"...the sculpture workshop on the Hawthornvale path" The workplace of 'im indoors? Perhaps he'd have a word.
CityCyclingEdinburgh Forum » General Edinburgh
"Work starts on new £35m Boroughmuir High School"
(236 posts)-
Posted 9 years ago #
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Petition backed by all the feeder school parent councils + Merchiston CC
Posted 9 years ago # -
"
Paul (@fountainbridge)
24/11/2014 20:38
Sad to see the new paths connecting Fountainbridge to the canal being ripped up - only finished in the summerhttp://pic.twitter.com/coY0y3h1qc
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Posted 9 years ago # -
I saw this comment on the Boroughmuir construction.
See link for layout of paths to be built in connection with the new school.
a. It looks like it will be steps up to Viewforth although there is a long-detour ramp, marked only for disabled people
b. No indication of the towpath being widened or a parallel cycle route.
If this is the case it is just building in difficulties, especially at school times.https://twitter.com/fountainbridge/status/536991187216130049/photo/1
Posted 9 years ago # -
You can just about access the canal as a pedestrian @Bainfield by squeezing between the brick wall and the Heras fencing.
No chance to get a bike through :(
Any no sign of any construction/car parking/machinery moving going on in the parks either.
It's almost as if they want to spite cyclists.
Posted 9 years ago # -
@edd1e_h I've heard on the grapevine that it is supposed to reopen within a couple of weeks...
Posted 9 years ago # -
"supposed to reopen within a couple of weeks"
That's good, grapevine, news.
Why the delay?
Some sort of face-saving or form-filling??
Posted 9 years ago # -
Seems like a stupid (and very VERY small) place for the school. What is stopping them from using the larger space across the road that was a temporary portable hotel during the festival.
I was speaking to the Boroughmuir head janitor who explained it's not as small as you think and the school will be one floor below ground (makes sense it is on a hill) not sure if that means parking as there is not enough at the old school either, and 5 floors above. Really don't know if the sports pitches on the roof will get off the ground (a-har-har).
That said it's still where I will want to send my kids as they can cycle along the canal rather than walk to Tynecastle over some major roads.Posted 9 years ago # -
You can just about access the canal as a pedestrian @Bainfield by squeezing between the brick wall
Not any more. They've nicely blocked that off now, with an extra piece of fencing.
Can't have those pesky peds sneaking through gaps now...
Posted 9 years ago # -
Pathetic.
Posted 9 years ago # -
If you've been following this thread, you'll know that Cllr Corbett has been trying to find out 'why' and 'what next'.
This is what he has discovered -
"
The first issue is why the area next to the student residences which was laid out as grass and paths only a year or so ago is now being taken up again.
The triangular grass part of the site is becoming part of the new Boroughmuir High School grounds, with the grass area between the residences and the towpath becoming a new public park.
Under the original consent for the student accommodation, the triangle grass area was to be a park. When the proposals came forward subsequently for the school it was agreed with the applicants for the student accommodation (Napier University) that a temporary ‘park’ would be formed with the absolute minimum works and costs necessary to create a green space. It provided a usable green space, albeit temporary, for local residents and members of the public. It was considered that this was preferable to leaving a vacant brownfield site while the application for the school was determined and works commenced on site. If, for any reason, the scheme for the school hadn’t gone ahead, it ensured the delivery of a green public space. This space is crucial for the requirements of the new school and it has been agreed that the park will be relocated as part of the approved scheme for the school. The paving materials which have been taken up will all be reused on site.
So although it looks very odd, it is the consequence of the planning consent for the Napier flats having been given before the new school was confirmed on site. The area laid out has been the minimum necessary rather it being left for a year or so just as a muddy field.
The second issue is that of access from the towpath down to Dundee Street while the school and new park are being built. As someone who cycles past there every day, I raised this issue as soon as I saw that access had been blocked, both with council staff and with the contractor at a liaison meeting 2 weeks ago.
The contractor will now provide information signage apologising for the inconvenience caused by the closing of the footpath and explaining what is being done to improve the situation. This will be erected on site in the coming days.
It seems that the existing footpath should have been grubbed up in the same manner as the rest of the site. However it has been left in place with a fence between it and the grubbed up area to protect a zone of the site where there is currently suspect contamination which is under investigation. As soon as this is addressed the full area will be grubbed up.
The contractor assures me that they understand the importance of providing a temporary connection between Dundee Street and the canal. They have said that they will be constructing a temporary path at the north end of the site around the wall at Gibson Terrace providing direct access on to the tow path from Dundee Street. They are working to have this path completed before Christmas.
