Discover Dundee this Summer - kids travel for 20p!

Old Dundee - Bellfield Street 1958

West End Ward surgeries #dundeewestend

Now that the school summer holidays are commencing, my usual weekly ward surgeries 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.

I can also be contacted during office hours at my Dundee City Council office on 434985.

Old Dundee - Aerial view of Park Place & Park Lane towards the Law

At the request of residents, over the coming days, I'll be featuring some old Dundee photographs, starting with an aerial view of Park Place & Park Lane towards the Law :

Maggie’s Penguin Parade

Find out more here!

Temporary Traffic Order - Greenmarket and South Marketgait

From Dundee City Council :

Dundee City Council proposes to make an Order under Section 14(1) of the Road Traffic Regulation Act 1984 for the purpose of facilitating traffic signal refurbishment works.  The Order is expected to be in force for two weeks from 2 July 2018.  Its maximum duration in terms of the Act is eighteen months.

The effect of the Order is to prohibit temporarily all vehicular traffic in (1) the right turn from Greenmarket into South Marketgait, (2) the right turn from South Marketgait (southbound) into Greenmarket and (3) the right turn into Yeaman Shore from South Marketgait (northbound).

Pedestrian crossing facilities will be unavailable at South Marketgait, Greenmarket and Yeaman Shore and will be diverted to nearest pedestrian crossing.

Alternative routes will be available via South Marketgait, West Marketgait, Westport Roundabout, West Marketgait and South Marketgait, and South Marketgait, Thomson Avenue, South Castle Street, Riverside Esplanade, South Union Street and South Marketgait.

Please forward any comments you may have regarding this proposal to the Network Management Team, City Development Department, Dundee House, 50 North Lindsay Street, Dundee, DD1 1LS.    If you have any queries, please call 433082.

7th Dundee Economic Summit

More information is available here :

Weekly Road Report - West End Ward #dundeewestend

DUNDEE CITY COUNCIL - WEEKLY ROAD REPORT

REPORT FOR WEST END WARD - WEEK COMMENCING MONDAY 25 JUNE 2018

South Union Street/South Marketgait at Dundee Railway Station – northbound nearside lane closure from 9.30am for 2 weeks for footway works.

Brook Street (at Milnes East Wynd) – off-peak temporary lights on Monday 25 June for Scottish Water manhole repair.

Forthcoming Roadworks

Logie Street – closed from Monday 2 July for 3 weeks for carriageway resurfacing.

Greenmarket/South Marketgait junction – prohibition of all right turns from Monday 2 July for 2 weeks for traffic signal refurbishment works.

Sunday Band Concert at Magdalen Green #dundeewestend

Today's Sunday band concert at Magdalen Green features the Forfar Instrumental Band - starting at 2pm.

Here's the 2018 list of Sunday band concerts :

Getting things done - Fyffe Street #dundeewestend

Residents have drawn to my attention the poor condition of part of the pavement on the north side of Fyffe Street.

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

"An order has been raised for a thermal patching repair to be carried out at this location. There is no specific timescale for completion but it will be done when resources are available.”

West End Community Police Surgeries #dundeewestend

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

Moira Macgregor : A Life in Style

Moira Macgregor (1931-2016) was a graduate from Dundee College of Art (now Duncan of Jordanstone College of Art & Design) and built an international career as a fashion illustrator, editor and painter. Her work is characterised by her skilful draughtsmanship and a close attention to detail. 

In 2017, Macgregor’s family donated a significant collection of her work to the University of Dundee, in accordance with her wishes. This exhibition presents a selection of this generous gift spanning her entire career and provides an insight into the development of her artistic practice. Her stylish fashion illustrations reflect the spirit of the 1960s and 1970s, while minutely detailed representations of food evolve into pared-down abstractions as Macgregor developed her view of the world. The collection shows the full breadth of her skill as a designer, illustrator, painter and printmaker. 

Moira Macgregor was born in Dundee. After leaving Harris Academy she studied Drawing & Painting at Dundee College of Art, where she was awarded a travelling scholarship to Rome in 1954. 

