- MARYFIELD COMMUNITY PLANNING PARTNERSHIP
Maryfield’s Community Planning Partnership was chaired for the first time by Paul Clancy from Children and Families Service area. The meeting focussed on the approach to tackle environmental issues in the area and hear about the plans for Stobfest. A presentation was given by Leisure & Culture Dundee with a discussion taking place about how the Olympia Centre can be made more accessible and affordable to those living close to it.
2.DEPARTMENTAL/AGENCY DEVELOPMENT PLANS
Health and Wellbeing
The Advice Café at Stobswell Church continues to be well attended. Advice, tea and coffee and support for the Credit Union are provided by a range of professionals attending on a rota basis and a loyal group of volunteers. Hayley Tunstall from the Regeneration Team will now work with all interested parties to plan a sustainable future for this much needed service.
Stobfest May 10th and May 20th saw events and activities take place across the area in a number of venues. The Regeneration Team supported Stobswell Forum to organise well attended events including a play, poetry in the park, a curry night, a ceilidh, a history talk, storytelling sessions and much more. As part of this, Dundee International Women’s Centre organised a successful Health Fayre and Friends of Baxter Park supported gardening and nature walks. Morgan Academy and Glebelands Primary were amongst the community venues used alongside Arthurstone Community Library, Boomerang at Kemback Street, Stobswell Church, Showcase the Street and local pubs.
Perhaps the most dramatic feature of the festival was a pipe band marching through the gates of the Morgan and down Albert Street.
It should be acknowledged that Stobswell Forum are a small group of volunteers but a successful AGM and the links made with Agencies and Traders across the area places them in a stronger position to continue to contribute positively to the wellbeing of people in the central part of the Ward.
Work/Learning/Enterprise and Culture
The new 5 by 20 projectbased at Showcase the Street is taking shape. This will focus on community capacity building for women leading to skills in management and business. For details contact:.
Boomerang are now established in Kemback Street. A range of activities takes place Monday to Friday including learning centre and recreation activity.
Employability activity continues at Dundee Employment and Aftercare through their Next Steps programme. Contact Susan McNeil on 450785.
Dundee International Women’s Centre similarly support learning, confidence building and employability skills from their centre in Dundonald Street – tel 462058.
Additionally ESOL and literacies activity complement the Job Club at Arthurstone where drama and craft groups share a timetable with Kinship Carers and those using the services of Vice-Versa.
Environmental Activity/Physical Works
Consultation work has taken place in the Crescent Lane area following the removal of vegetation, replanting and other works.
A similar process will now take place in the Ladywell Avenue area as a follow-up to the LCPP walkabout. In addition to Regeneration Forum allocated funds, works will be undertaken by the Environment Department in consultation with colleagues from Housing. Longer term the adjacent private properties may prove to be a bigger challenge.
At Robertson Street a site has been identified for Community Growing. Discussions are at an early stage but it is hoped that permission can be sought and work will begin in the early autumn.
Elsewhere, discussions are taking place about how to maintain and develop the engagement of the “Friends” groups at Baxter Park and Swannie Ponds.
Community Safety
Some degree of concern has been raised about ongoing kerb-crawling in the area. The scale of the issue is being discussed and work is taking place with Vice-Versa, with Stobswell Forum being informed of progress.
Community concerns about lighting, footpaths, pavements and roads continue to be an issue across the Ward. The linked issue of parking and traffic movement suggests the need for a Ward-wide discussion.
WelcomedEnvironmental Improvements have taken place in the Woodside area in response to concern expressed about the condition in which contractors had left the area. A similar response can hopefully now be expected in the Arklay Street/Court Street area.
Building Stronger Communities
As mentioned above, Stobfest was a positive development. Focussing attention particularly on Albert Street, Stobswell Forum and Traders in the area are keen to see developments here. The condition of tenemental properties continues to be a concern that local people feel strongly about.
What Stobfest did show was there is the ability to bring individuals, groups, projects and organisations together, as part of the Community Planning process, there is a need to organise a “Community Conference” to allow this process to develop. This should cover the Stobswell area but also those parts of the Ward that fall outwith the Forum’s remit.
- COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT: KEY EVENTS IN MARYFIELD
Thursday 7th/14th/21st/28th JulyPicnics in the Park
Thursday 11th AugustPostcard from Stobswell
Sunday 14th AugustCelebration in the Park
Tuesday 16th AugustMaryfield Community Planning Partnership
Tuesday 13th SeptemberMaryfield Learning Event
Stuart Fairweather
Communities Officer
June 2016