Newsletter: 30 May 2011
Invitation to The Open Gardens Evening
from 6.30pm onwards on Friday 17th June 2011
visit gardens at:
- 28 Mayfield Terrace*
- 26 Mayfield Terrace*
- 52 Blacket Place
- 60 Blacket Place
and then, around 7.30pm progress to the final garden of the evening at 1 Mayfield Terrace for drinks and nibbles until 8.30
* these are accessed from the rear of the gardens, on the north side of East Mayfield. Please take care entering and leaving these gardens as there is no pavement on the north side of East Mayfield,
Looking further ahead, please note in your diary that this year’s AGM and ‘End-of-Year’ Party will be held on Thursday 24 November and will include a talk by Dawn McDowell, Senior Inspector of Historic Buildings at Historic Scotland about Edinburgh’s postwar listed buildings, featured in a 2011 joint publication by Historic Scotland and the City of Edinburgh Council.
Alfred Place Development
Rapid progress being made since the autumn 2010 start and, it is understood, S1 Developments hope to complete building work by early 2012. The Council have approved various changes since work commenced, and are currently considering an application for 14 satellite dishes and garden sheds to which the Association objected, already having put the case for a joint on-site communications system.
The Blacket Pillars… or, strictly-speaking, ‘Gatepiers’
The ‘unlucky’ Blacket Avenue/Dalkeith Road Gatepier remains dismantled at present while the Council contemplates recovery of the restoration costs from the owners of the lorry which slid into it during last November’s icy weather. Both Gatepiers at the Mayfield Terrace/ Dalkeith Road junction have been nudged by lorry traffic to & from the Alfred Place site despite precautions being taken. It has been agreed with the developers that both Gatepiers will be restored once heavy traffic for Alfred Place is finished – probably February 2012.
20 mph in prospect?
The City’s plan progresses for a 20 mph pilot scheme covering all residential streets – excepting certain through roads -across South Central Edinburgh. Formal consultation now approaches and signage is under review. The Association will do its best to lobby for minimal additional signage, and use of existing sign poles/mountings within Blacket.
Are there any informal archives out there?
Can we renew our appeal to members to contribute photographs or other documentary material relating to Blacket’s history, since we should be glad to try and share this more widely through our website blacketedin.org.
Are there other volunteers out there?
If you are interested in joining the Committee and, maybe, helping with the occasional or regular Association project, let us know. Present Committee member Karin Froebel Overton (web@blacketedin.org) has already volunteered to try and coordinate a group of ‘shovelling volunteers’ willing to turn out in the event of future heavy snow & ice.
Ray Footman: Chairman
Ian Carter: Hon. Secretary