Living Together - Housing in Dundee discussion event

From the Curator of Museum Services at the University of Dundee :

Our exhibition on the history of housing in Dundee, Living Together, finishes next week after a hugely popular run. 

Using photographs, artworks and architects’ designs, the exhibition explores some of the most common forms of houses in Dundee, with a particular focus on communal and social housing – from Victorian tenements to pioneering council houses, post-war multis, student halls of residence and more.

To mark the end of the show, on Friday 24th January at 5pm we’re hosting an evening of short talks and discussion around the themes of the exhibition, with informal presentations in the gallery and more formal talks in the Baxter suite next door. 

Dr Lorens Holm, Reader in Architecture, will discuss the legacy of 19th century tenements. Dr Susan Mains, Lecturer in Human Geography, will explore the connections between urban geography and artistic representations of cities. Finally, Architecture students Santianna Stathopoulou, Nikolas Gravos, Leo Hao and Sean Wee will talk about ‘studentification’ in Dundee and its effect on housing.

Please join us in the Lamb Gallery on the first floor of the Tower Building for a stimulating evening.   Admission is free but it would be helpful if you could book a place here.

Dundee Bipolar Group meetings

A walk, a blether and a brew - a date for you diary!

Blether Tay-Gither - Storytelling in Dundee

From Blether Tay-Gither :

Our January 2020 Blether will be on Tuesday 28th January - at 7pm at Madigan's Tearoom and Bookshop at 25 Castle Street.

The Theme is MUSIC.

Join us for a relaxed evening of stories and tales. bring a story or just come to listen. 

  

Hope to see some of you there – all welcome!

Getting things done - lighting at Miller's Wynd car park #dundeewestend

There has rightly been much anger and concern over the council's decision to start charging for use of seven of the car parks in the West End.

It seems to rather rub salt in the wounds that the lighting in the Miller's Wynd car park has now failed, plunging the car park into darkness at nights.

I have therefore asked the council to repair this as soon as possible and certainly before the car park charges commence.

Central and East Regional Fair Trade Session

The Scottish Fair Trade Forum is running a series of sessions across Scotland to give supporters a chance to find our more about Fair Trade.

It aims to make these sessions as informal and practical as possible: we want you to leave feeling energised and empowered with new ideas, connections and up-to-date information on Fair Trade.  

Sessions cover topics such as: 

-        Fair Trade campaigning in the climate emergency

-        Harnessing the power of social media for Fair Trade campaigning

-        Procurement

... and includes :

-        Opportunities to meet other supporters

-        Lunch and Fairtrade tea & coffee!

The Dundee event is this Saturday - 18th January - 11am to 1.30pm at the Dalhousie Building in the University of Dundee.

You can read more about this and book a place here.

Weekly Road Report – West End Ward #dundeewestend

DUNDEE CITY COUNCIL - WEEKLY ROAD REPORT

REPORT FOR WEST END WARD - WEEK COMMENCING MONDAY 13 JANUARY 2020

Nethergate (West Marketgait to Park Place) – closed westbound from Monday 20 January for 5 days for Virgin Media work.

A90 at Swallow roundabout – overnight (7.30pm - 6.30am) eastbound lane closure on Friday 17 January for carriageway patching works.

Marketgait – various off peak lane closures from Monday 13 January for one week for street lighting lantern replacement works.

Forthcoming Roadworks

Perth Road (at River Crescent) – temporary traffic lights for one week from Monday 20 January for Scottish Water work.

Nethergate (West Marketgait to Queens Hotel car park entrance) – closed westbound from Monday 20 January for 5 working days for Virgin Media duct installation works.

Blackness Road (at Peddie Street) – temporary traffic lights on Sunday 26 January for Scottish Water work.

Getting things done - Riverside Drive #dundeewestend

Recently, the traffic safety bollards in the middle of Riverside Drive, just north of the Botanic Garden, were damaged - apparently struck by a vehicle - see photo :

I reported this, at the request of residents, to the City Council and am grateful for the prompt response to put a temporary arrangement in place.

The council has further advised :

"Tayside Contracts (is) ... going to replace them within the next month with new highly reflective bollards, but they're back up for now."

Ellis O'Connor - Frontier

From the Curator of Museum Services  at the University of Dundee :

Our first exhibition of 2020 has just gone up in the Tower Foyer Gallery, featuring dramatic paintings by an award-winning Dundee artist.

Ellis O’Connor studied Fine Art at Duncan of Jordanstone College of Art & Design, graduating in 2014. She completed an MFA in Arts & Humanities at the College in 2016. Since then she has won numerous awards for her work and undertaken several residency programmes, including in Iceland and Norway. In 2016 she was one of a group of artists who sailed around the Svalbard Archipelago in the High Arctic making work about the landscape and environment.

