Burgh Buzz Editorial
What can I say? Here we are again hoping and planning to start afresh after a two year absence. Abject apologies to all our regular readers and thanks to those who told us how much they have missed the Burntisland Burgh Buzz.
While Kevin has fully recovered his health and is extremely busy again, I am still suffering a relapse of my ME/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome following a couple of difficult years dealing with my Mother's failing health and her death in May 2008. However I am Improving slowly and getting back into harness.
Fiona and some of the other team members have moved on to pastures new in the intervening time; however we have a new team member ready to start. We had a response from David McAllister to the call for extra team members put out in the last Buzz and again more recently by the Community Council. We will introduce David in the next issue, though he has provided the excellent front page photograph for this issue.
Inevitably Burntisland itself has undergone many changes: the long awaited demolition of the Palace cinema; the building developments at the east end of the High Street; some shops come and others gone; the new houses at Islandbridge. In the next issue Andy Wight Boycott will describe for us some of the waterfront developments and we hope to get the usual updates from local Councillors, particularly on the plans for the Primary School.
This issue is an abbreviated online one to get us started again. In addition to the online version we plan to produce two paper issues a year in future: spring/summer and autumn/winter. These will be delivered to Burntisland houses by the Scout Group as usual : though they will have a bigger job with all the new houses in the town. Please let others know where to find us online and also print off copies for those you know, who do not have access to the web.
The Community Council has never been more active than in recent months and the results - or at least some of them - are there for all to see.
- Burntisland won the "Best Kept Town Centre" award for the second year running. We also won a new "Best Community Floral Award". These are a tribute to Sheila McGregor and a small band of helpers, supported by Fife Council.
- Christmas lights continue to delight High Street shoppers, thanks to Gillian Lowe, Gordon McGregor and others who did much of the hard work behind the scenes.
- Bob Smith, Gillian Lowe, Gordon Ritchie and Alex MacDonald visited the Shell and ExxonMobil plants at Mossmorran to receive a briefing on recent and planned activities.
- Christine Dewar has been busy distributing tickets for the Lochgelly Centre Christmas pantomime, thanks once again to the generosity of ExxonMobil.
- Aneris Grant, Morag Douglas and others organised the Armistice Parade and service which was attended by nearly 200 representatives of youth and other organisations.
- Tim Hailey has been pulling together information on the Common Good Fund and also selected planning applications. A dedicated meeting on the Common Good Fund proved to be exceptionally productive and warmly welcomed. Plans for flats on the former Alcan site at Kirkton Road were also welcomed for their sensitive and imaginative design. A proposal for the former Palace cinema site drew criticism of the design, which was considered inappropriate for the site.
- After 4 years, the consultation process on the Core Paths network is now drawing to a close. Thanks to Bill Davidson in particular, we were able to have debates which were lively but productive. We have now agreed where the key paths should be, together with how they should be signposted and maintained.
- Early in the New Year we will be able to celebrate more of Burntisland's successes by presenting the Community Award for 2009, together with the school trophies for excellence in Scots Verse.
- It looks like a very productive start to 2009. However, we also support the calls from the Burntisland Events group and the Civic Week committee for more helpers. We would strongly urge volunteers to come forward and continue the excellent work that has been done up to now.
Alex. MacDonald
Chairman
Meetings of the Community Council are held on the second Friday of each month, in the Burgh Chambers, from 7:00pm to 9:30pm. Members of the public are welcome to attend and participate in debates. Topics for the agenda should be with the Secretary a week beforehand.
Burntisland Blooms
On completion of Burntisland Community Council's community project to supply sustainable planting for the 13 floral enhancement containers in Burntisland High Street, responsibility for their future maintenance was taken on by Fife Council's Community Services. The combination of the sustainable planting and the spring and summer bedding displays has greatly enhanced the appearance of our High Street. The high level of co-operation between Community Services and the Blooms Team ensured that the overall planting programme ran smoothly and also resulted in the untidy and overgrown roundabout at the top of the Cromwell Road being cleared out by the council gardeners and replanted with evergreen cotoneasters.
AWARDS
We were delighted to win the Best Kept Small Town in Central Fife Award for the second year running plus a second discretionary award for the Best Community Floral Entry Category . The residents of St Andrew's Court again won the Best Kept Patio Award for Central Fife.
The Burntisland Blooms project is now in its third year. Its plan for floral enhancement and eyesore improvements in the town is produced below for information. If you can think of any other town improvements or community projects, please inform me of them.
All the projects rely on volunteers. In the Floral Enhancement project, out of a town of almost 7000 people. I have just 5 dedicated volunteers to assist me - Heather Leuchars, (Colinswell), Mary Kay, (High Street), Sharon King (nursery railings), Gordon McGregor and Frank Park. The residents at Colinswell are very proactive at looking out for the containers at the Aberdour Road town entry but I still require a volunteer to look after the summer bedding in the window box at the Cowdenbeath Road town entry..
The Watering Project is staffed by just 2 volunteers, Gordon and Frank. This is not enough. Last year, we lost all the flowers in 4 containers because Gordon and Frank were on holiday at the same time. We need another one, preferably two, volunteers for this project.
First Aid Update
One of the high spots this year was when the members of Burntisland First Aid were asked to provide the ambulance and a crew of two to cover a prestigious and demanding event in Mull. We responded to the challenge and spent 3 days supporting competitors who tackled a gruelling combination of mountain biking and hiking across many miles of Mull's outstanding scenery.
