WRA Chairman’s report – April 2022
It is with great delight that I am able to give you my Chairperson’s report for this year in person and glad to see so many local residents in attendance.
Over the last 11 months the WRA committee have met on 3 occasions. May I thank Walter McKay and the Goldenacre Bowling Club for allowing us to host our committee meetings and our AGM. What an asset to have on our doorstep and if you are interested in taking up bowls or using the facilities please contact the club directly.
We have been hard at work improving the safety on our estate and for those new residents on the estate we extend a warm welcome to you all. We hope that you enjoy being part of our friendly neighbourhood.
The WRA was set up in the early eighties under the Neighbourhood Watch Scotland initiative to ensure that the area we live in remains a secure and safe place to live. As a community we share information on crime prevention and community safety issues.
In recent years we have worked with the City of Edinburgh Council to improve access onto the estate from the cycle path network, improve street lighting, walkways and safety. We are a ‘Cold Calling Free Zone’ and as a community we care and take pride in our neighbourhood.
I’d like to pay special thanks to our local councillors; Ian Whyte, Hal Osler, Max Mitchell and Gavin Barrie for their help on local matters and with the local elections taking place on 5th May 2022, I’d like to encourage you to back those councillors who have supported us over the last few years.
The way we communicate to you the residents is also very important. We issued 3 newsletters during the year (no’s 64, 65, & 66) but we also recognise that as more crime is committed online and through telephone scams, there is a need to react quickly and to alert local residents on safety and security issues. In a digitally connected world our online activity is important and I am especially delighted to report that our WRA Facebook site and WRA web site www.warristonresidentsassociation.co.uk allows us to communicate directly to you.
My thanks go to Kenny McKenzie who is responsible for keeping the web site up to date and we will continue to link all our news stories and information to this site so please spread the word about this resource where you will be able to find all sorts of local information and updated news.
Thanks to those that have signed up to the email alert system. I would encourage those that have not done so to contact the WRA secretary Alan Shepherd (email: warriston.ra@gmail.com) and ask to be put on our email distribution list. His regular updates are much appreciated.
I am indebted to our local community police team for all their assistance. We are a relatively crime free area but there has been a few attempted shed and garage break-ins as well as a couple of car crimes over the last year.
If we are to remain a crime free zone we need everyone to play their part in keeping alert and aware of potential intruders.
Please take action now to improve your home security. Be vigilant and alert of those that you do not recognise in the area and if in doubt or you are wary of any unusual activity, pick up the phone and dial 101 or call a neighbour.
Those eagle eye residents will have noticed that new Neighbourhood Watch Scotland street signs have been erected and a couple of street signs have also been updated during the year.
Local residents have continued to support the clearing up of the Upper Goldenacre path and the ongoing work on the wild flower meadow is really taking shape. I estimate that over 60 man/women hours has gone into to clearing this small area and my thanks to Bill Tait who has worked tirelessly on this project.
We have also cut back the overgrowth on either side of the fence line. This activity is on top of the WRA requesting that the path and the hedges are regularly maintained by the council’s NW Grounds Maintenance team and my thanks to Christopher Orrock, Robert Farqhuar and Robert Taylor from the Council for finally acting on my constant email reminders.
Despite delays, the upgrade of the footpaths on the ‘Drive’ and ‘Terrace’ will commence at the end of this month. All residents have been notified on the schedule of works and there will also be some resurfacing work undertaken on the ‘Drive’.
Once again this has come about by lobbying the council with collaborative support from our local councillors. It takes time but the results benefit the area and the residents.
The pavement works will involve a lot of construction and take a number of weeks to complete but I would ask everyone to be patient and supportive when the work commences.
I’d also like to thank everyone on our committee including our secretary Alan Shepherd and Treasurer, Bill Tait. Bill also judges our ‘Garden’s Competition’ and we hope that you will agree that the gardens add much colour on our estate. Congratulations to lasts year’s winners Neil and Michele Thomson on the ‘Drive’.
May I also thank Bill Keil, our Neighbourhood Watch Convenor and Kim Atkinson. Both attend meetings of the Stockbridge & Inverleith Community Council where we are able to share information on crime prevention and local issues whilst Bill ensures the smooth production and distribution of our newsletter.
We are also supported by Neighbourhood Area Watch Convenors, Clare Shepherd, Stuart Telford, Lisa Sommerville and Norman Jack.
We are always looking for more volunteers to join the committee so if you are keen to get involved please approach me or any of the committee members.
During the year we lost a number of residents including, Jean Coxson, Margaret Gilfillan & former committee member Shirley Gladstone. They were all great supporters of the WRA and interested in our work across the community.
I can also advise that the WRA pay an annual contribution to the Friends of Warriston Cemetery. We are very lucky to have this peaceful spot on our doorstep and I know that a number of residents also support their good work both as active volunteers and members. The Council have been working hard to ensure that a new code of conduct is observed by all users including dog walkers and I believe that this will be communicated through the Friends in the coming months.
Plans are already taking shape for the WRA Queen’s Platinum Jubilee with a street party that will be held on the south end of Warriston Avenue on the afternoon of Sunday 5th June. A steering committee has been formed and all residents at the south end approached asking for their support. We will be applying to the City of Edinburgh Council’s Lord Provost’s Fund to help pay for the hire of trestle tables, chairs, toilets, a pa system and plans are being put in place to host many fun activities.
There is no guarantee that we will receive a grant so this is where I appeal to you all and encourage all residents to contribute to help cover our costs. Please also contact Bill Tait who will gladly receive you donations.
Every resident from across the estate is invited to attend and I am very much looking forward to this day which will help celebrate our amazing monarch. We will issue a special ‘Street Party’ newsletter next month giving all the details of the how we will manage the day but we are thoroughly looking to sharing the home baking, sandwiches, tea, drinks and all the activities that we have planned for the day.
Finally, I firmly believe that one of the joys of living in Warriston is our community spirit and sense of civic pride. Edinburgh is a beautiful city and the Warriston estate with its close proximity to the city centre, Botanical gardens and Inverleith Park helps make our friendly neighbourhood a very special place to live. I hope that all residents feel the same way and we are grateful for your support.
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