Ellis now lives on the Outer Hebridean island of North Uist. The new works made for this exhibition (entitled Frontier) respond to the turbulent and ever-changing environment which surrounds her.  Writing about her work, she explains: “The dynamic energy conveys the movement and rhythms of the sea and the land … the merging of sea with air, advancing rain and mist, ever changing light – elements that seem to be about something intangible.”

Although Ellis has exhibited across the country, this is her first solo exhibition in her home city. 

The exhibition runs until 28th March and is open Monday to Friday 9.30am-7pm and Saturday 1pm-5pm.

Bad news on West End car parking #dundeewestend

Residents will recall that, just before Christmas, I again reiterated my strong opposition to the council administration's policy of introducing car parking charges into seven West End car parks.

The effect will be particularly difficult for residents and add to on-street car parking in the area.

I received the following update late yesterday from the council's Parking and Sustainable Transport Team Leader :

"We expect the new car parking charges in the seven West End car parks to be introduced on Monday, 27 January 2020.   In advance, we will advertise the change by way of signage and press releases from early next week.   Meters have already been installed at most of the car parks and these will be commissioned on 23/24 January 2020.  New tariff charge boards will be erected over the weekend of 25/26 January 2020.  

New lighting is being installed by the Street Lighting Partnership in Roseangle Car Park during week commencing 20 January 2020.  For a few days this car park will be closed to create a safe working environment.  This closure will also be advertised in advance."

The effect of these charges will be highly detrimental and, even at this late stage, I would urge the council administration to think again about introducing them.

West End Surgeries #dundeewestend

With the Christmas school holidays now over, it is back to West End Ward surgeries!    My Blackness Primary School surgery takes place tonight at 6.15pm.

My full surgery details are below – although I can also be contacted via esurgery@frasermacpherson.org.uk or phone me at home on 459378 anytime :

Winter Planetarium Show at the Mills Observatory #dundeewestend

This Saturday – 11th January – you can take a tour of the night sky in the observatory's planetarium room and learn about constellations, galaxies and the latest space news and much more.

Please note that Winter Planetarium Shows are suitable for children aged 5 and over.

Just £1 for adults;  50p children.     Booking essential on 435967.

Print Studio Tour at DCA #dundeewestend

This Thursday - 9th January at 5.30pm – and again on Saturday 11th January at 12 noon - you can get a free tour of the Dundee Contemporary Arts Print Studio!

The studio has a huge range of state-of-the-art equipment for both traditional printing and creating digital artworks.    

DCA Print Studio houses everything from a Victorian relief press to 3D printers and a laser cutter.   Come along and be shown around. 

These tours are the perfect precursor to doing a course or becoming a registered user - or are for anyone who has always wondered what goes on in the studio!

Free, but booking essential by contacting Dundee Contemporary Arts on 909900 or e-mail dca@dca.org.uk.

Can you help Maggie's Dundee?

Maggie’s Dundee is looking more support from volunteers, so any help you could give would be amazing!

The Maggie's team is looking for more support in the following areas :

• Drop in Volunteers – welcome visitors and make tea and coffee

• Event volunteers – stall, bucket collections, event stewards

• Admin support – Thank you letters, help with banking, volunteer admin jobs

• Speakers -  people who can go do talks / presentations for Maggie’s and also collect cheques on Maggie's behalf.

Please contact Laura Boyd, Maggie's Centre Fundraiser on 496384 (or mobile 07860 271415).

Many thanks!

Abertay Historical Society event

Two centuries of appreciation and modification: 

What might the future hold for the Tay?

This Wednesday - 8th January - from 2.15pm to 3.30pm, Professor Rob Duck, Emeritus Professor of Geography and Environmental Science, School of Social Sciences at the University of Dundee, will deliver this address as part of Abertay Historical Society’s contribution to the city’s afternoon lecture series.

This talk will look at some of the impacts of human intervention at the River Tay over the past 200 years and how climate change might affect sea levels.

The talk will take place in the D’Arcy Thompson Lecture Theatre in the Tower Building at the University of Dundee, admission is £2 and all are welcome.

More information about Abertay Historical Society is available here.

Dundee & Angus College Open Days 2020

Interested in finding out more about D&A College? 

Then come along to its 2020 Open Days ...

From Tuesday 14th January to Thursday 16th January, there will be the opportunity to visit Dundee & Angus College at each of its campuses, chat to teaching staff about courses, get a copy of our new prospectus, see the campus facilities and get advice about funding, course options, additional support from the Student Services team.

Full details are here – all welcome!

Discovery Days 2020 - Short Presentations from the Cutting Edge

The next Discovery Days event from the University of Dundee will take place on Thursday 9th and Friday 10th January.   The venue is the Main Lecture Theatre, Dalhousie Building, Old Hawkhill.