After working in the Netherlands in 1958-9, Macgregor moved to London to work as fashion illustrator with Helen Jardine Artists agency. She made friends with her colleague Barbara Hulanicki who would go on to found Biba in 1963. That year she married fellow designer John McConnell, and both worked for Biba. Macgregor also created the popular ‘Capable Kate’ for Honey magazine. During this time, she worked as illustrator and editor for lifestyle columns in The Observer, Woman’s Own, Nova and Glamour magazines among others. 

In the 1980s and ‘90s, Macgregor’s focus shifted to highly realistic illustrations for advertising, book publishing and packaging. However, art was not just a job for her – she constantly observed the world around her and experimented with different techniques. From 1983 she exhibited regularly at the Royal Academy summer exhibitions and never stopped creating throughout her life. 

As well as presenting Moira’s collection to the University, her family have endowed an annual bursary at DJCAD to support a student in undertaking a cultural study visit to another country, reflecting Moira’s own life-enhancing scholarship awarded by the College.

The exhibition will run until 22nd September and is open Monday to Fri 9.30am-7pm, Saturday 1pm-5pm.

Friends of Wighton lunchtime concert

From Sheena Wellington :

St Paul’s Cathedral, 1 High Street - Saturday 23rd June, Lunchtime Concert,  1pm

Fliskmahoy!

Frances Cooper (Soprano),  Emma Versteeg (Soprano), Carole Clark (Alto),  Rebecca Clarke (Violin) - Fliskmahoy! is an all-women group, three singers, and a violinist. Various musicians have been keen to arrange or write new pieces for them.  

One composer friend, Stuart Murray Mitchell, wrote one of the suites that Joanna Nicholson and Frances Cooper performed in concert at the Wighton last year.  He has also made a brilliant job of arranging some of the pieces found in the Wighton Collection. He  has called it Scotch Miscellany and this special piece will be performed at Fliskmahoy’s concert in St Paul’s.  

Tickets £5, students £3, accompanied children free.   Coffee/tea available after concert.

Getting things done - Lochee Road #dundeewestend

Residents have drawn to my attention the poor condition of the pavement on Lochee Road from Mitchell Street to Black Street.

I highlighted this with the council's Roads Maintenance Partnership and have received the following helpful response :

"This section of Lochee Road footway between Mitchell Street to Black Street has been identified for including in the 2018/2019 footway slurry seal programme subject to budget availability. The works have yet to be programmed."

Weekly Road Report - West End Ward #dundeewestend

DUNDEE CITY COUNCIL - WEEKLY ROAD REPORT

REPORT FOR WEST END WARD - WEEK COMMENCING MONDAY 18 JUNE 2018

South Union Street/South Marketgait at Dundee Railway Station – northbound nearside lane closure from 9.30am for 2 weeks for footway works.

Riverside Avenue (at Perth Road) – temporary traffic lights from Monday 18 to Thursday 21 June for Scottish Water mains conditioning.

Perth Road (at Mid Wynd) - off-peak temporary traffic lights on Thursday 21 June for BT cabling work.

Forthcoming Roadworks

Logie Street – closed from Monday 2 July for 3 weeks for carriageway resurfacing.

Blether Tay-Gither - Storytelling in Dundee

From Blether Tay-Gither :

Our June Blether will be on Tuesday 26th June at 7.30pm at The Butterfly Café, 28 Commercial Street.

The theme this month is “SAND.” 

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!

The Gaff - exhibition in the D'Arcy Thompson Zoology Museum

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

David Blyth + Nick Gordon

The Gaff

Running until 29th June 2018

D’Arcy Thompson Zoology Museum, University of Dundee

Open Fridays 2pm– 4.30pm. By appointment at other times.

Welcome to The Gaff. Inspired by the preserved vestiges of D’Arcy Thompson’s personal collection, Scottish artists David Blyth and Nick Gordon pay homage to this visionary man of Natural Science through playful response to the displays at the D’Arcy Thompson Zoology Museum. With reference to Thompson’s seminal book On Growth and Form, the exhibition showcases individual sculptural works by the two artists unified through their interrogation of ‘material culture’ and the accepted codes of the museum experience. ‘Behave, you Animal!’

