Tuesday 30 April 2019

Friends of Wighton - May Day Lunchtime Recital

From Sheena Wellington :

Tomorrow - Wednesday 1st May - at 1.15pm, our May Day Lunchtime Recital stars our own inimitable Karen Hannah on fiddle and Lindsay Duncan on vocals and guitar 

A fine player with an engaging personality, Karen is known as “tunemonster” for her unrivalled knowledge of Scottish melodies. The wonderfully named Nifty Shades of Grey, Sporran Again and Ceilidh Minogue are among the many bands she has worked with! She has taught fiddle at the Wighton Centre for many years and her performing career has seen her representing Scotland as far afield as New Zealand and South Korea.

Another musical globetrotter is Lindsay Duncan, one of the best known musicians in Tayside. Deeply into music since his schooldays, he is a compelling singer and plays the most beautiful acoustic guitar – check out his version of The Irish Girl on YouTube.   His band pedigree incudes The Mad Parrot Ceilidh Band and The Broon Troot Orchestra and he is an excellent and experienced guitar teacher.

Karen and Lindsay have worked together as a duo and in various line- ups for more than a decade. They promise us songs, tunes and a surprise or two.    

Admission free, donations welcome.

Monday 29 April 2019

Perth Road district shopping area - exciting news!

West End Community Council has received funding from Sustrans Scotland’s Places for Everyone programme, to develop ideas to enhance a section of Perth Road, to create an accessible, quality ‘high street’ for everyone.

This is the first phase of an ambitious three phase project to transform Perth Road into an area which is safe, accessible and attractive, creating a desirable destination that people will want to visit, shop and linger in. 

This first phase seeks to gather survey evidence, engage with both the community and stakeholders and formulate a placemaking plan which will subsequently feed into further funding applications to expand on design stages.

Throughout May and June 2019 there will be numerous events and opportunities for anyone with an interest and passion for this part of Dundee to get involved and share your ideas! 

If you live, have a business, work or visit this part of Perth Road, the West End Community Council want you have your say on what works, what needs to be improved and what the priorities are - please have a look at the list of events and come along to have your say!

If you can't make it along, visit https://perthroaddundeemap.commonplace.is (this goes live later today), where you will be able to voice your opinions.

Sunday 28 April 2019

Weekly Road Report - West End Ward #dundeewestend

DUNDEE CITY COUNCIL - WEEKLY ROAD REPORT

REPORT FOR WEST END WARD - SUNDAY 28 APRIL 2019

Nethergate (Tay Street Lane to West Marketgait) – closed eastbound on Sunday 28 April for Street Lighting work.

REPORT FOR WEST END WARD - WEEK COMMENCING MONDAY 29 APRIL 2019

Nethergate (at West Marketgait) – eastbound lane restrictions from Monday 29 April for 2 weeks for Scottish Water work.

Perth Road (at Springfield) – off-peak temporary traffic lights on Tuesday 30 April for Scottish Water works.

Saturday 27 April 2019

Friday 26 April 2019

Temporary Traffic Order - Nethergate

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 Street Lighting Column removal works being carried out HEREBY PROHIBIT the driving of any vehicle in Nethergate (eastbound between Tay Street Lane and West Marketgait), Dundee.

This notice comes into effect on Sunday 28 April 2019 for 1 day.

Pedestrian thoroughfare will be maintained.

Alternative routes are available via Nethergate / Perth Road / Hawkhill / West Marketgait.

For further information contact 433082.

Executive Director of City Development
Dundee City Council

Thursday 25 April 2019

Friends of Wighton event this Saturday!

From Sheena Wellington :

Saturday 27th April  :  Christine Kydd, singer and songwriter
Wighton Heritage Centre - Central Library - starts 11am

Check any online folk music station or magazine these days and chances are that there will be someone running out of superlatives to describe  Christine Kydd’s latest CD “Shift & Change.”

Christine is, of course, one of Scotland’s leading, award-winning singers and recording artistes. 

With eclectic tastes, she is best known for her treatment of traditional and contemporary songs and her solo set is as likely to include self-penned songs as the work of Marra, Springsteen, Hulett, Wellington, McVicar, Jacob, Tannahill and Reid.

Admission £5;  coffee and newspapers available from 10.30am. 

Wednesday 24 April 2019

Friends of Balgay Spring meeting #dundeewestend

The next Friends of Balgay meeting will be at 2pm on Saturday 27th April at the Mills Observatory.

