Kincardine O’Neil Community Action Plan Introduction Community Action Plan Introduction Community Action Plan Introduction Kincardine O’Neil Today The playing fields and play park lying The first bridge built across the Dee on the edge of the village draw local Kincardine O’Neil, or Kinker as it is was at Kincardine O’Neil and this Today Kincardine O’Neil is a village people and tourists alike and recently known locally, is a village with a local probably led to the first ‘hospice’ or with a rising school population and an added picnic tables greatly enhance this community of around 500 inhabitants, hotel in Deeside built in 1233. The increasing number of local businesses. area. There are many walks around situated on the A93 between Banchory hospitality of the village was tested in These include a post office, general Kincardine O’Neil including that to and Aboyne in Aberdeenshire. It sits 1296 when King Edward I and store and licensed delicatessen, petrol the Falls of Dess (a local beauty spot) in the middle of ‘Royal Deeside’ and 30, 000 men at arms and 5,000 mail- station, jewellery/gem shop, gift shop, and the Deeside Way from Kincardine Village photo, 1905. is ideally situated to provide facilities clad knights rested the night and “left hairdressers, pottery and log cabin O’Neil to Potarch, on to Banchory and Village photo, 1997. for passing traffic; people living locally, neither maut nor ale”. Other royal supplier. Within a three mile radius of eventually Aberdeen. This section was Aberdeen commuters, and people visitors have included King James V the village businesses include a hotel, completed in early 2011 and is already travelling along the valley to enjoy in disguise who so appreciated the outdoor activity centre and restaurant popular with walkers and cyclists alike. activities such as hill-walking and hospitality offered to him that he to name but a few. Completion of the Deeside Way to the skiing, or visit one of the many local granted the tenant Cochran the land. west of Kincardine O’Neil is expected castles. Internationally many come to This part of the village became known The village has an active Community in the foreseeable future. the area to enjoy the scenery which as Cochran’s Croft and although at one Association with a sub-committee has attracted the royal family to the time a separate hamlet it is now part of involved in organising twinning links The village primary school plays area for over a century, to enjoy the the village. with a similarly sized village in the a central role in village life. It has salmon fishing on the Dee and upland north of France. Recent Community a current roll of 27 (2011) and field sports. Its close proximity to the In the 18th century the village boasted Association initiatives have included a permanent head teacher has River Dee continues to support its three yearly fairs with popular foot the re-opening and maintenance of recently been appointed allowing the Old view of village. Community Action Planning Event. popularity, with the river providing markets held in the street and the the local public toilets, and the annual opportunity for further integration leisure, business and recreational kirk yard. Kincardine O’Neil had a planting of flower tubs throughout the into the community. A new school opportunities. population of around 100 at this time; village which many visitors and people hall has been built in the last few the first school had been established passing through the village have made years providing an additional facility Historically, Kincardine O’Neil has and thousands of cattle were being positive comments about. Regular both during school hours and for taken advantage of its position at sold at the Barthol Fair each year. litter-picking has also enhanced the occasional community events. In the the crossroads of the north-south The well and the ‘auld kirk’ can still look of the village. past there have been concerns about droving route from the Moray Coast be seen today and other buildings of a falling roll at the school but numbers to the Mearns, and the east-west significance can be viewed by strolling The village has two churches, the Mid are currently expected to increase. road from Aberdeen to Braemar. This through the village and taking a short Deeside Parish Church (Church of Although there are no childcare made the village an important centre drive around the parish. These include Scotland) and Christ Church (Scottish facilities within the village a mother and at one time. Many of the buildings the Morrice School (it was an all- Episcopal Church), who in addition toddler group meets once a week in have been preserved, with the village female school), the Gordon Arms to regular services hold social and the school. The old Neil bridge. given conservation status in 1978 to Hotel, Kincardine House, the Tollhouse fundraising events and have facilities Primary School children’s model of the village. help ensure that some of the historic (bottom of Pitmurchie Road), the Old available for use by the community. As with many smaller communities character is retained. Smiddy and many others along the The Village Hall hosts a variety of social there was a desire for improvement Main Street. Also worth a look in the functions, concerts, band nights and in the village but at times a lack of Kincardine O’Neil In The Past surrounding area is Thomas Telford’s weekly dog training classes. The village direction or commitment. With this bridge at Potarch (a couple of miles also has a very active and long-standing in mind the Community Association Kincardine O’Neil is the oldest village east of the village) and the Dinnie Bowling Club and Scottish Women’s began in 2010 to explore the process in Deeside and has a number of Stones outside the Potarch Hotel. In Rural Institute (SWRI), both attended of community action planning and how interesting old buildings including the 1860 Donald Dinnie, local strongman, by many from within and outwith the the community could engage to identify ruined church of St Mary’s. The original carried these stones, weighing 785lb village. There is potential for other needs and aspirations in their area. church was established late in the 5th across the width of the road and back. clubs to be formed; tennis and curling century by St Erchard. He is now the facilities are available in the village but patron saint of Kincardine O’Neil and both are in need of some maintenance a well exists in his honour. St Erchard’s and improvement. Old view from the field. Feast Day was celebrated in the distant Tree planting on Deeside Way - March 2011. past on the 24th of August and this event was revived more recently in 1997. 2 3 The Community Planning Process Community Action Plan Top 10 Priorities Community Action Plan The Community Action Planning On the day, 102 adults and 23 children The ten themes, in order of priority, Theme 2: Environment Process attended the event, representing the are summarised in Table 2 but are here Considerable interest was shown in village and wider community, a much described in more detail: environmental issues. Approximately half of the comments focussed on amenities The purpose of the Community larger percentage of the community Theme 1: Community Activities such as picnic tables, dog bins and recycling Action Planning process was to give than it had been anticipated would There was a strong desire expressed for facilities. These are issues that can be members of the wider Kincardine attend. Those who were present had more social and sporting activities to be addressed in the short term. There were O’Neil community the opportunity the opportunity to set down their held within the village. Examples included also requests for more allotment land and a to have a say and raise their concerns, desires, aspirations and suggestions for a local history group, exercise and dance composting scheme, facilities that may take classes, and film nights. Comments relating The village from Craigton. but perhaps more importantly, improvements in and around the village. a little longer to achieve. Bowling club. to sporting facilities included many requests to identify what was valued, what to improve the existing tennis courts, as It was evident that the flower tubs in needed to be protected and what Over 230 comments were contributed, well as suggestions for basketball hoops, a the village are greatly appreciated, with could be done to improve life in the covering a wide range of topics. The badminton club and cycling club. one comment that “flowers are amazing . community. Emphasis was placed on next step for the Steering Group was . thanks”. The flower tubs are currently taking a positive approach, encouraging to collate these comments, sort them A number of residents suggested a village located along the main road through the event such as a summer fair or street party. community members to participate into a number of main themes and then village. Several residents have asked for A small group of volunteers got together tubs in Canmore Place, something that can both in the planning process but also in prioritise them on the basis of number at the consultation feedback event and be achieved with a few extra volunteers to future actions. of comments. Priority was given to from this a summer fair was planned and look after them. suggestions that were considered successfully held in June 2011. As a first step in the process to realistic and achievable (some were There were many comments asking for develop a community action plan, a not), and those that were supported A need for better communication about wildlife areas to be created, and a desire events was also identified.