Saturday 31 March 2018

Face to Face - Stories from the Asylum

From the Curator of Museum Services at the University of Dundee :
Tower Foyer Gallery, University of Dundee
Now on and running until 9th June 
Monday to Friday 9.30am to 7pm and Saturday 1pm to 5pm

Our understanding of the Victorian lunatic asylum, and our perception of the history of psychiatry, is often fed by myth and fiction. The nineteenth century did indeed see a massive rise in the building of asylums, as institutional care became the dominant means of caring for the insane. But what do we know of the lives of those who entered them as patients? How did they experience mental illness?

Face to Face: Stories from the Asylum is an exhibition exploring the lives of a small group of patients admitted to Dundee Royal Lunatic Asylum between 1886 and 1902. Using information and photographs from their case notes, the exhibition examines the circumstances which led to their committal to the asylum, the dilemmas faced by their families, and the nature of their mental illness.

Looking at examples from the past is a valuable way to consider the social and cultural contexts that create understandings of mental disorders. Through the poignant stories of past sufferers, the exhibition aims to engage with contemporary concerns about the experience of mental disorders, past and present, the effect on family and community, and the wider social attitudes associated with mental illness.

This exhibition is part of the 'Promoting Mental Health through the Lessons of History' project, based at the University of St Andrews, and is a collaboration with University of Dundee Archive Services. 

The exhibition has been curated by PhD student Morag Allan Campbell.

Friday 30 March 2018

Getting things done - Hawkhill and Peddie Street #dundeewestend

Residents recently brought to my attention the poor pavement surface at the Peddie Street/Hawkhill junction - on the west side - especially around the drop kerb, where the surface is bumpy with deteriorating tarmac.

I raised this with the council's Roads Maintenance Partnership and have now received the following positive response :

"The Road Maintenance Partnership inspector has advised that he has raised an order for a number of repairs to be carried out by the thermal patching machine at this location."

Thursday 29 March 2018

West End Ward Surgeries #dundeewestend

As the school Easter holidays start after school ends today, my usual weekly ward surgery at Blackness Primary School does not take place tonight - and all surgeries thereafter throughout the holidays do not take place - but I can still be contacted on any local issues or concerns through my e-surgery - just e-mail esurgery@frasermacpherson.org.uk.

Surgeries recommence on Monday 16th April - surgery details are available here.

I can also be contacted at home at any time on 459378 and also during office hours at my Dundee City Council office on 434985.

Wednesday 28 March 2018

Getting things done - Pennycook Lane #dundeewestend

Residents have raised with me the poor condition of parts of the roadway of Pennycook Lane with some deep potholes - see below :
I have raised this with the council's Roads Maintenance Partnership seeking repairs.

Tuesday 27 March 2018

Blether Tay-Gither - Storytelling in Dundee


Our March Blether will be tonight - Tuesday 27th March - at 7pm at our new venue - The Butterfly Café, 28 Commercial Street.

The theme this month is The Letter "F" - bring a story about anything beginning with "F"  maybe fairies or farmers, fish or flowers, fruit or furry creatures. Anything you want. What will you choose? 

Hope to see some of you there – all welcome!

Monday 26 March 2018

Weekly Road Report - West End Ward #dundeewestend

DUNDEE CITY COUNCIL - WEEKLY ROAD REPORT

REPORT FOR WEST END WARD - WEEK COMMENCING MONDAY 26 MARCH 2018

South Union Street/South Marketgait at Dundee Railway Station – northbound nearside lane closure from 9.30am for 7 weeks for footway works.

Riverside Drive/South Union Street at Dundee Railway Station – off-peak (9.30am – 3.30pm) east/northbound nearside lane closure for up to one week for footway works.

Bellfield Street (Hawkhill to No 24) – closed from Monday 26 March for 5 days for sewer works.

Lochee Road (at Benvie Steps) - temporary traffic lights on Wednesday 28 March for Scottish Water sewer repair.

Perth Road (Invergowrie Drive to Invergowrie roundabout) – off-peak temporary traffic lights for one week for street lighting works.

