HERA - Harris Education and Recreation Association updates #dundeewestend

This Saturday - 21st June - at 10.30am at the Corso Street Complex, there's a HERA Summer Taster Session.

All are invited to this free event where Italian class member Andrew will talk about how learning a language with HERA helped him on his recent expedition across Italy.

Expect fun-filled moments, fascinating photographs and times when things became quite hair-raising.

Book your free place at www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/hera-italian-class-summer-taster-a-learners-adventure-tickets-1373555374099

... and don't forget that later today - at 8pm - HERA holds its end of term showcase event at Harris Academy - read more at www.facebook.com/events/9921956104532111

HERA - Harris Education and Recreation Association - enrolment tonight! #dundeewestend

The next term of HERA evening classes start this month.

Enrolment for classes will open at an event in Harris Academy tonight.

If you are interested in joining a class next term, please come along between 6pm and 7pm - all welcome!

More information is available at www.heradundee.org

Cleanliness at Harris Academy swimming pool #dundeewestend

We recently received complaints about the state of the Harris Academy pool changing rooms.

The staining looked unhygienic and we raised this with Tayside Contracts (which is responsible for the cleaning of the facility) querying if this was a cleaning issue or some form of further repair intervention is required to remove this.

We had a very prompt response from the Managing Director of Tayside Contracts as follows :

"Our cleaning team have reported that the power washer was faulty. This has now been rectified and we do not anticipate that this problem will recur."

Harris Academy - Youth and Philanthropy Initiative #dundeewestend

Harris Academy is reaching out to local charitable organisations about their Youth and Philanthropy initiative.

This initiative does have a financial prize given to the top 3 charities chosen, and is also a great way to inform young people about your organisation and the work you do, as well as young people gaining insight into the work and reach of the third sector.

YPI is an active citizenship initiative which empowers young people to make a difference in our community. Students at school learn about the needs of Dundee communities, and the role that they can play, while developing key skills through a real-life learning experience.

There are two dates for engagement with charities that it would like to offer.

+ The first potentially is September 9th 2024, an information session to provide charities with an introduction to YPI and the commitment they hope to gain from their collaboration with the young people.

+ The main event charity fayre will take place on Tuesday 29th October 8.45-10.25, the first two periods. This is when the 2nd year students come along to the gym hall to interact with the charities. The school will provide tables and displays but unfortunately no sockets will be available.

Students will use their research to make presentations on the reasons that their chosen charity is most deserving of support. The team judged to have made the most compelling presentation will be secure the school’s £3000 YPI grant.

The Wood Foundation is the operational manager and principal funder of YPI, and in Dundee it is supported by The Northwood Charitable Trust and Balgay Children’s Society. The Balgay Children's Society facilitate a 2nd place prize of £1000 and a 3rd place prize of £500.

If you are interested in this or simply wish to find out more information, please contact Laura Quinn at Harris Academy by email lquinn451@dundeeschools.scot

Harris Hockey Club update #dundeewestend

Harris Hockey Club's men's squads are looking to expand their squads for National League and Midlands Division 1.

Interested - then email harris.secretary@gmail.com

Harris Academy FPs' summer dinner #dundeewestend

The Harris Academy Former Pupils' Association is holding a summer dinner on Friday 7th June in the school - 7pm for 7.30pm.

Sheena Wellington will be guest speaker and Lesley Mackie will give the toast the school.    Tickets are £25.

All FPs welcome - please contact Freida Soutar at freida.s67@gmail.com by this Friday - 17th May - if you wish to attend.

Harris Education & Recreation Association - enrolment night #dundeewestend

HERA will be back in May with a brand new term of evening classes.

Bookings for all classes will open up at HERA's enrolment night event on Wednesday 17th April in Harris Academy from 6pm and 7pm.

Come along and chat to tutors and find out about the range of classes on offer.

Find our more at www.facebook.com/events/3704478183121274

Free taster session - Dundee Time and Place #dundeewestend

HERA - Harris Education and Recreation Association - in addition to its spring programme of classes - is running free taster sessions in early 2024.

There's a weekly Dundee Time and Place evening class that meets in the Corso sheltered complex lounge and each class covers a different topic in Dundee’s history.

Francis de Franco, the excellent course leader, will also be doing a free taster session on Saturday 27th January, looking at the history of shopping in Dundee.

Find out more by e-mailing HERA at enquiries@heradundee.org

School buses to/from Harris Academy - latest update #dundeewestend

Residents will recall our previous articles in August and October about insufficient capacity on one of the school buses (the 6s – the pupils concerned live in the Pentland area) to/from Harris Academy, we have again been in touch with the council's transportation team in the run up to the Christmas school holidays.