In fact, it was a mutual interest in D’Arcy Thompson’s book that brought the artists together for this collaborative exhibition. By introducing new artworks into the historical collection to challenge the conventions of taxonomy and explore alternative connections and contexts, they aim to release new ideas from the zoological specimens within the collection.

The Gaff seeks to breathe new life into the museum experience by encouraging a different set of questions about the natural world and our perceptual understanding of what this means today. 

David Blyth lives and works in rural Aberdeenshire. He works at Gray’s School of Art as an academic lecturer on the Contemporary Art Practice course. David’s work involves the craft skills of taxidermy to draw upon narratives of Scottish folklore, shamanism and human-animal relations.

Nick Gordon lives and works in Stromness, Orkney, where he works as a technician at Soulisquoy Printmakers. An avid beachcomber, Nick’s work uses mixed media collage to explore our relationship with the environment. His work is a contemporary reflection of the cognitive processes of collecting, arranging, displaying and analysing – an archaeology of sorts. 

The exhibition can be seen in the Zoology Museum on Fridays 2-4.30pm until 29 June.    Find out more about it here. 

Friends of Wighton event

From Sheena Wellington :

Saturday 16th June, Cappuccino Concert - Wighton Heritage Centre, Central Library

11am – noon - tickets £5 

Andrew Gordon & Euan Johnston, songs, tunes and a bit of welly!

Euan Johnston and Andrew Gordon have been friends from the Scottish music scene for 15 years each a much respected performer in his own right.  

Finally getting together as a duo in early 2016, Euan and Andrew have worked on a set that shows their passion for Scottish and Irish Music.  

Never taking themselves too seriously, they switch from the serious to the surreal, from Spain to seals.  

Their accompanying guitar and bodhran rhythms could be considered “robust” and when both bodhrans are out … mighty!

Doors open 10.30am; tea/coffee available for a small donation.

Garden, Allotment & Best Kept Close Competition 2018

This year's Garden, Allotment & Best Kept Close Competition is now on - closing date Friday 20th July.

This competition celebrates the hard work being done by members of the community across Dundee in their gardens, allotments and homes. 

It is open to all within the Dundee City boundary and is free to enter. 

Entries are encouraged by individuals, community groups, residents groups, businesses and more.

Hard copies of the application form and further information is available in libraries and community centres and it is available to download here. 

Ninewells Community Garden event #dundeewestend

West End Community Council Update #dundeewestend

I have today launched my June 2018 Update to West End Community Council.    Subjects covered include:

•         Blackness Post Office - electronic door entry   

•         Bus stop east of Harris Academy moved - trial basis   

The Community Council meets this evening at Logie St John's (Cross) Church Hall at 7pm - all residents welcome.      You can download my Update here.

The agenda for tonight’s meeting is as follows :

WEST END  COMMUNITY  COUNCIL  MEETING

TUESDAY 12th JUNE  2018  AT  7.00PM

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

(ENTER FROM  SHAFTESBURY  TERRACE  -  OFF  BLACKNESS  AVENUE)

1. WELCOME, INTRODUCTIONS AND APOLOGIES

2. MINUTE OF MEETING 8TH MAY 2018 AND  MATTERS  ARISING

3. CORRESPONDENCE

4. POLICE SCOTLAND UPDATE

5. WESTFEST

6. PERTH ROAD UPDATE 

7. WECC HIT LIST

8. PLANNING  UPDATE

9. OTHER MEETINGS ATTENDED ON BEHALF OF WECC

10. AOCB – MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC INPUT

11. 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 11 JUNE 2018

South Union Street/South Marketgait at Dundee Railway Station – northbound nearside lane closure from 9.30am for 3 weeks for footway works.

Tullideph Road – off-peak nearside lane closure at City Road on Monday 11 and Tuesday 12 June for BT maintenance work.

Riverside Approach – prohibition of right turn into Riverside Approach from Riverside Drive from Monday 11 June for 5 days for SGN investigation work.