Forthcoming Roadworks

Glamis Road (at Blackness Road) – off-peak temporary traffic lights on Friday 6 April for Scottish Water ironwork repair.

Sunday 25 March 2018

West End Community Police Surgeries #dundeewestend

The next West End community police surgeries take place tomorrow - Monday 26th March - details below and all residents welcome :

Saturday 24 March 2018

Dementia Drop-In


Friday 23 March 2018

Thursday 22 March 2018

Car park at Riverside Pavilion #dundeewestend

I have received complaints that, not for the first time, the car park at the Riverside Pavilion, adjacent to the playing fields on the north side of Riverside Drive, is flooded and rutted.

I took this up with the council's Head of Environment, who has positively responded as follows :

"I agree that this is not looking too good. 

I have raised with colleagues and they are going to make arrangement to have the surface restored. 

In the longer term and finance dependant, I would be recommending that it is completely renovated with an asphalt surface."

Wednesday 21 March 2018

Event at The Friary - City Church


Tuesday 20 March 2018

Dundee Decides - results event invitation #DundeeDecides #WestEndDecides

Come along to the event below to hear the results of  'Dundee Decides' - Community infrastructure developments for the West End and across the other seven Dundee council ward areas.

Be part of the launch of the new Local Community Plans.   The plans are based on the findings from the Engage Dundee consultation.

Free entry - register through the Eventbrite link here or call 435855.

Monday 19 March 2018

Proposed withdrawal of Stagecoach X8 bus service

I have raised with the Commercial Manager, Stagecoach East Scotland, the negative effect of the  proposed removal of the X8 bus service that runs through the West End travelling to/from Perth Royal Infirmary from/to Arbroath and taking in both Ninewells Hospital and Royal Victoria Hospital.     


This issue has also been highlighted by my colleague Perth and Kinross Councillor Willie Wilson and we have pointed out that removal of the X8 will mean that the only linking hospital service between Dundee and Perth will be the X7 service which uses a coach-style vehicle, totally unsuitable for passengers who have mobility difficulties as virtually all seats are upstairs.


Stagecoach has not given the X8 a decent chance to get established as it only started last summer.      On the other service - the X7 – it uses coaches that only have one space for a wheelchair, have no dedicated built-in access ramp and the amount of seating on the lower deck is restricted to only two cramped seats immediately behind the driver.     There are no facilities for buggies and prams to be taken on the coach apart from them being dismantled and loaded into the boot.  


I have said to Stagecoach’s Commercial Manager that he should give the X8 a proper chance to build a passenger base, but if the company is determined to take the service off, it absolutely cannot leave the X7 with the coach-style vehicles.  I have long-said to Stagecoach that must have a vehicle type that is suitable for a bus service that serves three hospitals – the coach certainly is not.

Sunday 18 March 2018

Recycling changes - drop in events #dundeewestend

Further to my recent update about recycling changes in much of the West End other than the Perth Road Lanes area, this is just a reminder that the first drop in information session event for the West End is tomorrow.

Here's our local details and a poster below - all welcome!

Blackness Library                                 19th March                                4.30pm to 6.30pm

Tesco Riverside                                    29th March                                12 noon to 3pm


Saturday 17 March 2018

Weekly Road Report - West End Ward #dundeewestend

DUNDEE CITY COUNCIL - WEEKLY ROAD REPORT

REPORT FOR WEST END WARD - SATURDAY 17 AND SUNDAY 18 MARCH 2018

Benvie Road/Mitchell Street junction – closed from Saturday 17 March for 5 days for demolition works.  Mitchell Street closed Saturday 17 and Sunday 18 March only.

Nethergate/South Tay Street (West Marketgait to South Tay Street including South Tay Street junction) - closed from Saturday 17 March for up to 5 days for carriageway repairs.

REPORT FOR WEEK COMMENCING MONDAY 19 MARCH 2018

Riverside Drive/South Union Street at Dundee Railway Station – off-peak (9.30am – 3.30pm) east/northbound nearside lane closure for up to 2 weeks for footway works.

