Friends of Park OUR update on YOUR Park Issue 21 October 2013

To join: click on http://www.inverleithpark.co.uk/ and go to Membership.

All welcome to the AGM on 25th November - see back page CALENDAR 2014 still £5 each BUY COPIES FOR YOUR FRIENDS AND GET THEM TO JOIN THE FRIENDS OF INVERLEITH PARK

Copies available from: Cathy Bell 332 8709 Joan Beattie 556 7993 Pam Barnes 332 4765 Maria Chamberlain 332 6567 Tony Cook 332 4759 Anne Rushbrook 332 7090 MEETINGS with PARK STAFF We have instituted a regular meeting with Park staff to discuss all aspects of the Park. These take place in the Sundial Garden at 9am on the first Tuesday of each month. There are usually 2 or 3 members of the committee present, but all are welcome. Ritchie Fraser , The Community Parks Officer, is usually present. We discuss drainage, litter, vandalism, picnic tables and anything else that seems vital at the time. REPORT FROM OUR CONVENER - PAM BARNES

DRAINAGE The good news is that we are hopeful that the drainage problems have been fixed. The new ‘pond’ by the tennis courts has at last disappeared but we can’t be sure until it rains really hard for a long period! Ironically last year it never stopped raining and this year there has hardly been enough to keep plants alive! And we had just put lots of easy maintenance perennials in the north bed of the Sundial Garden!

THE SUNDIAL GARDEN The new plants froze for their miserable first month of March and since then they have struggled with almost no rain. Some have survived – enough to tell us that hardy long-flowering geranium perennials will look good and be easy maintenance if we can get them through their first year. We were driven to carrying watering cans from the pond to keep them alive – no easy task. We could do with some help with the Sundial Garden – I am sure that if we could get it planted and weeded through the next 2 years, we could have a beautiful flower and shrub garden which with carefully chosen plants would be easy to maintain. Is there anyone out there who could put in a few regular hours of garden maintenance? If so please contact me (07786 186 698). FACEBOOK Have a look at our Facebook site called Save Inverleith Park, which we set up when the depot was threatened with sell-off. We use it now as a community site and we post lovely photos by Anne Rushbrook and Joan Beattie every month. It alerts people to events and we answer comments that you post. We would like it to be more active so do join us and tell us your views and send us photos. You can get it sent to your email automatically when there is a new post and follow us online. It’s easy to use Facebook and you don’t have to have your own Facebook site to follow us - if you don’t know how - get a youngster to show you. My 9yr old granddaughter is great with it! Just put Facebook Inverleith Park in your browser and it will come up. Do take a look!

ACCIES STADIUM The Accies stadium development was given permission despite about a thousand letters of objection. The 2 main objections were its size and the large amount of retail shop space which will affect local shopkeepers. We worry that it will spoil the wonderful view from the pond.

SCOTTISH GOVERNMENT PRIVATE MEMBERS’ BILL THAT MIGHT AFFECT US We objected to the Scottish Government Private Members Bill to allow council to take Portobello Park and build a school on it - despite the Court saying it was illegal. Legal opinion on this Bill is that, if passed, it will act as a precedent for councils all over to use Common Good land such as parks for other things. You will remember how hard we had to fight to save part of Inverleith Park from being sold for luxury housing – we would be vulnerable again. Portobello certainly needs a new school but there are other possible sites and this solution would put many Common Good Parks at risk.

OBITUARY It is with great sadness that we report the death of Mary Clow, the granddaughter of Kinloch Anderson who donated the sundial to the people of Edinburgh in 1890. Mary was 95 when she died. As it says on the south face of the Sundial: SO PASSES LIFE...... ALAS HOW SWIFT. NATURE WALKS The three walks, which were free to all, focused on birds, flowering plants and pond dipping. They were attended by 7, 15 and 30 people respectively. If this exponential trend continues, we shall become a legend and will need to recruit staff! The pond dipping was particularly popular with some children in tears when it was over. Many thanks to the leaders: Mike Betts (birds), David Chamberlain (flowering plants), Maria Chamberlain and Beth Graham (pond dipping) and to Joan Beattie who took the photo below..

THE INVERLEITH MODEL YACHT CLUB ASSOCIATION was originally founded in 1887 as The Edinburgh & Model Yacht Club. If you would like to sail, look up their website http://www.sfmbc.net/page143.html. The website also also lists all the types racing boats which are permitted. The club meets on Saturday afternoons from March till November, 2pm till 5pm. The secretary is James C. McLean, 22 Redford Loan, , EH13 0AX. The model boats are beautiful and the members are helpful to all novice enthusiasts.

Caroline Wilson (who kindly supplied the photo) with her brother Jim and friend Neil in 1963. Right, the current flotilla RATS, MICE, GOLDENEYE, DUCKS AND TOADS We have been enjoying a wonderful warm sunny summer and autumn till mid-October. As a result, much has flourished in the park and allotments - including unfortunately rats and mice. The council rat team are 'on the case' in the allotments - many folk have lost some tomatoes, corn on the cob, potatoes, carrots, beans and peas - though some of this will have been down to mice and voles. Rats have also been seen on the east and north sides of the big pond.

On the pond the young mallard and coot ducklings have all become adult-sized and there have been reports of goldeneye ducks appearing. Oystercatchers whose long, orange chisel-shaped bills are adapted to open shellfish are strutting around in the playing fields their pointed beaks put to good use in the quest for worms. It was sad to 'say goodbye' to the swallows, house martins and swifts that have swooped around the park feeding on flies etc. through the summer months. Toads have been noted in the allotments as well as frogs which agrees with what was found in the Botanics during the big Bioblitz there in June.

Keep watching and reporting your sightings! Cathy Bell

Most photos in this newsletter are by Anne Rushbrook. Coprinus lagopus AGM The Annual General Meeting of the Friends of Inverleith Park will be held on MONDAY 25th NOVEMBER 2013 7.30 at Stephen’s Church The AGM will be followed by a short lecture by Will Hinchliffe, an arboriculturist from The Royal Botanic Garden, Edinburgh, on “Pests and Diseases of Parkland Trees”. Nominations are invited for new members and/or to replace those standing. We desperately need a secretary! Committee Pam Barnes (Convener), Gerard Paton (Treasurer), Joan Beattie, Tony Cook, Cathy Bell, Anne Rushbrook, Maria Chamberlain