Juniper Green and Baberton Mains News February 2011 Juniper Green C o m m u n i t y And furthermore— Council serving Juniper Green and Baberton Mains The nine months since pact on the social life of conveyed residents’ concerns Juniper Green Commu- Juniper Green during its daily to our city councillors. Issue 2 nity Council’s last News- short existence. We attend lots of neighbour- letter have passed quick- hood meetings on everything February 2011 ly and much has hap- The Routine from health to the environ- pened in that time. The ment. Much else is going on extraordinarily success- Special points of interest: ful hustings we held in that may not have such Sock it to us a high profile. Road re- Forthcoming Events the parish church on 28th for Juniper Green and April ahead of the gen- pairs in Baberton Mains, Altogether, although we are eral election; the Walks the cutting back of vege- not smug about our record, Baberton Mains tation on footpaths and we do think we can be proud of Discovery, looking at The next 3 Farmers’ Markets; the trees, the birds, and the improvements to the of what we have achieved in underpass at our first year. Please let us Kinleith Arms car park the history of the village 09.00 – 13.00: and at the gardens of Clovenstone roundabout know what else we should 4th Saturday of each month:- Baberton Mains early in have occurred or been be doing: you will soon be February 26th, May; the environmental speeded up because of able to tell us online at March 26th, community council rep- www.junipergreencc.org.uk. April 23rd clean-up with Juniper Green Primary School resentations to the local authority. We closely Digital Switchover: How You pupils later in the same will be Affected by the Switch month; a public meeting monitor planning appli- from Analogue to Digital TV; about the Transition cations in our area and Juniper Green Parish Church respond where appropri- 7.00 – 9.00pm. Towns initiative in No- Tuesday 22nd March vember; the Farmer’s ate; we are investigating the possible provision of Market every month Environmental Clean-up with since September, and, allotments for would-be Juniper Green Primary most recently, anticipat- gardeners; regularly go School, 10.00 – 1.00. Please Volunteer. Contact Richard ing Bloomiehall Park’s on walkabouts with city officials to look at road Watt at [email protected] centenary this year, a or phone 538 0352. and pavement repairs, walk from the Park in Saturday 2nd April December’s wintry and liaise constantly weather, followed by with the police on all Other Events are in the Pipe- line: if you want to be kept up lunch at Al Borgo – the safety matters. During November and Decem- Having a break during the to date with what’s happening, community council has “clean-up” in the Park ask to join our mailing list and ber’s icy weather we certainly made an im- send your email address to [email protected] Planning Issues Public Meetings of the Com- munity Council are held every second Wednesday of the In the first full year of our the appearance of the proper- Juniper Green later this year, month, except July and Au- existence we have seen 35 ty from the road. with proposals from McCarthy gust, usually in the Village Hall, from 7.00 – 9.00pm. All completed planning applica- Major planning issues in and Stone for a retirement are welcome. tions, of which 31 have been adjacent areas also come to complex on the site of the approved, one was withdrawn our attention. Two significant existing Baberton Golf Club- and three were refused, ones in 2010 were the pro- house, and the redevelopment though one of these was suc- posed redevelopment of Cur- KEEP UP TO DATE cessfully resubmitted. riehill School as a major shop- of the old primary school Nearly all of our applications ping site, and the long term building for residential use. All activities and reports of the Community Council are concern extensions or modifi- proposals for development of Look out for more information published monthly in the cations to existing houses. the Green Belt north of Baber- about these developments Community Newspaper, the Those falling within the Juni- ton Mains by Murray Estates. during 2011. C&B News. per Green Conservation Area We are also likely to see sig- are subject to additional re- nificant developments in strictions, mainly concerning Page 2 Juniper Green and Baberton Mains News February 2011 Primary School Report The autumn saw a busy term at Juni- school Euro Quiz and a P4-7 concert. per Green PS. Primary six enjoyed an The school is sad to lose our DHT Mr exciting outdoor residential experi- Paul Ewing who has been a member ence in Speyside