Update From Friends Of Inverleith Park

from The Stockbridge Spotlight Issue 109 August/September 2022 Issue

General Knowledge Crossword

The Master Plan for Inverleith Park

The 10 Year Masterplan was published last February (08/02/2022), and has been available for consultation since then. It states,, “The conceptual masterplan seeks to develop a holistic vision for the park, with a particular focus on the southeast entrance to the park from Arboretum Road, which has been identified as the best location for community facilities, a café, public toilet facilities, and a new children’s playground. The project aims to make greenspaces central to everyday community life, to give the public a bigger role in how greenspaces are managed, to ensure that greenspaces contribute more to users’ mental and physical health and wellbeing, and to consider how greenspaces can adapt to help mitigate the effects of climate change.” You may wish to read it all and send us your comments. It is available from: https://www.edinburgh.gov.uk/downloads/file/30700/inverleith-park-conceptmasterplan.

Plans for the site of the Ferranti Bowling Club

The Friends have been told that the Ferranti Bowling Club has not had its 40 year lease renewed by the Council, and that bids for a new lease have been sought. The Council’s brief was that: “the premises become a publicly accessible facility for park users - a community hub - including a meeting space for local groups, accessible public toilets and baby-changing facilities, storage for park activity groups, and a café space serving refreshments" . According to the property lease details, the enclosed open space, currently used as a bowling green is not part of the new lease. The bowling green itself is to be incorporated into an expanded children’s play area, though part of the external space will allow outside seating for a café and public access. Bowlers presently using Ferranti’s will still be able to bowl in the park as there is another bowling green at Tanfield Bowling Club close by. We have been told that several offers have been submitted and Council Officers are now considering them carefully. A final decision is expected in the autumn and we hope the new Community Hub will be up and running by next spring/summer. This would be a great asset for the park users and provide great facilities and meeting places for park users of all ages.