Author: lauramoodie (Page 12 of 17)

A few residents have asked if we could let them know who to contact about problems with the mine workings. We’re happy to oblige, so here’s a quick guide on who to speak to and when.

1)      If the problem needs to be dealt with immediately, speak to any of the staff working nearby or, if no-one is around, ask at the site office on Nithsdale Road at Pollokshaws Rd.

2)      If the problem isn’t urgent but you would like to speak to someone, go to the site office and speak to Donald Linn, or pass on your concerns to the Society.

3)      The Society is in contact with the council and those on site via email and in person at least once a week. If you’d like us to speak to them on your behalf, please feel free to contact us directly by posting a comment or via the blog.

Who to contact:

Donald Linn is the Council’s man on site. Call 287 7246 or email Donald.Linn@drs.glasgow.gov.uk

Gary Miller (engineering contractor doing the work) 01506 466500 garymiller@forkers.com

For problems regarding the Council rather than the works themselves:

Brian Parr’s office 287 8541

Here’s a list of issues we’ve already raised with them: temporary lighting and cycle lane signage on Nithsdale Road, positioning of storage units/offices on Nithsdale Rd, fire access, impact of works on water table, positioning of fences on Queen Square, night-time noise from generators.

Image by Laura Hudson Mackay. www.laurahudsonmackay.co.uk

Rainbow Pre-school are holding a fundraising Christmas fair this Thursday lunchtime. The event takes place in queens Park Baptist Church on Balvicar St from 11.30am-1.30pm.

Get into the Christmas spirit and pop along if you can for a snack, a browse or lunch. The event is being held in The Crypt, enter from the lane entrance up the road from the play park.

The event is free and there will be crafts for sale, a tombola, teas, home baking, soup, sandwiches, a variety of stalls and a Christmas wreath making workshop. You’ll also be able to buy Strathbungo Christmas cards, featuring images such as this one.

Do come along if you can to support your local nursery. All proceeds will be used by Rainbow to provide healthy mid-morning snacks and outings for the children.

The owners of the new bar/restaurant being developed on Nithsdale Road have been doing a great job of documenting the works on site – peeling away the old layers of The Fotheringay in its various incarnations and uncovering some great features as well as blasts from the past.

Recently they’ve unearthed an old menu (fruit juice, hot pot and jelly for £2.30) as well as lots of old fittings. It’s fascinating reading and they also want your input on the food and drinks choices.

They plan to open the bar named The Bungo on December 10th, so get in there quick with your ideas.

We’ve been in contact, on behalf of residents on Nithsdale Rd, over the last few days with the engineering contractors working on the ground consolidation works. We’re pleased to say they responded really quickly to the issues we raised and have suggested a number of solutions. To give you an idea of the issues we raised and their response (in quotes):

1) The two-storey portable offices block out a great deal of light for residents in the blocks next to it on the north side of Nithsdale Rd.

“The whole reasoning behind the double stacking of the cabins around the mixing area is to offer as much protection as possible to residents and pedestrians from our works by reducing noise, dust and by providing a physical barrier. We believe that the advantages far outweigh any disadvantages..we will be more than happy to install temporary lighting for the close entrances and have already progressed the procurement of such.”

2) Cyclists used to using the cycle lane on Nithsdale Rd are now using the pavement. The Society has requested signage to remind cyclists the lane is no longer in use.

The company are in touch with GCC to resolve this problem.

3) We have also had several complaints about the noise coming from the generator at night.

“Unfortunately this has to run all night as, for obvious reason, we have a security presence. We have contacted the supplier who assures us that as it is a brand new generator it is as quiet as they come. We are therefore going to construct an acoustic housing for it.”

We’re also meeting with city councillors, the chair of the community council and Brian Parr next week to discuss the plans for the back lanes. In the meantime, here’s a picture of how the street used to look.

Letters were delivered today (or in the case of tenements, shoved under the close door) from the contractors carrying out the mine stabilisation works beneath properties in Queen Square and Regent Park Square. If you did not receive one, they outline the following restrictions:

1. A site compound will be formed at the end of Nithsdale Rd between the lane and Pollokshaws Rd. This compound will comprise cabins and offices for construction personnel and representatives of GCC. In addition to this a grout-making station will be constructed. From this area grout will be pumped to Queen Square and Regent Park Square. A small section north of the lane will be coned off to allow delivery vehicles to turn as well as other traffic. They will be accepting significant material deliveries to this compound on a daily basis. The occupation permit runs from 24/10/11 – 11/05/12.

2. Queen Square will be closed off to allow drilling works to take place. This will have an impact on parking and deliveries for residents. The road is closed now and is expected to be closed until 23/12/11.

3. Regent Park Square will be closed once work on Queen Square is complete. Indicative closure dates 19/12/11 – 09/03/11.

