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St
Monans multi-use community
building
plans to go on show
Residents
of the St Monans area will have an opportunity on June 20 to view
plans and models for a proposed multi-use community building.
Villagers are being invited by St Monans Community Trust to attend
an exhibition and presentation in St Monans Town Hall, which will
run between 12 noon and 7pm.
Project architect Colin Wishart will give a presentation at 3.30,
outlining the plans for the building, which has been earmarked
for The Common, replacing the existing inadequate and dilapidated
football and bowling club pavilions.
The Trust was established to take the project forward and commissioned
feasibility and outline design studies.
After villagers and club users were consulted, it became clear
that the project provided an opportunity to include general community
facilities, all under the one roof.
The plans will reveal the multi-functional role of the building,
with its main hall, which will be available for various sports
as well as opera / theatre groups, primary school and meetings
in general.
Tom Hughes, chairman of the trust, this week appealed for as many
local residents as possible to attend the exhibition.
“The project was initiated as far back as 2003 and has been
on-going since, with villagers expressing a clear wish for such
a facility which will meet many needs, including those of the
primary school.
“They are well thought out plans and the trust hopes that
locals will support them, allowing us to then apply to funders
to bring the project to fruition.”
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Project
identifies huge potential for River Tay |
Beside
the May Princess at Newburgh are, from left – Councillor
Andrew Arbuckle, David Clarke and Jim Findlay, head of local
services with Fife Council.
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Plans
which could give a significant boost to the economy of towns
and villages along the River Tay were outlined on June 12
during a boat trip between Newburgh and Perth.
Representatives of local community groups, the public sector,
tourism and the Tay Salmon Fisheries Company boarded the
May Princess to see the work that has been carried out as
part of the Tay Regeneration Project.
The initial phase, a joint initiative between Fife Rural
Partnership and Tay Salmon Fisheries, has focussed on the
Newburgh area, where a riverside path to the County Burn,
near the Perthshire border, has recently been completed.
It ties in with other work, including the acquisition of
the piers and former Tay Salmon Fisheries boatyard in Newburgh.
It is hoped to introduce the river taxis next year as part
of a green transportation plan, with the craft calling at
various points along the Tay.
They will also be used to ferry visitors to former net fishermen’s
bothies when they are restored as holiday let properties.
Other work earmarked includes the restoration of landing
points and piers, along with the re-creation of paths to
and within Perth, some involving new footbridges.
Longer term plans show the potential for a marina in Perth,
which could accommodate a hotel and public piazza overlooking
the river.
David Clarke, chairman of Tay Salmon Fisheries, who already
operates a river taxi service in Lincolnshire with the local
authority, said the trip from Newburgh had brought together
everyone with an interest and responsibility for the Tay
as well as a shared vision for its future.
“I hope that this will be the first of an annual trip
on the Tay to identify what progress has been made, to be
followed up later in the year by a land-based visit to inspect
the historic piers and bothies which are to be renovated.
“The work on re-creating the path between Newburgh
and the County Burn and the acquisition of the piers at
Newburgh by the Community Trust and purchase of the former
boatyard by Tay Salmon Fisheries shows what can be achieved
by working together.”
Councillor Andrew Arbuckle, chair of the Area Committee
for Fife Council, described it as a “significant day”
for Newburgh, as it once again reconnected the town with
the river.
“Newburgh's history is linked to the Tay and all of
its past industries have flourished because of this link.”
“Now, in the early years of the 21st century, we are
about to embark on a new enterprise, with great potential
for tourism.”
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