‘Muir‘Muir Matters’Matters’ Winner of the 2007 MFR Best Community Initiative Award Issue 12 December 2007 50 pence Through the Muir? a five and a half hour addressed should the proposal ever be approved. Planning Hearing in Dingwall These included how the roads would be prepared After on Tuesday 11th December, the in advance to cope with this extra traffic, such as decision on Scottish and Southern Energy‘s pro- structural checks to all bridges, in case there is a posal for a 35mega-watt, 20-turbine wind farm need for strengthening ahead of the abnormal at the Fairburn Estate, near Muir of Ord, was loads being transported. It also suggests that the deferred. first and second bend at Distillery cottages be Highland Council had received some 111 opened out as well as junction alterations at objections as well as 255 letters of support for West Road. How these road changes will be this venture. achieved has not yet been explained and this was one of the reasons that the proposal was If this project were to go ahead the biggest deferred. impact to the Muir will be during the At the meeting Councillor Angela MacLean construction phase which is scheduled to last for raised the point about the condition of Muir of approximately 9 months. This would mean an Ord‘s railway bridge, a subject which has estimated 5 heavy goods vehicles as well as an been highlighted in the past by Councillor David additional 20 cars/vans per day accessing the Chisholm. Add to this ―Muir Matters‖ own site. Due to the limitations of the current railway campaign for improvements to the bridge junc- bridge in the village, the huge turbines would tions with a safe crossing point on the West have to be delivered via Conon Bridge into Muir Road and it becomes clear that the bridge and of Ord, turning onto West Road and onward to road traffic impact is an aspect of this site.. Although it was said that alterations would proposal which must be looked at very carefully. be carried out at the Distillery corners and the junction of the West Road by widening and While there is an appreciation for the need to creating a safe crossing point, no details were invest in renewable energy projects (65 applica- specified. tions for wind farms in the Highlands has already been made) the long-term benefits need Although The Highland Council and Trunk to be weighed against the repercussions for Roads Authority have raised no objections to the communities such as our own. In the current general principle of these traffic movements, the climate of budget cut-backs it seems to us that preliminary planning report did highlight a this may be the only way our community would number of issues that would need to be be able to resolve our roads issue. We‘re in the pink..... and blue and green and...... last...... back again with Muir Matters in colour..! At It has taken almost a year to get our previous printer manufacturer to acknowledge that the printing problems we experienced weren‘t our fault, but eventually they did and also agreed to a full refund. BUT.....how were we going to ensure it didn‘t happen again? Enter Highland Office Supplies who came to our rescue with a brilliant Konica Minolta printer (Bizhub C350 for those who are interested) and a service package which makes sure we keep going come what may. When they heard of our predicament they sat down with us and worked out what could be done to avoid this happening again. We now have the technical support and locally based engineers all in place to make sure that we can deal with just about everything that comes our way. No more waiting for ink supplies or technicians to arrive from the south.! It does mean that from Spring 2008 there will be a price increase to £1 to cover our costs (we don‘t make any profit on Muir Matters) but we‘re still one of the cheapest community magazines in the Highlands and we intend to keep it that way. On the subject of Muir Matters itself, some people have asked why we haven‘t updated the website recently. Sadly, we have been subjected to a series of pornographic, obscene and anonymous email. It‘s neither pleasant nor helpful. Muir Matters was created to help clubs, groups and individuals find out about events in the village and to help communicate the community‘s concerns to a wider audience e.g. Highland Council or our MSP‘s. It is not a platform to be used for personal views or crusades. We‘re now in a position to tackle this problem and hopefully normal service will be resumed shortly..! fridge, phone and a chair-bed. You name it and it‘s No, it‟s not the No 19 there, even a bag of locally made tablet so that visitors can help themselves. Bus Stop..! Four of Muir of Ord‘s residents were on a short break to Shetland when they came across this novelty and mighty impressed they were too. We did some research (the shelter has its own website) on how this quirky little shelter came about and apparently as the old bus shelter was wobbly and decrepit and the roof came loose in a storm, the council came and took the shelter away away. A sensible move some would say, but the two lads, Bobby (about 7 then) and his elder brother Jamie had nowhere to wait for the school bus. They waited and waited but still no new shelter. So Bobby (a politician in the making we think) wrote to the local paper and - surprise... the new shelter appeared within days. Bobby and Jamie are now aged 18 and 21 respectively but still involved with looking after the shelter. So if you‘re planning a visit to Unst, why his quite amazing bus shelter is to be found not stop by and sign their guest book. on the A968 trunk Road between Baltasound For all of us in the Muir on a wet Monday morning T and Haroldswick, on Unst, Shetland. The heading for work by bus, it sounds like a little piece decoration and furnishing was started and was the of heaven. Any chance Stagecoach could be reading brainchild of a couple of young brothers Bobby and this..?? Jamie Macauley. Something new is added from time Ann Bell to time and so far you will find a TV, computer, 2 ‗Muir Matters‘ Issue 11 Over 60s Club News Fair in the Square was a most beautiful autumn morning when here was very good turnout at the November the first ―Fair in the Square‖ was held in T meeting of the Over 60s Club to hear Mrs It Muir of Ord on Saturday 20th October. Joan Ross of Alness. Even as the stalls were being set up a large number Mrs Ross has been involved right from the begin- ning with the transformation of Alness into the very attractive, award-winning village it is today. Illustrated with beautiful slides,she took the audience on a journey from a small, insignificant, featureless and depressed village right up to the present day when Alness is world famous, as a beautiful, immaculately kept village whose inhabitants are, quite rightly, hugely proud of what they have achieved. Mrs Ross told the audience of the great co-operation of all the village organisations and especially the wonderful part played by the young people. Interestingly, she emphasised that vandalism was not a problem and virtually absent. It was very sad to hear from Mrs Ross that two of of people started to gather and once sales got under- the hugely popular Alness events - the vintage car way business was very brisk. Taking part were the rally which attracted around ten thousand spectators SWRI, the Muir of Ord Rovers Football Club, the and the Pipe Band Championships had outgrown the Communications Group (Muir Matters), the venue at Alness. The organisers had offered them to Community Association, the local Youth Group and the Black Isle Farmers to be held at the Showground the Bowling Club. - but they refused the offer!!! Tain has since A feature of the Bowling gratefully accepted. Club stall was a ―Guess the It was a hugely interesting and entertaining evening Bear‘s Birthday‖; the top - even if it did leave the audience very envious. prize being a carving of a bear, made and donated to The next meeting of the Over 60s will be the the club by Ian Chalmers. Christmas Party which will be held in the Village The lucky birthday the 2nd Hall on Wednesday 19th December at 7.30 p.m. March was selected by Niall Bolger, Beauly with runners up Muriel Mackay & Chrissie McNeil. Heading West Such was the enthusiasm for this event, plans are already being made for the Hi Mattie, I think this is the best, next ―Fair in the Square‖, to be held in May next It‘s about the road that heads to the west. year. A junction for I2O will sure cause some strife, before crossing be sure to insure your life. The plan seems to be in the can, but IT‘S TOO DANGEROUS FOR A GREEN MAN. Accidents I can see will be not a few, If there's no change, the worst will be true. Well Mattie, have your say Some common sense could save the day. Mattie Issue 11 ‗Muir Matters‘ 3 Lesley Philip and Roy Cleaver, Muir of Ord Art Group and Mrs Annie MacLean, the driving force and art adviser of Exhibition the Group.