You can listen to the university's newest professors and award-winning teachers and students, as they share the ideas that inspire them.    Everyone is welcome, including school pupils, members of the public and university staff and students.

As part of Discovery Days 2020, there is also holding the annual public session with the University's Court.     This is a unique opportunity to hear from and pose questions to the university’s governing body.

Refreshments and lunch will be available.    The event will close with a free drinks reception.

You can read the full programme here.

Botanic Garden event #dundeewestend

From the Friends of the University of Dundee Botanic Garden :

On Sunday 5th January, Alasdair Hood, former Curator, University of Dundee Botanic Garden, will give a talk on "A life in horticulture."

It will take place at 2pm in the Education Centre at the Botanic Garden.

All are welcome!

A very Happy New Year 2020 to one and all!

A guid Hogmanay!

Auld Lang Syne

Should auld acquaintance be forgot,
And never brought to mind?
Should auld acquaintance be forgot,
And auld lang syne?

CHORUS:
For auld lang syne, my dear,
For auld lang syne,
We'll tak a cup of kindness yet,
For auld lang syne!

And surely ye'll be your pint-stowp,
And surely I'll be mine,
And we'll tak a cup o kindness yet,
For auld lang syne!

We twa hae run about the braes,
And pou'd the gowans fine,
But we've wander'd monie a weary fit,
Sin auld lang syne.

We twa hae paidl'd in the burn
Frae morning sun till dine,
But seas between us braid hae roar'd
Sin auld lang syne.

And there's a hand my trusty fiere,
And gie's a hand o thine,
And we'll tak a right guid-willie waught,
For auld lang syne

Words adapted from a traditional song
by Rabbie Burns (1759-96)

Recycle your Christmas tree!

♻️🎄If you have a real Christmas tree, 

please remember to recycle it! ♻️🎄

The City Council has published some helpful advice about recycling your Christmas tree.

You can read this here.

New Year's Day clean up volunteer opportunity

54th Annual Photographic Competition and Exhibition

Entries to the city’s 54th Annual Photographic Competition are now welcome, with a closing date of 3rd February 2020

Open to all photographers living within the boundaries of Dundee, and to all members of Dundee Photographic Society, the competition is run every year in conjunction with Dundee City Council.

Full details are available here and if you have any queries, please contact Dundee City Council, Neighbourhood Services on 434781.

New Year Fun Run 2020 #dundeewestend

On Thursday 2nd January at 11am and until 1pm, there will be a 5k fun run around the paths of the University of Dundee Botanic Garden to get yourself in shape for the New Year. 

The event caters for all ages and ambitions, just walk or break the record!    Your reward, as well as a good time, will include seasonal refreshments in the education centre at the end of the run.

We recommend you register for free here to ensure catering is adequate on the day.

The event is weather dependent and up-to-the-minute guidance is available on the Friends of the University of Dundee Botanic Garden blog.

Happy Boxing Day!

Boxing Day is widely celebrated in countries that are part of the Commonwealth. 

Its origins are obscure, but they date back centuries. 

Below is an interesting short documentary about the origins of Boxing Day.

 

A very Merry Christmas!

Watchnight service tonight - all welcome!

Bus services - Christmas 2019 and New Year 2020

With thanks to Suzy Scott, a full guide that gives you all the information you need for all bus services during the festive season across Dundee and the surrounding area that makes up the ABC Dundee bus travel zone is now available.

You can download it here.

Family Friendly Christmas Eve Service

All are welcome at the Logie & St John's (Cross) Church Family Friendly Christmas Eve Service!

Getting things done - Brook Street #dundeewestend

Earlier this year, residents in the Brook Street area and in Pleasance Court drew to my attention the problems they had ensuring the bus driver sees they are waiting at the bus stop on Brook Street's north side - opposite Brook Close - due to the lack of a bus bay and vehicles parked right across the stop.     

This also made it a challenge to get on the bus, as passengers had to get through a line of nose-to-tail parked vehicles to get to the bus.

The City Council agreed to my request to paint a bus bay here and I am pleased to say this has now been done – see 'before' and 'after' pictures below :

Further flooding defence works at Riverside #dundeewestend

The council's City Development Committee agreed to further flooding defence works at Riverside.      This will cover the western section from the Bridgeview Station Restaurant to the airport;   as residents will be aware the area east of this was completed at the start of 2018.

The Team Leader in the council's infrastucture team has updated me as follows :

"The works generally consist of repointing the existing sea wall, replacing existing damaged stone copes and resurfacing the existing car parking area directly in front of the new flood-defence set-back wall.  Works also include the installation of a new footpath and drainage directly behind the wall. 

