After Neil Roger contacted Edinburgh World Heritage director in April, Silke Schneider was appointed to complete the panel project and NR/GC provided her with a complete update. So far she has been very thorough and Graeme and I are pleased with how the project has started to get going again. There are no firm dates for completion but we hope to learn more soon.
installation date for new log playhouse and train at S.Links has been confirmed by Alan Grevers (CEC playgrounds officer) This equipment was delivered last year after funding raised by FoMBL and expected to be installed week commencing 23rd October.
NR still to meet playground officer to discuss new equipment proposed for East (Magnet) and Links Playgrounds due to old equipment deemed unsafe. Archimedes screw water feature still to be installed but some ordered equipment has been lost. Due to onset of winter the equipment may be installed in the Spring if located.
A FoMBL member has offered to fund the restoration of another wooden bench situated at the toddler's playground in the Meadows. He has now donated funds and this bench is being restored. FoMBL have now restored 3 wooden benches and provided 2 new ones (CEC community grant)
The 2 new wooden benches installed opposite James Gillespie's school continue to be very popular.
Tree planting in the autumn
7 new trees are proposed for completion of a new avenue continuing from Warrender Park Road. Funding has been allocated for new trees to be planted along Melville Drive and we are awaiting approval from CEC forestry. Approval has not been given so these trees will have to planted in the early spring after cable detectors have cleared the site.
Replacement of dead trees
Approval has been given to replace many young trees which have died due to lack of watering. Tree group has now planted over 10 smaller trees to replace dead trees and will continue this planting program throughout the years 23/24
Tree watering
Over 40 trees planted at South Links and the Meadows have been regularly watered by FoMBL TREE GROUP. Thanks to regular waterers Benet Haughton, Martin Howorth and Alastair Philp with help from Mihaela, Anka Bremer, Keith Gifford, Amanda Lake, Felix Lake, Oliver Roger, Mr and Mrs Braunholtz.
Post restoration
FoMBL tree group have reclaimed over 100 posts which have rotted at the soil ends. The rotten ends have been cut off and sharpened with preservative applied. This has saved CEC a large sum of money! Rotten posts are normally discarded by the council.
Water Bowsers
FoMBL have purchased a second water bowser which we hope can be stored in a new store at the Bruntsfield public toilets. We hope to install a second store at the East public toilets giving us water facilities at three locations throughout the Meadows and BL.
Links fenced area
Volunteers have been tending to the wildflower meadow regularly over the summer and we had a good showing of oxeye daisy, red and white campion, yellow rattle, self heal, wood betony, knapweed, vetch, cornflower etc.
Big thanks to Amanda Lake for organising a clearing of nettles and thistles along the perimeter railings last month to avoid the whole length being sprayed with glyphosate by CEC parks. (now banned)
New notices to advertise our work still proposed
Meadow areas to be cut by CEC parks at end of October and raked by volunteers.
Leamington Walk wildflower meadow
Tim Duffy acquired hundreds of plugs which were planted on 29th July. This meadow to be cut by CEC Parks at end of October with raking a week later.
Alison Carr has continued to lead the volunteers on last Saturday of the month but more volunteers are needed.Volunteers have managed to clear many benches of weeds and undergrowth, collected a large amount of litter and carried out many worthwhile tasks. A big thank you to Alison Carr for leading the teams.
Following David Kyles agreement with with mowers to reduce mowing areas there has been a large increase in unmown areas which has made a significant difference to insect habitat and increase in low level flowering.
FoMBL have now had agreement to establish 2 new bird enclaves at toddler's playground next to tennis courts and at the fenced Links wildflower meadow. Low bushes including hazel, hawthorn, blackthorn, juniper and dog rose have been ordered for autumn planting. David Kyles has now linked with James Gillespie's school to involve children with planting areas of low bushes and trees at South Links opposite the school. FoMBL to assist. Funding by Million Trees project.
table-tennis table for South Links.
tree planting in autumn and spring
bird enclave in autumn
wooden bench restoration
new stores at Bruntsfield toilets and East Meadows toilets
New exercise equipment
Neil Roger 21st Oct 2023
After Neil Roger contacted Edinburgh World Heritage director in April, Silke Schneider was appointed to complete the panel project and NR/GC provided her with a complete update. So far she has been very thorough and Graeme and I are pleased with how the project has started to get going again. There are no firm dates for completion but we hope to learn more soon.
Installation date for new log playhouse and train at S.Links has still not been confirmed by Alan Grevers (CEC playgrounds officer) This equipment was delivered last year after funding raised by FoMBL.