Forthcoming Roadworks

Bellfield Street (Hawkhill to No 24) – closed from Monday 26 March for 5 days for sewer works.

Lochee Road (at Benvie Steps) - temporary traffic lights on Wednesday 28 March for Scottish Water sewer repair.

Friday 16 March 2018

Friends of Wighton - latest update

With thanks to Sheena Wellington, here's the latest update from Friends of Wighton :

Wighton Heritage Centre, Central Library
Saturday 17th March,  11am (doors open at 10.30am)
Cappuccino Concert with Heather Innes, singer, & Kate Kramer, fiddler

Heather’s forte is unaccompanied song and she sings with great feeling and delicacy in her fine clear voice.    Her singing has been described as peaceful and calming to listen to and her solo concerts sheer relaxation after a hard day at the office!

Heather began singing professionally in 1990 after performing as the resident singer at the Sunflower Folk Club in Belfast for several years and recording her first album All’s Fair in Love and War at Spring Records, Rostrevor, Northern Ireland in 1989.

In 1990 she moved to Scotland and toured folk clubs and pubs in Scotland and Ireland in duo Donegal Folk Weave (later to become Irish gaelic band D́Ăşlamán) and gigged solo as an a capella singer and with various backing musicians for six years in Scottish and English folk clubs and festivals.

Since then she’s toured with various bands and duos in the UK, Australia, Thailand, Germany, Denmark, Ireland, Canada and USA.

Accompanying Heather will be Kentucky born fiddle player Kate Kramer.  Kate has been a familiar and highly respected player on the Scottish scene for more than 20 years, working both as a solo musician and in various line-ups including the band Arran Bede with Ciaran Dorris.  She toured extensively with the legendary folk musician, wit and raconteur Hamish Imlach and features on his album “More & Merrier”.

Admission £5 - tea/coffee available for small donation.

Thursday 15 March 2018

Temporary Traffic Order - Benvie Road #dundeewestend

From the City Council :

THE ROAD TRAFFIC REGULATION ACT 1984   :   SECTION 14(1)

THE DUNDEE CITY COUNCIL AS TRAFFIC AUTHORITY being satisfied that traffic on the road should be prohibited by reason of demolition works being carried out HEREBY PROHIBIT the driving of any vehicle in Benvie Road (at its junction with Mitchell Street), Dundee.

This notice comes into effect on Saturday 17th March 2018 for five working days.

Pedestrian thoroughfare will be maintained.

Mitchell Street will be closed to vehicular traffic for part of the works.

Alternative routes for vehicles are available via Cleghorn Street/City Road/Milnbank Road/Polepark Road/Fyffe Street and reverse

For further information contact 433168.

Executive Director of City Development  
Dundee City Council

Wednesday 14 March 2018

Temporary Traffic Order - Nethergate #dundeewestend

From the City Council :

THE ROAD TRAFFIC REGULATION ACT 1984   :    SECTION 14(1)

THE DUNDEE CITY COUNCIL AS TRAFFIC AUTHORITY being satisfied that traffic on the road should be prohibited by reason of carriageway works being carried out HEREBY PROHIBIT the driving of any vehicle in Nethergate (from its junction with West Marketgait to its junction with South Tay Street), Dundee.

This notice comes into effect on Saturday 17th March 2018 for 5 days.

Pedestrian thoroughfare will be maintained.   Access to business premises will be maintained

Alternative routes for vehicles are available via West Marketgait/Hawkhill/Perth Road/Nethergate and reverse 

For further information contact 433168.

Executive Director of City Development  
Dundee City Council

Having been previously assured that it was hoped to ensure the work would be carried out over a long weekend, I contacted the Road Maintenance Partnership Manager and his response is below.   

Thankfully, if all goes according to plan, it is hoped to close the road on Saturday morning and re-open on Sunday night - the 5 days referred to above is simply in case of any unforeseen problem once on-site :

"I can confirm the plan is to close the road Saturday morning and reopen on Sunday night. The extended closure booking has been put in place to allow for the unlikely event of unforeseen circumstances which may extend the works programme. 

