During Dog walking & small animal pet summer months it is advisable to check your rabbit’s rear end on a sitting services for Central & West daily basis. Please feel free to contact us should you require advice.

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Kingswells Community Centre News AGM Thanks for everyone who attended our AGM. Our management committee is the same as last year.

NEW CLASSES We have Pilates started in both centres. Classes have been really busy so far. If you are interested please call Marie on 07450052060 We still have spaces in our Tang Soo Do classes and Carpet Bowls. If you are interested in any of these call us on 01224 741806 KINGSWELLS TODDLERS Come along and join Kingswells Toddlers every Tuesday and Thursday mornings from 9.1511.15. We have a variety of toys for babies through to pre-school age with lots of room for the kids to run around and let off steam while parents/grandparents/carers can have a good chat and provide support for each other.

Membership is £10 from August - December then the same again from January - June. The funds go towards new toys, crafts, parties etc and only a small payment is required for each party.

We have 4 parties in the year at the end of each school term, the next will be Thursday 23rd June. Since the community centre is being used for the referendum, we'll meet elsewhere, details will be confirmed during Toddlers sessions. The Halloween party will be on Thursday 27th October and the Christmas party will be on Tuesday 13th December.

New members are always welcome but if you would like further information before coming along, you can contact Thérèse Odin Le Sech on 07775 090579.

For all current members, please be aware that a Thursday this year has received significantly less attendance than on a Tuesday. In order to continue with running the group on both days, we really need to boost the numbers and work together to keep this group going strong. The committee are open to new ideas/suggestions to help the kids (and adults) enjoy their time as much as possible with the group.

We look forward to seeing you all over the coming weeks and in the new term after the Summer!

For more information on any classes in the centre or to hire the hall plesase contact us on 01224 741806 for more information.

Kingswells Community Centre - The Heart of The Village 30

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The Skin Blemish Clinic at Kumiko

is dedicated to providing effective, safe, professional treatments for the following skin concerns, utilising advanced electrolysis techniques to deliver exceptional results and complete client satisfaction. Suitable for both men and women, many can be successfully and quickly removed. It is a tried and trusted method from the early 1900’s.

What are they and what causes them?

Red/Thread/Broken Veins (Telangiectasia) These are all vascular (blood) blemishes. Red veins appear as small red lines, blood spots are round, red lumps, while spider veins have a central red spot with red lines radiating out from the centre like the legs of a spider. They can all be hereditary.

Other possible causes can include capillaries weakening with ageing, intense scrubbing of the skin, sun/wind damage, pregnancy, sensitive skin/rosacea, excessive consumption of alcohol, smoking, skin injury, outdoor pursuits, and exposure to extremes in temperatures.

Spider Veins (spider naevi) Red veins most commonly appear on the face, often around the nose, cheeks and chin, spider naevi are commonly found in clusters on the cheeks and chest and blood spots are often found on the chest, abdomen and arms.

Treatment by electrolysis instantly coagulates or mops up the trapped blood as the heat works through the vein. The vein is cauterised at both ends preventing it from re-filling, making this treatment highly successful. There will be no scar or bruising like with some treatments.

Dilated capillaries treated by electrolysis do not reappear, but new ones can form. Advice is www.gazettemagazines.com t : 01224 949085

given during consultation on how to discourage further appearing. They are not dangerous, they are purely a cosmetic problem. Removing these unsightly blemishes is safe and leaves no remaining trace.

What are they and what causes them?

Whiteheads (Milia) These are white, pearly, rounded lumps which occur in the uppermost layer of skin when sebum (oil naturally produced by the skin) becomes trapped in a blind duct. More commonly found in dry skin conditions the exact cause is unknown, but often occurs with use of too rich creams on the skin. They are treated by applying the heat energy of electrolysis to them, where a tiny, pindot crust will form which will heal and fall away, usually within a few days, leaving no mark at all.

What are they and what causes them?

Skin tags (fibroepithelial polyps) Skin tags are soft and ‘squidgy’ i.e. you can wiggle them around and they can be skin coloured or brown. Sometimes they are caused by same virus as warts. Can appear anywhere on face and body but are more commonly found in areas of friction such as the neck (from collars and jewellery), underarms, under the breasts and in the groin area. They can be hereditary, can increase with age and may also appear during pregnancy. They are removed quickly and easily by applying the heat energy to the stalk or neck of the skin tag, then dessicating the tag where it will fall off within 5 days leaving a pinkish mark where the new skin forms underneath but this will fade to leave no mark at all. Usually do not require further treatment.

Before the treatment can take place a patch test is required. Please see Jenny to discuss/make an appointment. e : kingswells@gazettemagazines.com

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First Apilus Platinum Pure in Aberdeen 87 Gray Street, Aberdeen tel : 594777 Tel : 01224 594777 mob: 054 Mob:07843 07843 054 393393 Jenny a former nurse, is an electrologist specialist with 15 years Please do mention Kingswells Community News when responding to advertisers - thank you experience.

Book an appointment today and get results yourself!

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4/23/2014 3:24:38 PM