Forthcoming Roadworks

Riverside Avenue (at Perth Road) – temporary traffic lights from Monday 18 to Thursday 21 June for Scottish Water mains conditioning.

Perth Road (at Mid Wynd) - off-peak temporary traffic lights on Thursday 21 June for BT cabling work.

Logie Street – closed from Monday 2 July for 3 weeks for carriageway resurfacing.

Sunday Band Concerts 2018

The first Sunday Band Concert at Magdalen Green is later today - starting at 2pm and with the Forfar Instrumental Band - all welcome!

Details of the remaining 2018 concerts is below :

Temporary Traffic Order - Riverside Drive

From the City Council - Note - this applies to the right turn only and does not otherwise affect Riverside Drive :

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 gas mains investigation works being carried out HEREBY PROHIBIT the driving of any vehicle in Riverside Drive (prohibition of right turn into Riverside Approach).

This notice comes into effect on Monday 11 June 2018 for 5 working days.

Pedestrian thoroughfare will be maintained.

Alternative routes are available via Riverside Drive / Perth Road / Windsor Street / Magdalen Yard Road

For further information contact 433082.

Executive Director of City Development

Dundee City Council

A Legacy of Art & Design in Dundee - The William S. Phillips’ Fund Bursaries

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

A Legacy of Art & Design in Dundee

An exhibition celebrating 15 years of funding of artistic excellence at Duncan of Jordanstone College of Art & Design.

In the Lamb Gallery, Tower Building, University of Dundee, "A Legacy of Art & Design in Dundee" is running until 23rd June.

Since 2003, the William S. Phillips’ Fund has supported over 40 postgraduates with bursaries to study at Duncan of Jordanstone College of Art & Design.     

This major exhibition commemorates 15 years of this funding with a wide-ranging collection of work by the recipients of the awards as well as some examples of work by William Phillips’ father, landscape painter Charles Gustav Louis Phillips. 

The exhibition celebrates the extraordinary vibrancy of the art and design talent that has emerged from Dundee and its continuing influence through the wide-ranging work of these contemporary artists and designers.

The exhibition is open Monday to Friday 9.30am-7pm and Saturday 1pm-5pm. 

It has been supported by the William S. Phillips’ Fund and includes works on loan from Dundee Heritage Trust.

June events at Ninewells Community Garden #dundeewestend

Friends of Wighton Lunchtime Recital today

Wednesday 6th June, Lunchtime Recital 

Wighton Heritage Centre, Central Library - 1.15pm – 1.45pm - admission free

Sheena Wellington, singer - “The Earl’s Daughters”

Friends of Wighton stalwart Sheena Wellington explores the considerable and unique contribution made to Scots song by ladies of genteel birth.

Lady Grisell Baillie, Lady Anne Lindsay, Lady John Scott, Lady Nairne and others were aristocratic women who loved their country and the emotive power of its native music.  

Some of songs will be very familiar though their origin might be a surprise. 

Some of the songs deserve to be better known as do the stories of the women who wrote them.   

Community Spirit Action Group meeting #dundeewestend

Details of the next meeting of Community Spirit Action Group taking place tomorrow night - the community group for the "north" part of West End Ward, covering Pentland, Tullideph, Ancrum, Forest Park and the Cleghorn area – all very welcome :

Weekly Road Report - West End Ward #dundeewestend

DUNDEE CITY COUNCIL - WEEKLY ROAD REPORT

REPORT FOR WEST END WARD - WEEK COMMENCING MONDAY 4 JUNE 2018

South Union Street/South Marketgait at Dundee Railway Station – northbound nearside lane closure from 9.30am for 4 weeks for footway works.

Forthcoming Roadworks

Riverside Approach – prohibition of right turn into Riverside Approach from Riverside Drive from Monday 11 June for 5 days for SGN investigation work.

Move More Dundee from Macmillan Cancer Support

West End Police Scotland Community Surgery #dundeewestend

Victoria Park Primary School Summer Fayre #dundeewestend

The Victoria Park Primary School Summer Fayre is on Saturday 9th June at the school from 10am until 12 noon.

There will be lots of stalls and a raffle - all welcome!