The team has responded to us with this helpful update in advance of the schools returning after the New Year :

"As previously discussed, I wanted to update you about the route amendment we have agreed with McGill’s buses for the Service 10s to be introduced officially after the festive period.

From Monday 8th January 2024, the Service 10s will extend its route to cover the Pentland area of the City rerouting via Charleston Drive (not serving Elmwood Road), Ancrum Road, Tullideph Road, City Road, Pentland Avenue, Balgay Road, Blackness Avenue and Perth Road and we believe this will provide adequate support to the 6s to ensure that all the pupils are picked up in the Pentland Avenue / City Road area of the city.

Registration documents have been submitted to the Scottish Traffic Commissioner with Dundee City Council agreeing to an earlier start date to try and resolve this matter as soon as we could. Both McGill’s Buses and Harris Academy are endeavouring to distribute this information to pupils, however I would be grateful if you could pass this information on directly to any of your constituents who have contacted you recently regarding this matter."

Further update on school buses to/from Harris Academy #dundeewestend

Residents will recall that, following concerns raised by parents and carers with us last term about insufficient capacity on one of the school buses to and from Harris Academy (the 6s – the pupils concerned live in the Pentland area), we raised the issue with the City Council.

We are pleased to have been updated by the transportation team at the council to say that at the north end of the route, from the start of the new term, pupils who who also have access to another of the school bus services will use service 10s instead of the 6s.    This will hopefully ensure that when the 6s arrives at stops further south going towards the school, there will be sufficient space left to ensure all pupils can get on the bus.

The school makes good efforts at the end of the school day to ensure pupils get on the most appropriate bus home and it is hoped that bus availability will improve for all pupils during the new term.

Harris Academy FPs' lunch #dundeewestend

The Harris Academy Former Pupils' Association is holding a lunch on Monday 4th September at noon.

All FPs welcome - please contact Freida Soutar on Dundee 562788 or e-mail freida.s67@gmail.com by 5pm on Wednesday 30th August if you wish to attend.

Further Harris Academy swimming update #dundeewestend

Further to our article yesterday about swimming provision for the wider community at Harris Academy, we received this update later yesterday from the Managing Director of Leisure & Culture Dundee :

Harris Swim & Sport Centre Update

Due to ongoing building work relating to the Harris Academy extension project, the Swim & Sports Centre will be unavailable from Monday 3rd July to Sunday 30th July 2023, inclusive. The power supply to the building is being upgraded, and there will be a four-week shutdown of all power.

The dry side activity areas (sports hall, gym hall, dance studio and fitness suite) are scheduled to reopen from Monday, 31st July. Due to additional health & safety pre-checks, it is anticipated that the swimming pool will reopen on Monday 7th August 2023.

We apologise for the inconvenience caused to our members and customers. You are welcome to use other Leisure & Culture Dundee facilities as an alternative.

Public Swimming sessions:

Monday - Friday: 8:30am - 8:30pm - Lochee Swimming & Leisure Centre *

Tuesday & Thursday - 6-9pm - St. Paul's Swim & Sport

Wednesday & Friday - 6-9pm - Grove Swim & Sport

Saturday: 9:30 - 4:00pm - Lochee Swimming & Leisure Centre *

Sunday: 9:45 - 4:00pm - Lochee Swimming & Leisure Centre *

* no lane swimming on site only public swimming set up

Fitness Suite opening times:

Monday - Friday: 7:45am - 8:30pm - Lochee Swimming & Leisure Centre

Monday - Friday 6-9pm - Grove & St. Paul's Swim & Sport

Saturday: 9:00am-4:15pm - Lochee Swimming & Leisure Centre

Sunday: 10:00am - 4:15pm - Lochee Swimming & Leisure Centre

Saturday & Sunday - 9am-12:30pm - Grove & St. Paul's Swim & Sport

Swimming facilities over the summer holidays #dundeewestend

With the school summer holidays starting at the end of this week, we renewed our call for greater use of the facilities at Harris Academy to be made available to families over the holidays, particularly given the continuing non-availability of Olympia.

We took this up with the Managing Director of Leisure & Culture Dundee and have been updated as follows :

"Further to your email regarding access to the Harris facilities, Leisure & Culture Dundee has worked hard to increase access to swimming opportunities for public lane swimming, family swimming, clubs and the Learn to Swim programme. The majority of the additional programming has been based at St Paul's and Grove Academy as these are PPP schools under Robertson's management and can be opened for additional access without incurring additional Tayside Contract Facility staffing costs.