A temporary path is also going to be constructed next to old Kwik Fit garage linking Dundee Street to Bainfield Place. It was hoped that this path would be opened in the next few weeks but due to structural problems with the existing Kwik Fit wall, investigations need to be undertaken and remedial works carried out to the wall before a footpath can be constructed. It is anticipated that this will be open by the end of January but further investigation works need to be undertaken before the timescales can be confirmed.
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Useful to get some background, just a bit hard to believe that "suspect contamination" wasn't dealt with before creating the 'temporary park'.
This was taken a couple of weeks ago and apparently the fence has been extended. Must be where the contamination is hiding.
Perhaps some or all of this wall could be removed to make a more open space - perhaps even widen the towpath at the point where lots of children will be getting into their new school??
Posted 9 years ago # -
The towpath could be widened all the way from the 'wall' to Leamington Lift Bridge
</dreaming>
Posted 9 years ago # -
I noticed this morning that access had been opened for the muddy path next to the wall. Not sure how long it will remain open.
Posted 9 years ago # -
This sorry state of affairs could be easily remedied by knocking a hole in the ramshackle (and probably unsafe given proximity of the vegetation) wall directly into Gibson Terrace, and adding a few metres of extra pavement (plus dropped kerbs and anti-car bollards / double yellows) at top of the latter street. Something that should have been done yearrrrrrrrs ago.
Posted 9 years ago # -
Under the plans for the new school the path is to be retained and as far as I can tell in it's original position. The path will pass through the school play park which will be closed off during school hours, but opened outwith these times. This was why I couldn't understand why it was being ripped up.
The remaining green area in Foutainbridge is the area Gavin is saying may be contaminated. The space is entirely fenced off - even from the building site.
In the past week a gap has appeared in Dundee Street where the path used to be, but this looks like an unfinished entrance in to the builders office. I'll make an attempt to use it and see what happens. It might just be a link through to the Uni buildings with little other use.
On the canal side there's a narrow walkway through to Gibson Terrace (on the left of this photo). Path is very muddy though at the moment - Could do with some hardcore. There's a sign saying it's only for access to Bainfield Street though.
I heard somewhere that the residents at the canal end of Gibson Terrace were against a direct link from their street on to the canal for security and privacy reasons. I'm guessing this was at a time when it was a dead end street.
Posted 9 years ago # -
Welcome Fb.
"I heard somewhere that the residents at the canal end of Gibson Terrace were against a direct link from their street on to the canal for security and privacy reasons"
No doubt - I wonder if it was most of them (or even if they had an idea of what sort of "security and privacy" they thought they might be giving up).
I don't suppose they were asked "would you like quick and easy access to the wonderful Union Canal towpath?"
They probably didn't want hundreds of students living next door, but if they objected via the planning process, it obviously didn't influence things...
Posted 9 years ago # -
The saga continues.
Today -
The 'casual' path is still there to be used, but no sign of a 'proper' surface.
The 'original' path was also open.
Complete with the same grassy 'gap' to the towpath, and that remnant from the previous fence to trip the unwary.
So dangerous that they will surely block this route again...
Posted 9 years ago # -
"Original" Path has been closed any time I've been passing. They appear to have taken all the netting down. Perhaps they should attach "Contaminated ground" signs to the fence.
I'm so tempted to try using this "Pedestrian Route". As I have no intention of working I don't need to sign in, or wear PPE.
This gate was open most of the week.
Posted 9 years ago # -
The muddy path between the canal and Gibson terrace has now had paving slabs laid along it, but is only about 1m wide.
Posted 9 years ago # -
NCN 75 Canal to Gibson Terrace by LaidBackBikes, on FlickrPosted 9 years ago # -
Glad to see this route open again - although when I cut through today a sign indicated it was for pedestrians only!
Posted 9 years ago # -
Have some posts gone awol from this thread? I'm sure I posted about the temporary path dumping you in direct conflict with a blind chicane exit. And someone else responded to similar effect...
Posted 9 years ago # -
I'm sure I remember reading your post too.
Posted 9 years ago # -
Due to parallel threadism -
http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=10374&page=3#post-176193
Posted 9 years ago # -
Path aint wide enough for a cyclist and a pedestrian to pass. Then again path aint wide enough for a single wheelchair.Posted 9 years ago # -
"
THE opening of the new Boroughmuir High School has been put back for a second time because of “adverse weather”, the Evening News has learned.
Education bosses have revealed that work on the £35 million replacement campus, located on the bank of the Union Canal in Fountainbridge, will not be completed until October 28.
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Posted 8 years ago #
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