Works are currently programmed to commence on-site in February 2020 and will be completed by June 2020."

As I have long campaigned for car park improvements for the section of parking west of the main public car park, the inclusion of surfacing it is very welcome.

Details of the area of the flooding defence works is given below :

Getting things done - Perth Road #dundeewestend

A number of elderly constituents have raised with me how welcome it would be to have a bus shelter on the north side of Perth Road at the bus stop a little east of opposite the Seafield Road junction.

I raised this with the Parking and Sustainable Transport Team Leader at the City Council who advises :

"A quick look at the street layout indicates that without a redesign of the footway, there isn't sufficient space at this stop for a bus shelter.   

Notwithstanding, we'll add it to our list of 'shelter requests' and score it in due course to see where it ranks against other requests for bus shelters."

Winter Planetarium Shows at Mills Observatory #dundeewestend

This Friday - 20th December – you can take a tour of the night sky in the observatory's planetarium room and learn about constellations, galaxies and the latest space news and much more.

Please note that Winter Planetarium Shows are suitable for children aged 5 and over.

£1 Adults, 50p Children with shows at 6pm, 7pm and 8pm.

Booking essential on 435967.

Getting things done - Forest Park Road #dundeewestend

I have had further complaints about recurring litter strewn right along the west side of Forest Park Road.

I have asked the local environment manager if the litter here can be tidied up.

As this is not the first time I have raised this problem in Forest Park Road, I have also asked that more attention is given to the state of the street here.

#Dundee Drop in services over the festive season

DUNDEE DROP IN SERVICES

     Christmas/New Year Opening 2019

University of Dundee Candlelit Carol Service

The University of Dundee's annual service of Carols by Candlelight will take place tonight at 5pm and will return to St Paul's Cathedral at 1 High Street.

The service takes the form of nine lessons/poems and traditional carols.    The singing will be led by the University Choirs who will also contribute a number of choral pieces.    There will be a reception with mince pies and mulled wine after the service.

University Chaplain, Rev Dr Fiona Douglas says, "The Carol Service is one of the highlight of the University year when staff and students, their families, and the local community come together to mark Christmas."

All welcome!

Community facility offer from Revival Church #dundeewestend

Many residents will know of the Revival Church situated in Taylor's Lane.

Pastor Stephen McCluskey of the church is taking forward some community initiatives such as school holidays breakfast and lunch for low-income families, in partnership with Dundee Bairns.

However, he has also mentioned that the church facilities may be available for community and charity activities during 2020 and if any local group wishes to find out more, the church can be contacted here.

Getting things done - Blackness Library #dundeewestend

A resident recently suggested it might be helpful in advertising events within Blackness Library is there was a noticeboard outside advertising activities within the library.

I took this excellent idea up with the Head of Library and Information Services and she has responded positively as follows :

"We are in agreement that this is a great idea.  Budget and planning permission may be hurdles, but we will look into this and see what is achievable."

I will keep residents updated with progress.  

Support Daniel today!

Please support my friend, colleague and Dundee West resident, Daniel Coleman in today's General Election - for a hard-working and local MP - many thanks!

Harris Education and Recreation Association - HERA new classes #dundeewestend

Here's the details of the upcoming evening classes from Harris Education and Recreation Association - together with information about enrolment night.    You can click on the images below to enlarge and can also find more details are available here :

West End Community Council meeting #dundeewestend

West End Community Council meets at 7pm tonight at the Logie & St John's (Cross) Church Hall in Shaftesbury Terrace - all welcome!

The agenda is as follows :

WEST END COMMUNITY  COUNCIL  MEETING

TUESDAY 10th DECEMBER AT 7.00PM

LOGIE AND ST JOHN`S (CROSS) PARISH CHURCH  HALL

(ENTER FROM SHAFTESBURY TERRACE - OFF  BLACKNESS  AVENUE)

1. WELCOME AND APOLOGIES

2. OFFICE BEARER & OTHER ROLES- Appointment (votes if required)

3. MINUTE OF PREVIOUS MEETING - 8th October 2019

4. CORRESPONDENCE

5. POLICE SCOTLAND UPDATE

6. PLANNING  UPDATE 

7. OTHER MEETINGS ATTENDED ON BEHALF OF WECC

8. AOCB – MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC INPUT

9. DATE  OF  NEXT  MEETING 

Light refreshments will be provided.

Weekly Road Report – West End Ward #dundeewestend

DUNDEE CITY COUNCIL - WEEKLY ROAD REPORT

REPORT FOR WEST END WARD - WEEK COMMENCING MONDAY 9 DECEMBER 2019

Blackness Road (at Oxford Street) – temporary traffic lights from Monday 9 December for one week for BT work.

West End Tennis Club - Big Christmas Party! #dundeewestend