With regard to the top surface, there was a desire from our colleagues in Dundee House for a cold applied screed finish (similar to antiskid surfacing). The screed treatment requested is a cold applied application rather than hot and as such is a summer activity and would require a second visit. 

Our plan for this visit is to surface in a traditional hot rolled asphalt surface which would be required in any event prior to a screed being laid. We’re using a red pigment in the asphalt along with red chips, with the aim to achieve a pleasing aesthetic finish prior to a second visit to apply the screed. 

As the screed will add no value other than appearance, if the red asphalt finish is acceptable to the community and doesn’t receive complaint we may in the interests of minimising further disruption postpone or cancel the screed layer planned for the summer. If there is a strong desire for the screed to be applied then we will undertake this in the summer."

Tuesday 13 March 2018

West End Community Council Update #dundeewestend

I have today launched my West End Community Council Update for March - you can download this here.

The Update covers the following issues :

• West End residents’ parking 

• Dog fouling issues   

• West End recycling changes 

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

Monday 12 March 2018

Weekly Road Report - West End Ward #dundeewestend

DUNDEE CITY COUNCIL - WEEKLY ROAD REPORT

REPORT FOR WEST END WARD - WEEK COMMENCING MONDAY 12 MARCH 2018

West Marketgait (Overgate Lane to Nethergate) – southbound nearside lane closure for one week for SSE cable overlay.

South Union Street/South Marketgait at Dundee Railway Station – northbound nearside lane closure from 9.30am for 9 weeks for footway works.

Riverside Drive/South Union Street at Dundee Railway Station – off-peak (9.30am – 3.30pm) east/northbound nearside lane closure for up to 3 weeks for footway works.

West Hendersons Wynd (from Douglas Street for a distance of 50m) – closed on Tuesday 13 March for Scottish Water repair works.

Benvie Road/Mitchell Street junction – closed from Saturday 17 March for 5 days for demolition works.  Mitchell Street closed Saturday 17 and Sunday 18 March only.

Riverside Approach (at Riverside Drive) – closed overnight for one week for works to Tay Bridge.

Nethergate/South Tay Street (West Marketgait to South Tay Street including South Tay Street junction) - closed from Saturday 17 March for up to 5 days for carriageway repairs.

Forthcoming Roadworks

Bellfield Street (Hawkhill to No 24) – closed from Monday 26 March for 5 days for sewer works.

Sunday 11 March 2018

Saturday 10 March 2018

Friday 9 March 2018

Assisted bin collections information

Useful update from the Celebrate Age Network :



Thursday 8 March 2018

Dog fouling complaints tackled #dundeewestend

I have recently received complaints from residents in the Eassons Angle, Fyffe Street and Fleucher Street area about dog fouling on local pavements.

I raised this with the Animal Control Officer who advises :

"Signs have been erected in Fyffe Street and Polepark Road.   I will continue to monitor the area."

Wednesday 7 March 2018

West End recycling changes #dundeewestend

In you live in the areas of either Phase 1 or Phase 2 of the recycling rollout (introduction of current recycling services back in 2015) what you put in your waste and recycling bins is changing - including how often they are collected. 

This affects most of the West End Ward apart from the Perth Road Lanes area which was in Phase 4 (last year – 2017).

The council is making these changes because the Scottish Government's Household Recycling Charter has been introduced and it changes what will go into the blue bin and the burgundy bin. 

Residents affected will have by now received a mailing from the council explaining the changes which are effective from 16th April 2018.     You can read more here.    

You should continue to use your bins as normal until then and the council is running information sessions as indicated below – including at Tesco Riverside and Blackness Library – all welcome!

Tuesday 6 March 2018

Award winning musicians at the Wighton

From Sheena Wellington :

Wighton Heritage Centre, Central Library - Lunchtime Recital 
Wednesday 7th March at 1.15pm

Svetlina Stoyanova (mezzo soprano) and Kristina Yorgova (piano)

We are once again delighted to welcome  brilliant young musicians from Live Music Now.