Keith Walker, local artist and archivist, will give a  talk on “Old Balgay – 1600 to 1800” - and all are very welcome to attend.

Monday 22 April 2019

Weekly Road Report - West End Ward #dundeewestend

DUNDEE CITY COUNCIL - WEEKLY ROAD REPORT

REPORT FOR WEST END WARD - WEEK COMMENCING MONDAY 22 APRIL 2019

Glamis Drive – closed for one week for footway resurfacing works.

Nethergate (Tay Street Lane to West Marketgait) – closed eastbound on Sunday 28 April for Street Lighting work.

Brook Street (at Edward Street) – temporary traffic lights for 10 days for SSEN works.

Perth Road (Roseangle) – temporary traffic lights on Saturday 27 April for BT works.

Forthcoming Roadworks

Nethergate (at West Marketgait) – eastbound lane restrictions from Monday 29 April for 2 weeks for Scottish Water work.

Perth Road (at Springfield) – off-peak temporary traffic lights on Tuesday 30 April for Scottish Water works.

Sunday 21 April 2019

A very Happy Easter


Saturday 20 April 2019

Getting things done - Forest Park Road and Rosefield Street #dundeewestend

I have received a number of further complaints about the amount of litter regularly in both Forest Park Road (pictured below) and Rosefield Street :
I have therefore raised this with the environment manager for the area regarding the need for more regular street sweeping in both streets.

Friday 19 April 2019

Thursday 18 April 2019

Friends of Wighton update ...

From Sheena Wellington :

This Saturday - 20th April - Easter Special – Bob Stewart, songs 
Cappuccino Concert - 11am – 12 noon
Wighton Heritage Centre, Central Library

Bob Stewart has been entertaining for over 25 years and plays a variety of Scottish/Celtic and contemporary acoustic music.    

His performances are a very lively affair with a mixture of traditional and original material, a driving acoustic guitar sound, bodhran and mandolin (not all at the same time) and humour.

Bob was born and bred in Alyth, Perthshire and has been a full time musician since 1989.     He has played in several successful bands, touring Scotland and Europe before going solo in 2007. 

In 2017, Bob returned to his roots and began performing again in the traditional music scene. 

Still living in Alyth and touring the length and breadth of the country, he is looking forward to one of his busiest years ever.

Admission £5, with coffee and newspapers from 10.30am.

Wednesday 17 April 2019

Riverside Drive - road safety #dundeewestend

A number of residents who live in the Riverside Apartments just west of the roundabout on Riverside Drive at Tesco have expressed concern about the speed of some vehicles outside their homes.

Some have suggested the more appropriate speed limit at their homes would be 30mph, which would involve moving the start of the 30mph zone slightly westwards along the road.    The current 40mph limit here was put in place when there were no residential properties on this part of Riverside Drive.

On their behalf, I raised this with the City Council and the council's Traffic and Transport Team Leader has responded as follows :

"I think we will need to see what the speeds are on this section of road and I will try and organise a survey to be done. 

History tells us that just changing speed limits doesn't always change people's behaviour. 

I will also speak to the police about this as well as they will have to enforce any new limit. A speed survey will be the starting point."

Tuesday 16 April 2019

Monday 15 April 2019

Weekly Road Report - West End Ward #dundeewestend

DUNDEE CITY COUNCIL - WEEKLY ROAD REPORT

REPORT FOR WEST END WARD - WEEK COMMENCING MONDAY 15 APRIL 2019

Glamis Drive – Invergowrie Drive to Hillside Road (Phase 1) and Hillside Road to Glamis Road (Phase 2) – closed in phases as stated for Monday 15 April for 2 weeks for footway resurfacing works.  Only one phase closed at any one time.

Riverside Esplanade – off-peak nearside lane closure on from Monday 15 – Wednesday 17 April for building maintenance.

Sunday 14 April 2019

West End Ward Surgeries #dundeewestend

With the Easter school holidays now nearly over, it is back to West End Ward surgeries this coming week.   My Mitchell Street Centre and Harris Academy surgeries take place tomorrow.

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 :


Saturday 13 April 2019

Temporary Traffic Order - Glamis Drive

From the 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 footway resurfacing works.  The Order is expected to be in force for two weeks from 15 April 2019.  Its maximum duration in terms of the Act is eighteen months.

The effect of the Order is to prohibit temporarily all vehicular traffic in Glamis Drive from Invergowrie Drive to Hillside Road (Phase 1) and from Hillside Road to Glamis Road (Phase 2).

Only one phase of the works will be in operation at any time.