in October. They of staff for over six years; he moves on were able to face their fears over phys- to take up the headship of Liberton ical challenges and enjoy time away PS. Our eco group have been keeping with classmates. The children had the busy ensuring responsible recycling surprise of some extra days off school throughout the school and are eagerly during the snowy weather when ac- anticipating the arrival of the Spring cess to the school was extremely chal- bulbs they planted to enhance our lenging; however this did not curb the school grounds. Hopefully Spring is preparations for and successful perfor- just around the corner so they won’t mances of the two nativity shows en- have too long to wait. joyed by parents of Nursery and P1-2 children. With Christmas and New Year now a pleasant memory there are new challenges ahead, including a focus on Fairtrade Fortnight, an inter- Canoeing at Abernethy Local Winter Heroes Two radio amateurs from Juniper “Come in XYZ, patient in operation of the scheme was entirely Green have been nominated to attend dependent on Charlie and Vic’s exper- a reception for winter heroes by the Kinghorn requires assistance.” tise and willingness to give time to First Minister. Charlie Duncan and help others. Vic Stewart, a community councillor, manned their radios day and night during the icy weather in November and December to provide vital commu- nications links for and to coordinate the movement of volunteer 4x4 drivers in Fife, the Lothians and Falkirk who provided essential transport for hospi- tal patients, care workers and nurses, and for medical supplies, when the usual vehicles were unusable. The Lanark Road in the bleak mid-winter Bloomiehall’s Igloo Bad Weather Brings Communities Together It was, perhaps, picturesque, but our larly vulnerable to food shortages when recent snow made it hard to get about family or carers were unable to reach and even the buses were badly affect- them. It is important to know who your ed. These conditions brought a new neighbours are and whether they need appreciation of our local shops, but extra support in such circumstances. In highlighted risks of getting from A to this situation many realise they don't B. Despite the many negatives, the know who their neighbours are and who weather provided more chances to might be vulnerable. So why not talk to one another and forced us to make your New Year resolution to get to slow down. know your neighbours and call or intro- duce yourself before the next snowfall? If you are concerned about someone’s During this period many made a huge wellbeing during bad weather you can A cul-de-sac in Baberton Mains difference to neighbours’ lives with a phone social care direct on 0131 200 kept clear of snow by all the resi- phone call or a visit. The snow left the 2324. dents doing their bit —and having elderly, frail or housebound particu- some fun too! Issue 2 Page 3 Juniper Green’s New Road Signs Early one morning at the end of No- tion of Juniper Green with the mills vember 2010, on schedule despite that used to line the Water of Leith. snow and ice, two new road signs were Additionally a discreet reference to set up on Lanark Road. The Signage our Bronze Age past is encoded in the Group, which grew out of JG300, colour used for the font. In the inter- heaved a sigh of relief at the culmina- ests of legibility, the bronze had to be tion of three years’ work. One sign is made yellower! at Gillespie Cross Roads and the other We hope everyone likes the new signs by the village’s western boundary. and wish to thank the sponsors, Juni- Designed by former resident, Jane per Green Village Association; the Brettle, the signs refer to village his- manufacturers, Dee Organ, and the tory. Its name, first recorded in 1707, Council and Highways Department is emblazoned on the central area and for their helpful support. symbolised by the juniper sprig in the roundel at the top and the green col- Julie Watt (far right), a member of the our of the background. The strap line signage group, with the installers of underneath refers to the long associa- the road signs Bloomiehall 100 years old! Location: Off Baberton Avenue and nual Parks Quality Assessment Old Bloomiehall entered by Juniper Park Road, Juni- marks it against Green Flag criteria per Green. Area: 6.2 acres (2.511 including welcoming, facilities, clean- hectares) liness & safety and maintenance. The current scoring for Bloomiehall Park Our park, north of Juniper Green is good. village and overlooking Baberton Golf Course, has exceptional views of It came into the hands of the Local Great Goals the Pentlands and the Forth valley.