4. Access will have to be taken into some back gardens, depending on the geology encountered.

Pedestrian access will be maintained at all times to the front of properties. All pavements will remain open and fenced off from works. Access to the back lanes will be maintained, unless work is being carried out in gardens and it is not safe to do so.

Bin collections will remain as they are at present. Where works are being carried out, bins will be placed at back doors and moved to pick-up points and returned by Forkers staff.

The works will be noisy and may impose significantly on our daily lives. Please be careful around the works and remind children of the dangers inherent in and around construction sites.

If you have specific issues, the people to contact are:

Forkers (contractor), Gary Miller, garymiller@forkers.com 01506  466500

GCC, Donald Linn, Donald.Linn@drs.glasgow.gov.uk, 0141 287 7246.

Christmas is coming early to Strathbungo with two local Christmas shopping fairs planned for later this month.

First comes the annual Christmas Shopping Night at the Kildrostan St and Nithsdale Rd Shops. Kicking off at 6.30pm on Wednesday 16th November, it’s a great opportunity to get your shopping done early, locally and in the festive spirit.

There’ll be Christmas lights, carol singers, mince pies and a great opportunity to support local businesses and get some of the festive legwork over with early. Newcomers The Potting Shed will be opening along with most of the other local shops, selling ever-lasting plants and flowers, homewares and exclusive perfumerie from some of Florence’s oldest pharmacies. Floral Haven offer discounts on the night for anyone placing Christmas orders and if, like me, you normally shop with a buggy it’s a great chance to do some shopping while they’re tucked up in bed without getting in everyone’s way

If you’re free during the day, or work locally, do visit the following week’s Christmas Fair in the Crypt at Queens Park Baptist Church on Balvicar St. The fair, to raise funds for Rainbow Pre-School, takes place on Thursday 24th November from 11.30am-1.30pm. Why not pop along for your lunch or some home baking? There’ll be a number of crafts stalls, including one selling work made by the pre-school children, Phoneix Cards and wrapping paper, Usborne children’s books, Rosie’s Retro crafts, Traidcraft stall for fairtrade gifts and goodies, a Taste Of Austria stall, Tombola and a Christmas wreath-making workshop.

The eagle-eyed will have spotted the road closure notices that have sprung up around Strathbungo.

Part of Moray Place, Regent Park Square and Queen Square will be closed at various points from THIS MONDAY 7th November.

Not all the streets will be closed simultaneously. The exact wording is as follows:

“Glasgow City Council has made an Order under Section 14 (1) of the Road Traffic Regulations Act 1984, as amended, which prohibits the use by vehicles as specified below ( except for local access and as required for the works ) on the undernoted lengths of road. The prohibition shall apply where indicated by the display of traffic signs prescribed by the Traffic Signs Regulations.

Prohibitions

The use of :-

1) Queen Square and Regent Park Square between Pollokshaws Road and Moray Place, is prohibited to all vehicles, except as required for the works and for local access.

Note: Only one road closure will be in operation at any one time

2) Moray Place eastbound from Marywood Square to Regent Park Square, is prohibited to all vehicles, except as required for the works and for local access.

Note: This closure will only be required during the second phase of the works ie. during the closure of Regent Park Square.

Diversions

All diversion routes will be signed. The Order shall come into operation from 0800 hrs on Monday 7 November 2011 until 1800 hrs on Friday 9 March 2012″

In short, Queen Square will be closed to traffic from 8 am this Monday until the completion of the first phase of the works (hopefully Christmas). Then Regent Park Square and Moray Place from Marywood to Regent Park Square will be closed.

What about alternative parking? The Council suggested Darnley Street and Titwood Road and there is the odd space available on the various Gardens, Nithsdales and March Street but it will be a free-for-all.

If your road is not closed, please be sympathetic to those struggling to find space – we’re all in for a testing time over the next few months. It’s probably a good idea to try to get parked on Sunday…and then give up the car altogether if you possibly can. A copy of the order is available here: queensqorder

Enjoyed your taste of Love Club at Bungofest? Markus Makavellian hosts another popular evening of music, spoken word, tea, cake and knitting, this time paying tribute to the yearly Mexican mourning ritual in Markus’ trademark acerbic style.

Expect apocalyptic predictions from Amanda Monfrooe (How Keanu Reeves Saved The World – Arches Live ’10) and musical necro-felicitations from The Creative Martyrs, The Arches Community Choir and Julia And The Doogans.

There are no advance tickets for this night – just get your tickets on the door, this Tuesday at The Arches from 8pm. £4.

Permits have been granted by the Council for the batching plant for the ground consolidation works to be sited at the top of Nithsdale Rd. The plant will be directly outside numbers 1-13 Nithsdale Rd (essentially the current turning circle at the end of the street). There is a sign to this effect on a bollard at the end of the street but residents have not had much luck finding out more details.

The permit is in force from now until May 11th next year – but here’s hoping that’s a generous allowance for any difficulties plus the reinstatement works. And you never know, maybe once it’s all over we’ll get our lovely summer planters back.