With the exception of 08:00-08:30, Leisure & Culture Dundee provide access to pools across the city to clubs, general public and learn to swim programmes between the hours of 06:00 – 21:00 Monday to Friday and 09:00 – 17:00 at weekends. This provision is 7 hours less than when Olympia was available.

In 2018/19 Leisure & Culture Dundee ceased the weekend operation at Harris Academy due to lack of public demand for access, with attendances on Saturday and Sunday afternoons for swimming averaging 8 participants over both sessions. At the time, Leisure & Culture Dundee were subsidising these weekend afternoon sessions by £6k per annum.

At present, we are still working towards attaining pre-Covid levels and are not in a position to increase this provision given the additional costs required, but are closely monitoring the situation."

We have responded saying we have concerns that the good facilities at Harris Academy are simply under-used. We feel some further engagement with the local community should be made to ascertain current - as opposed to historical - demand.

Footbridge south of Harris Academy - an update

Residents will recall that, some months ago, there was unfortunate recent vandalism of the footbridge over the rail line south of Harris Academy.

The repair has taken some time for the council to arrange as it requires a rail line possession agreement with Network Rail.

We are pleased, however, to advise that the council's City Development Committee recently approved the tender to allow works to proceed.

Michael sought and obtained at committee an assurance that every effort would be made to ensure repairs are completed and the footbridge re-opened in advance of the school returning after the summer holidays.

HERA - Harris Education and Recreation Association - enrolment tomorrow #dundeewestend

The next term of HERA evening classes is due to run in May and June.

Enrolment for classes will open at an event in Harris Academy tomorrow - Wednesday 19th April.

If you are interested in joining a class next term, please come along between 6pm and 7pm - all welcome!

More information is available at www.tiny.cc/HERA-enrolment

Harris Academy FPs' lunch #dundeewestend

The Harris Academy Former Pupils' Association is holding a lunch on Monday 6th March from noon - for a 12.30pm start.

All FPs welcome - please contact Dorothy Drummond, President of the FPs' Association, at dorothy.s.d@outlook.com or call 668619.

Elliot Road tennis courts - an update #dundeewestend

Residents will recall that, back in September of last year, we highlighted the deteriorated state of the Elliot Road playing field's tennis courts.

Having raised this with the City Council, Fraser took part in a very useful meeting at that time, including representatives from Dundee City Council, Harris Academy, sports clubs representatives and West End Community Sports Hub.

Yesterday, a follow-up meeting took place that Fraser took part in.    The tennis courts have since seen work to the blaze surface to remove weeds and will be raked and rolled before the spring.

We discussed at some length funding options to create a proper, multi-functional facility.   A collective bid to external organisations covering around five Dundee projects will be made in the coming months, including Elliot Road, which is really good news.

We will, of course, keep residents updated on further developments.

HERA Christmas celebration tonight! #dundeewestend

All are welcome along to Harris Education and Recreation Association's free Christmas celebration event at The Vine, Magdalen Yard Road tonight - Friday 2nd December - from 7pm to 9pm.

Pop in to enjoy some seasonal refreshments and learn about adult learning opportunities through HERA who run evening classes in Harris Academy and other West End venues.

Classes include Pilates, Needle Felting, Drawing and Painting and various languages, and will start again in early 2023.

No need to book for this free event, please just come along and bring a friend!

 

See more at www.facebook.com/events/811294286877667

Elliot Road tennis courts - your views appreciated! #dundeewestend

For some time, residents have raised concerns about the deteriorated state of the Elliot Road playing field's tennis courts.

We had raised this with the City Council and, yesterday, Fraser took part in a very useful meeting including representatives from Dundee City Council, Harris Academy, sports clubs representatives and WECSH, the West End Community Sports Hub.

As an immediate step, Neighbourhood Services at the City Council will undertake some work to get rid of the weeds and roll the surface.

However, the main purpose of the meeting was to have some initial discussions about possible long-term improvements to hopefully create a multi-use games area to provide a multi-sport all weather facility.    This would, should it prove possible, benefit Harris Academy and its curriculum delivery but also have very positive West End community benefit.

We have agreed to take initial steps to look at possible partnership funding and delivery models but meantime Fraser would welcome feedback from residents on this by either Facebook message or by e-mailing him at fraser.macpherson@dundeecity.gov.uk - many thanks!

HERA autumn evening classes enrolment #dundeewestend

Harris Education and Recreation Association's next block of evening courses will start on the week commencing 12th September.

Enrolment is next Wednesday - 24th August - in Harris Academy from 6pm to 7pm.

Classes are mostly on Wednesdays from 6.30pm-8.30pm, but there are some on Mondays and Tuesdays at the moment too. Minimum age is 16.

Full class details are available at www.heradundee.org/hera-classes