Author: lauramoodie (Page 10 of 17)

You’re in for a big surprise!

Film crews are on location all day today around the shops in West Pollokshields. They are filming scenes for the new adaptation of Irvine Welsh’s 1998 novel Filth.

There is a little disruption as the police are stopping traffic for some scenes but on the whole it’s an interesting peek behind the scenes at the film industry. And, as you can see in the picture, it’s a serious industry with several large vans, oodles of equipment, crew and actors.

Scottish actor James McAvoy (who plays the lead – corrupt cop Bruce Robertson)  is filming today and glamorous it is not with lots of patient waiting around for the right light and keeping people out of the way while he crosses the road or is filmed getting out of the car.

Photo copyright Craig MacLeod

I’m also not sure whether they’re going for 1990s period authenticity but the parka he’s dressed in has a distinct gallagher-brothers-circa-1997 aura. Then again, maybe he’s just cold!

Image by Roberto Cavieres www.robertocavieres.com

A letter has now been delivered to every resident living on the back lanes affected by the current ground consolidation works asking for their opinions on how the back lanes can best be improved once the work is completed. You can also read it here:back_lanes_letter_final

A public meeting will be held at Queens Park Parish Church Hall on Monday 20th February, 7.30-9pm to discuss the proposals.

The Society will pass on the results of the consultation to the Council by the end of the month with any work commencing as soon as the ground consolidation scheme is complete.

Shawlands and Strathbungo Community Council have organised a public meeting this Thursday 9th February at 7pm in Shawlands Academy to debate the Future of Shawlands.

They hope that residents and business owners, and everyone else with an interest in Shawlands, will come along and offer their opinion on what needs to be done to improve Shawlands. Elected officials will be there and the discussion will be based on the draft Town Centre Action Plan published last month.

There is currently an offer of grants to homeowners in the area to get their homes better insulated. The grants cover loft insulation and draught proofing of windows and close doors, cavity wall insulation and insulation for water storage tanks and pipe work and apply to tenements and homes. It really is something for nothing but hurry, the grants run out in March.

The Universal homes Insulation Scheme is part of the Scottish Government’s Energy Assistance Package and is run by the Wise Group and Ever Warm. By properly insulating your home you can reduce energy bills and make your home warmer.

Simply call to register your interest and arrange a visit. The Wise Group number is: 0800 092 9002. Ever Warm can be contacted on 01506 638600

All homeowners should have received a letter (around Christmas) regarding this but if you missed yours, please see this copy:Loft Insulation_0001

Image by Roberto Cavieres www.robertocavieres.com

Anyone walking along Queen or Regent Park Square on Monday may have blinked and missed it but if they’d peeked down the back lanes running behind Moray Place they would have seen, for the first time in decades, a back lane being partially repaired.

There is currently a proposal to repair the back lanes once the ground consolidation works are complete with Glasgow City Council paying the cost. The contractors carried out a test today on a section of the lane (about 1.5m square) to see what state the sub base was in and whether the “cobbles” are salvageable.

As you can see, the stones are irregular but solid and the ash ‘pan’ underneath is sounds and feels like concrete. It was painstaking work, taking hours to complete just this section, but you can see the end result for yourself – an even surface, good finish and not dramatically different from what was there before – just better!

Image by Roberto Cavieres www.robertocavieres.com

This gives the contractors good news that the stones are salvageable and repairable, and the sub base solid. We will be writing to residents this week outlining the proposals for wholesale works on the back lanes affected by the mine workings.

A public meeting to discuss this will be held on Monday 20th February, 7.30pm Queens Park Parish Church, 170 Queens Drive. Once the community have fed-back their views to us we will pass on the consensus to the Council so the work can be carried out before the summer.

Image by Roberto Cavieres www.robertocavieres.com

New for this year’s Spring Fling on Saturday 17th March is the chance to take part in a free animation workshop.

Join animators from Red Kite Animation studio for this free introduction to making cartoons. Make your own 2D puppet and bring it to life with cameras and computers.

Completed films will go online at www.redkiteworkshops.co.uk

Workshop 1 – for 7-10 year olds – 10.30-12

Workshop 2 – for 11-13 year olds – 12.30-2

Email jim@redkiteworkshops.co.uk to book a place.

Please make sure you include which workshop you wish to attend (1 or 2), name(s) and age(s) of those taking part and the name and contact details of the parent or guardian.

There are only 10 places for each workshop so book soon!

The Council seems to be in a bountiful mood this week – on top of approving an increased grant to home owners affected by the works (the council will now cover 75% of the cost) and coming up with costing for reinstating the back lanes, they have also put in place of Temporary Traffic Regulation Order (TTRO) on Strathbungo’s chunk of Nithsdale Road for Saturday 4th February in order to clear out the silt and litter that has begun blocking the drains.

Only the south side of the street (odd numbers between The Bungo and Sammy Dow’s) will be cleared this time, due to the pressure on car parking spaces and the limitations of the order, but we have urged that the north side get the same treatment ASAP.

Please make sure you are not parked on this section of the street at any time on Saturday 4^th February and pass this on to anyone you know who may be using Nithsdale Road to park as it will need to be free of cars on the day for the work to take place.