NR still to meet playground officer to discuss new equipment proposed for East and Links Playgrounds due to old equipment deemed unsafe. Archimedes screw water feature still to be repaired.
A FoMBL member has offered to fund the restoration of another wooden bench situated at the toddler's playground in the Meadows.
The 2 new wooden benches installed opposite James Gillespie's school continue to be very popular.
7 new trees are proposed for completion of a new avenue continuing from Warrender Park Road. Funding has been allocated for new trees to be planted along Melville Drive and we are awaiting approval from CEC forestry.
Approval has been given to replace many young trees which have died due to lack of watering
Over 40 trees planted at South Links and the Meadows have been regularly watered by FoMBL TREE GROUP. Thanks to regular waterers Benet Haughton, Martin Howorth and Alastair Philp with help from Mihaela, Anka Bremer, Keith Gifford, Amanda Lake, Felix Lake, Oliver Roger, Mr and Mrs Braunholtz.
We now have had agreement to store the bowser in the Pavilion store and David Kyles is looking into the provision of a store at the Bruntsfield toilets to store another bowser to serve the Links.
Funding to be sought to purchase up to two new bowsers.
We have had a lot of support and donations from the public.
Volunteers have been tending to the wildflower meadow regularly over the summer and we had a good showing of oxeye daisy, red and white campion, yellow rattle, self heal, wood betony, knapweed, vetch, cornflower etc.
Big thanks to Amanda Lake for organising a clearing of nettles and thistles along the perimeter railings last month to avoid the whole length being sprayed with glyphosate by CEC parks. (now banned)
New notices to advertise our work still proposed
Tim Duffy acquired hundreds of plugs which were planted on 29th July
Alison Carr has continued to lead the volunteers on last Saturday of the month but more volunteers are needed.Volunteers have managed to clear many benches of weeds and undergrowth, collected a large amount of litter and carried out many worthwhile tasks. A big thank you to Alison Carr for leading the teams.
Following David Kyles agreement with with mowers to reduce mowing areas there has been a large increase in unmown areas which has made a significant difference to insect habitat and increase in low level flowering.
FoMBL have now had agreement to establish 2 new bird enclaves at toddler's playground next to tennis courts and at the fenced Links wildflower meadow. Low bushes including hazel, hawthorn, blackthorn, juniper and dog rose have been ordered for autumn planting.
table-tennis table for South Links.
tree planting in autumn
bird enclave in autumn
wooden bench restoration
possible new store at Bruntsfield toilets
New exercise equipment
Neil Roger 4th September 2023
After NR contacted Edinburgh World Heritage director in April, Silke Schneider was appointed to complete the panel project and NR/GC provided her with a complete update. So far she has been very thorough and Graeme and I are pleased with how the project has started to get going again. There are no firm dates for completion but we hope to learn more soon.
Installation date is July for new log playhouse and train at S.Links (Alan Grevers)
NR still to meet playground officer to discuss new equipment proposed for East and Links Playgrounds due to old equipment deemed unsafe. Archimedes screw water feature still to be repaired.
Beautifully restored hardwood bench at South Links fenced area installed on Monday 26 June by carpenter Richard Ryrko.
2 new wooden benches installed opposite James Gillespie's school . These have proved to be very popular.
22 trees planted at South Links have now been watered almost every week by FoMBL TREE GROUP. Particular thanks to Alistair Philp who has pulled the water bowser up to the Links almost every Friday since April. Thanks too to regular waterers Benet Haughton, Martin Howorth with help from Mihaela, Anka Bremer, Keith Gifford, Amanda Lake, Felix Lake, Oliver Roger, Mr and Mrs Braunholtz. Many other newly planted trees on the Meadows have also been regularly watered.
We have had a lot of support and donations from the public.
Links fenced area
Volunteers have been tending to the wildflower meadow regularly over the last 2 months and we now have a good showing of oxeye daisy, red and white campion, yellow rattle, self heal, wood betony, knapweed, vetch, cornflower etc. Big thanks to Amanda Lake for organising a clearing of nettles and thistles along the perimeter railings to avoid the whole length being sprayed with glysophate by CEC parks.
New notices to advertise our work still proposed
Leamington Walk wildflower meadow
Tim Duffy has acquired hundreds of plugs for planting on 29th July
Alison Carr has continued to lead the volunteers on last Saturday of the month but more volunteers are needed.Volunteers have managed to clear many benches of weeds and undergrowth, collected a large amount of litter and carried out many worthwhile tasks. A big thank you to Alison Carr for leading the teams.