It's a task we were able to take on not only because of the excellent facilities we can provide but also because of the level of training to which our members have access. In the past few weeks, we have moved into Burntisland fire station as the key venue for our training. From there, our current public course is under way. In the New Year, we will be offering refresher training to our existing members and also to others who are thinking of joining us and who are already qualified in first aid.
The Mull event reflects the growing demand for our services. We've had several requests to cover both motocross and quad racing in Duns. Our regular events in Fife - from national motorsport at Knockhill to horse racing and cross country events in North East Fife - remain the main focus of our work and we have bookings up to April and May of 2009.
We like to do what we can to respond to requests for new courses. For example, we have run several one-day courses in emergency first aid for both voluntary and commercial organisations. Every course is tailored to the needs of our customers and we will gladly discuss opportunities for training and / or volunteering with individual members of the public and with organisations.
Fuller information is available at any time from Alex MacDonald on 873314, or though our website at www.bfast.org.uk .
Heritage News
Burntisland Heritage Trust have had a very busy year with several projects coming to fruition and good progress on others.
In February 2008 a proposal for a commemoration panel for "Burntisland's People" met with a good response from a consultation exercise. We are grateful to everyone who took the trouble to let us have suggestions. As a result the proposal was taken forward for two bronze panels. Planning permission was applied for and has been granted. The project will be financed by a grant from the Heritage Lottery Fund. The panels will be erected in Union Street and at the entrance to the Links by spring 2009.
An Inner and Outer Heritage Trail leaflet was also compiled by the Trust and this was published at the start of the summer season thanks to a grant from the Burntisland Development Trust. The leaflet is available from the library and Beacon Leisure centre. A further grant from the Development Trust has also been awarded for the publication in 2009 of a new book, "Burntisland: A Social History".
By popular request the "Schooldays" exhibition was retained for a second year. Although the number of visitors was lower than on previous years, everyone who visited commented favourably on the display. A big thanks to all of the Friends of the Trust without whose support the exhibition would not have been possible.
At the end of August, members and friends of the Institution of Civil Engineers and of Burntisland Heritage Trust gathered in the Burgh Chambers, Burntisland, for the unveiling of a plaque to commemorate William Bald, who was born in Burntisland around 1788. William was a pioneering surveyor, cartographer and civil engineer who amongst his many achievements built the Antrim coast road, one of the world's great scenic routes. The plaque is now in its permanent position on the railway viaduct at the western end of Burntisland High Street.
The theme for the 2009 summer exhibition will be "Old Burntisland Industries, Businesses and Families". As part of the preparations for the exhibition and also for the planned new book, the Trust is looking for old Burntisland photos to add to our collection. We are particularly keen to locate interesting photos from family archives, which might be of workplaces, buildings, streets, shops, sports, people, etc. We'll be happy to collect your photos from you, and scan and return them quickly. If you can help, please contact Ian Archibald (873557), John Burnett (873419), Helen Mabon (873624), or Iain Sommerville (874933).
The 2009 exhibition will run from Saturday 20th June to Saturday 29th August at Burntisland Heritage Centre, 4 Kirkgate, Burntisland (just round the corner from the main door of the Burgh Chambers in the High Street). It will be open on Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays from 11.00am to 4.00pm. Admission is free.
The free guided historic walks will take place every Wednesday in July and August 2009 at 2.30pm. The walks include visits to the Parish Church and the Burgh Chambers. The tour can be extended to include Rossend Castle by prior arrangement.
A guided tour of the Burntisland Outer Heritage Trail was also introduced this year and will be repeated in 2009 at 1.30pm on the last Friday of the month from April to September. Contact Bill Kirkhope (01383 822023) for further information.
Both walks start from Burntisland Heritage Centre at 4 Kirkgate, Burntisland.
This 1923 photo of the Aitken family with the Binn House in the background sent to us by Keddie Law,
is a good example of the sort of photo which might be lying forgotten in family archives.
Ian Archibald, Convenor, Burntisland Heritage Trust
Fuller information on the work of the trust is available at the web site www.burntisland.net , which is owned and managed by Trustee Iain Sommerville.
Burntisland Golf Club
Presentation of Prizes
The Annual General Meeting and Presentation of Prizes of The Burntisland Golf Club was held on Friday, 28th November within the Clubhouse at Dodhead. Club Captain George Gibson (pictured centre) welcomed the members and presented the prize-winners with their trophies.
The main prize winners for 2008 were: Williamson Trophy - Alan Anderson; Seniors Competition - John Mitchell; Inchdairnie Trophy - James Hayton; Wallace Medal - Alistair McLeod; Handicap Quaich - Graham Turzynski; Old Silver Medal - Bill Beveridge; Jubilee Trophy - David Galloway; Club Medal - Robin Farnan; Jackson Cup - John Mitchell; Visitor's Medal - Brian Hunter; Connel Trophy - Brian Hunter; Kirke Medal - Bruce McLaren; Old Gold Medal (Club Champion) - Scott Brownlie; Hampton Trophy (Golfer of the Year) - John Mitchell; Ferrier Trophy (Handicap Matchplay) - Joe Scally; Macrae Forbes Trophy (Scratch Matchplay) - Brian Mooney; Double Century Cup (Handicap Foursomes Matchplay) - David and Gordon Pratt.