Both born in Bulgaria, Svetlina Stoyanova and Kristina Yorgova are students at The Royal Conservatoire of Scotland (RCS). Svetlina is part way through a Masters Course in performance and Kristina is currently studying for a Bachelor of Music in performance.

Svetlina sang in the Children’s Choir of the Bulgarian National radio and as the main soloist has travelled and sung in many European and Asian countries. As a mezzo-soprano she has taken part in many opera productions and solo concerts. She has won many prizes, most recently, she won 3rd prize in Le Grand Prix de l’Opera and was the highest ranked female singer. Svetlina is very grateful to have received a Help Musicians UK Tutton Award, the RCS Trust scholarship and also to Live Music Now Scotland and Mrs Ulrike Wilson and her family for their continued support.

Having started her music education in Germany and then Bulgaria, Kristina has won many piano competition, amongst which is the 23rd National Competition for Young Musicians ‘Svetoslav Obretenov’, for which she was awarded with a scholarship from the Ministry of Culture of Bulgaria.

In 2015 she won the International Beethoven sonata piano competition in the RCS and 3rd prize at Bamber/Galloway piano competition. Kristina had a solo recitals as part of the 2014 and 2015 Edinburgh Fringe Festival. She is grateful to the RCS trust for awarding her a scholarship throughout her undergraduate studies.

Since meeting in Glasgow in 2013, Svetlina and Kristina have been working as a duo. They have done many concerts and recordings together including a Live Music Now recital in Bulgaria. At the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland they work under the tutelage of Clare Shearer and Fali Pavri.

Admission free - donations for the work of Live Music Now welcomed.

Sunday 4 March 2018

Weekly Road Report - West End Ward #dundeewestend

DUNDEE CITY COUNCIL - WEEKLY ROAD REPORT

REPORT FOR WEST END WARD - WEEK COMMENCING MONDAY 5 MARCH 2018

Glamis Road (Blackness Road to Dickson Avenue) – give and take traffic control for up to 5 days for footway and tree works.

West Marketgait (Overgate Lane to Nethergate) – southbound nearside lane closure for 2 weeks for SSE cable overlay.

Riverside Drive/South Union Street at Dundee Railway Station – off-peak (9.30am – 3.30pm) east/northbound nearside lane closure from Wednesday 7 March for 3 weeks for footway works.

Forthcoming Roadworks

West Hendersons Wynd (from Douglas Street for a distance of 50m) – closed on Tuesday 13 March for Scottish Water repair works.

Benvie Road/Mitchell Street junction – closed from Saturday 17 March for 5 days for demolition works.  Mitchell Street closed Saturday 17 and Sunday 18 March only.

Saturday 3 March 2018

Getting things done : Bankmill Road - Rosefield Place path

Residents have contacted me about the untidy state of the pathway that runs between Bankmill Road and Rosefield Place - see photos below.


I have taken this up with environment management in the council's Neighbourhood Services and requested a tidy up.

Friday 2 March 2018

Dundee Botanic Garden event #dundeewestend

UPDATE :   Friday 2nd March at 1pm - Sunday's event below has been postponed due to weather conditions :

Friends of the University of Dundee Botanic Garden
Talk - Sunday 4th March - the history of the area around the Botanic Garden

Keith Walker, an expert on Dundee's local history, will talk about Will's Braes and the lands around the Botanic Garden. 

Keith has spent his life researching Dundee's history, has contributed frequently to the Craigie Column and conducts research for the City Archives and local history specialists. 

The talk is in the Education Centre in the Botanic Garden at 2pm.

Thursday 1 March 2018

Harris Academy FPs' Lunch

The next Harris Academy Former Pupils’ Association Lunch is on Monday 5th March at 12 noon for 12.30pm.

It will be held in Invercarse Hotel on Perth Road and the cost per person, payable on arrival, will be £16.00.

More information is available from the FPs’ social secretary Sandra Mulford at social@harrisfps.co.uk.    

Please contact Sandra by 5pm tomorrow, 2nd March.