Following David Kyles agreement with with mowers to reduce mowing areas there has been a large increase in unmown areas which has made a significant difference to insect habitat.
FoMBL have now had agreement to establish 2 new bird enclaves at toddler's playground next to tennis courts and at the fenced Links wildflower meadow.
table-tennis table for South Links.
tree planting in autumn
bird enclave in autumn
Neil Roger 1st July 2023
NR written to Christina Sinclair who is Director of EWH to ask for project to resume or FoMBL will proceed with existing funds to install 2-3 panels (Nelson's Pillars, Royal Infirmary and Mason's Pillars) No reply to date.
Contractors still to provide installation date for new playhouse at S.Links
NR to meet playground officer to discuss new equipment proposed for East and Links Playgrounds due to old equipment deemed unsafe.
Restored bench at Links fenced area almost ready to install
2 new benches ready to install by David Kyles opposite James Gillespie's school
21 trees planted at South Links
Next stage is watering and maintenance. Need to purchase long hose to connect to public toilets.
We have had a lot of support and donations from the public.
Links fenced area
New volunteers have planted and seeded cleared turf areas. Muscari bulbs have grown well this year and we have marked off areas to prevent mowers cutting them prematurely
David Kyles and Peter Davidson have planted wildflower plugs and cut back docks/nettles and thistles at perimeter fence.
New notices to advertise our work in hand
Leamington Walk wildflower meadowTim Duffy has acquired hundreds of plugs for planting at end of this month
Alison Carr has continued to lead the volunteers on last Saturday of the month but needs a notice to advertise for more volunteers who are badly needed.
David Kyles has agreed with mowers to reduce mowing areas and a map has been drawn up to show areas which will not be mown - the start of less mowing throughout the park. He has also agreed to allocate a bird friendly low bush area at the playground adjoining the tennis courts.
Neil Roger 17/04/2023The thriving green spaces project will be completed by the end of October. Of interest to FOMBL has been the publication of the "Volunteering in Edinburgh's Parks and Greenspaces" which is worth reading by all members.
The lead officer, Ian Robertson, has stated the following: "Our team is currently preparing to launch an open and public consultation on a draft long term strategy for the City's parks and greenspaces. That will be a culminating point to the earlier work with Friends groups and others. We then expect final strategy proposals to go to Culture and Communities Committee in December 2022. Backing the final strategy there will then be an Action Plan for implementation. What we could call a sub-strategy and action plan on volunteer roles and support exists in draft. At time of writing is still work in progress and will have to be finalised based on actual Council decisions about strategy" He hopes to update us after 26th Sept. We have yet to hear about plans for Mike Shield's replacement after he retires at the end of the year.
After a long delay Graeme Cruikshank and I had a positive meeting on the 3rd August with EWH project leader, Fiona Rankin. She stated that funding from Historic Environment Scotland was ring-fenced and the approx. £17000 would be transferred to our account at some point. She also gave a completion deadline of March 2023. It was agreed that Fiona would set up a meeting with EWH to progress the project but unfortunately this still hasn't happened.
The parts required to repair the archimedes screw water feature have now arrived and installation is now expected to be completed in the Spring 2023.
Mike Shields has agreed to install a new bench at the South Links playground.
Forestry have agreed to supply 20 new trees for us to plant at South Links funded by the Million Tree initiative. To date Forestry have not ordered the trees which we had hoped to plant in late autumn. We have now obtained keys to the Bruntsfield and East Meadows public toilets so that we can obtain water closer to young trees after planting.
We have recently been offered a further 20 trees to be planted on the Meadows near to Sciennes school. Funding to be provided by Maxi Construction who are building Sciennes school extension.
At least 5 trees which were planted at the end of 2021 and beginning of 2022 have died due to dry conditions and despite the tree group watering all the trees throughout the year.
Three young rare elms (Ulmus minor Umbraculifera Gracilis [Späth].) have been planted at the Links wildflower meadow.
Unfortunately the council mowers cut the whole of the Leamington Walk meadow by mistake - far too early in the season, resulting in loss of habitat for pollinators during September. Mike has provided funds to provide wildflower plugs to make up for this loss. Tim Duffy and Alec Mann managed to rake all the cuttings themselves.
The Links meadow has fared better and a new rope was fixed to replace the one which was recently stolen. There is now an active group of volunteers who have watered and planted the meadow throughout the summer attracting a large number of pollinators.
A community grant has been applied for to renovate an old wooden bench at the South Links playground along with two new wooden benches adjoining the James Gillespie play area/South Links.
Joan Carter has been working on provision of cycle stands at various points throughout the park.
Neil Roger 17/09/2022