An alternative route will be available via Glamis Road, Perth Road, Invergowrie Drive and in reverse.  Pedestrians will have an alternative walkway on the road to safely pass the works.

If you have any queries, please contact the Network Management Team, City Development Department, Dundee House, 50 North Lindsay Street, Dundee, DD1 1LS - 433168.

Friday 12 April 2019

Getting things done - Clayhills Drive #dundeewestend

A number of constituents have contacted me about the deteriorating state of the road in Clayhills Drive near its entrance.

I reported this to the City Council's Roads Maintenance Partnership and have been given the following helpful response :

"The Road Maintenance inspector has raised an order for pothole repairs to be done with a timescale for completion of approximately thirty days. 

He will continue to monitor the condition of the carriageway during routine inspection and any actionable defects noted will be repaired to ensure safety is maintained."

Thursday 11 April 2019

'Out and About' Bus


Wednesday 10 April 2019

The Art of Reading

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

The Art of Reading
An exhibition of art about, inspired by and in the form of books
Tower Foyer Gallery, Tower Building, University of Dundee
Now on until 29th June - Monday to Friday 09.30-19.00; Saturday 13.00-17.00

The latest show in the Tower Foyer Gallery has been created as a companion to the current rare books exhibition in the Lamb Gallery (Bodies, Botanicals & Bindings). It looks at some of the ways that artists are inspired by or make use of books.

Sketchbooks are often the starting point for any artistic idea
Artists often create visual adaptations of scenes in books that inspire them
Many books – particularly ones for children – feature illustrations by artists
Artists might use books as visual props for the subjects in their paintings
Some artists aim to critique the form of books
Last but not least, many artists make their own books

All of the works on display are drawn from the University’s extensive Museum Collections. Artists include Sam Ainsley, Louise Hopkins, Ian Hamilton Finlay, R B Kitaj, Joseph Lee, Richard Long, Moira Macgregor, Bruce McLean, Noel Paton, Tom Phillips, Arthur Rackham and Barbara Robertson.

Monday 8 April 2019

Weekly Road Report - West End Ward #dundeewestend

DUNDEE CITY COUNCIL - WEEKLY ROAD REPORT

Forthcoming Roadworks – West End Ward

Glamis Drive – Invergowrie Drive to Hillside Road (Phase 1) and Hillside Road to Glamis Road (Phase 2) – closed in phases as stated for Monday 15 April for 2 weeks for footway resurfacing works.  Only one phase closed at any one time.

Sunday 7 April 2019

New steps - Pentland Avenue #dundeewestend

Residents recently asked me for an update on when the new steps currently under construction in Pentland Avenue will be available to use.

I asked for an update from the City Council and the Project Officer in the Housing Asset Management Unit has advised as follows :

"The stairs cannot be opened until the handrail has been fully installed. The contractors programme of work shows this should start next week. The handrails could not be fabricated until the installation of the pre cast concrete steps was finished as they need to fit the final gradient of the steps plus the quality of the materials specified has led to a longer lead time than might normally be expected but the we feel this will be worth it in the longer term due to the reduction in the repairs and maintenance that will be required.

The same type of works are being simultaneously carried out at the Dallfield Multi-storey development so we are in constant communication with the contractor about both jobs. 

As soon as the handrails of are fitted, the city engineers with carry out an inspection and assuming everything is ok, will issue the relevant paperwork that will allow the are to be fully open. Once these steps are fully finished, work will begin on the other set of steps."

Friday 5 April 2019

Getting things done - Bankmill Road #dundeewestend

Residents recently contacted me about graffiti in Bankmill Road - see below :


I am grateful to the City Council's Rapid Response Team who very promptly responded to my request to have the graffiti removed.

Thursday 4 April 2019

Tuesday 2 April 2019

Latest event from Friends of Wighton

From Sheena Wellington :

Wighton Heritage Centre, Central Library
Wednesday 3rd April - 1.15pm – 1.45pm
Lunchtime Recital :  Celtic Strings Trio 

Celtic Strings Trio are Anne Hamilton, vocals and guitar, Morag Sutherland (violin) and Jenny Blain (harp)  and they play and sing a mixture of Celtic and modern music.

Admission free, retiring donation.

Monday 1 April 2019

West End Surgeries #dundeewestend

As the school Easter holidays are now taking place, my ward surgeries at Harris Academy, Blackness Primary School and the Mitchell Street Centre 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 15th April - surgery details are available here.

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

Easter holiday fun days at Ancrum Road Primary School