North Kelvin Meadow

Please come along to a volunteer meadow creation event this Friday 17th Jan 2020 at 10.30am till 11.30am .

We’ll be sowing meadow seed taken from a meadow in Shetland by a lady called Susan who manges it there. The idea is if it grows there, it should grow in Glasgow!

Dress for the weather. We’ll be using some rakes.

Children are the responsibility of their Parent or Guardian at all times.This event is now cancelled due to illness. It will be put back on soon.

Below is the latest results from our survey of Bumblebees on the land. The surveys follow a strict methodology,  so a year on year comparison can be given. Thanks to Mate and Eloise for volunteering to carry this out.

It’s likely the weather difference between 2018 and 2019 has made a big difference to these results. In 2018 we had a severe cold spell to start the year and then a near drought situation later in the summer. While the summer of 2019 has mostly been wet and humid.

Note our Honey bee Hives increased to 3 this summer from 2 in 2018, being a 50% increase. We had been told that the Honey bees may outcompete the Bumblebees but so far that’s not been our experience. Bumblebees for example have longer tongues so can use different flowers.

A book’s been written about us called “Irreplaceable” the fight to save our wild places by Julian Hoffman an established award winning author. He’s gone round the World selecting areas under threat and told their stories. So its humbling for us to be part of it. We’re in the chapter A Rose of Defiance (quite apt !). Its a beautifully written book.

Here’s a link to the book’s official page on the Penguin website, including description and advanced reviews:

Letters have just gone out on 31st May 2019 from the Council as they propose to introduce new traffic management controls in our area. Below is a copy of the letter. You can get more details along with FAQ and maps of the affected area at: https://www.glasgow.gov.uk/NKNWS

” NORTH KELVIN AND NORTH WOODSIDE (TRAFFIC MANAGEMENT AND PARKING CONTROLS) ORDER 201_ 

Glasgow City Council is currently undertaking the development and introduction of significant parking control schemes throughout the Glasgow area. One of which includes North Kelvin and North Woodside areas. The proposed zone can be defined from its boundaries of Maryhill Road to the north, Garscube Road to the East, Great Western Road to the South and Wyndham Street to the West. Where restrictions are currently in place in areas such as Maryhill Road, these will not be amended or altered as part of this proposal. 

As you will be aware, the West End of Glasgow offers excellent transport links such as bus, train and subway. However, having such links unfortunately encourages commuters to drive to the area and use residential streets to park-and-ride. This results in the kerbside road space being inundated by all day parking with indiscriminate and obstructive practices commonplace. 

The introduction of parking controls offers an effective solution towards managing the demand for the finite road space available through the prevention of all day commuter parking. Subsequently reducing the overall volume of traffic attracted to the area, whilst also increasing the turnover of parking spaces and improving road safety and traffic flow. Parking controls similarly ensure the essential access required for emergency services, refuse collection and delivery vehicles etc. 

The Council is now progressing to the statutory traffic order process for the North Kelvin and North Woodside scheme. Prior to the commencement of this process the Council is holding a public exhibition in Maryhill Community Halls, Maryhill, Glasgow Life, Avenuepark Street and Shakespeare Street Youth Club. Council officers will be in attendance on the following dates and will be happy to answer queries or concerns and discuss the proposals that have been developed. 

 Maryhill Glasgow Life Avenuepark Street, 35 Avenuepark Street G20 8TS 

Wednesday 12 June 2019, 2pm – 5pm 

 Maryhill Community Central Hall, 292-316 Maryhill Road G20 7YE 

Thursday 13th June 2019, 2pm – 7pm 

Saturday 15 June 2019, 9am – 11am 

 Shakespeare Street Youth Club, 95 Shakespeare Street G20 8LE 

Saturday 15 June 2019, 11:30am – 1:30pm 

The proposed scheme will be similar to those introduced in Dowanhill/ Byres Rd, Yorkhill, Woodlands, Napiershall and Partick, with permits being allocated the zone identifier (W4). It is also our intention to modify the existing zones north of Great Western Road to this same zone identifier. Allowing permit holders within the proposed zone, in addition to those within Belmont, Napiershall and 

Woodside, to park in all these parking controlled areas without incurring any additional parking charge. 

The proposals include the following measures: 

 A Restricted Parking Zone (RPZ). 

 Shared use parking bays Monday – Sunday, 8am – 10pm for permit holders or those who wish to pay to park. 

 Disabled parking bays for disabled badge holders only. 

 Motorcycle parking bays for solo motorcycles only. 

 Car club parking bays for car club vehicles only. 

 Electric vehicle parking bays for electric vehicles only. 

 No Waiting and No Loading / Unloading at any time restrictions. 

 No Waiting at any time restrictions. Penalty Charge Notices (PCN’s) may be issued to any vehicle not parked within a marked parking bay. 

 Loading Only places, during defined times, to allow for loading and unloading by any class of vehicle but allow parking out-with operational times. 

 One way operations. 

 Virtual resident parking permits at a cost of £85 per annum or £23.75 quarterly. 

 Business parking permits at a cost of £650 per annum. 

 Residents’ visitors parking permits at a cost of £2 for a set 6 hour period. 

 Resident and business permit holders would be able to park without limit of time. 

 Those who wish to pay to park during chargeable hours would be subject to a parking charge of 20p for the first 15 minutes (up to 1 hour) then 40p for every 15 minutes thereafter and a maximum stay limit of 3 hours. 

 The payment method would be by using a pay and display machine and displaying a ticket or by a cashless mobile phone payment system. 

Any feedback received from the local community will be considered prior to commencing the statutory TRO process. 

The Council must promote the TRO by following a statutory process, which is prescribed in The Local Authorities’ Traffic Orders (Procedures) (Scotland) Regulations 1999. This process consists of an initial “Consultation” stage where the Council consults with professional road users including emergency services, SPT, freight transport groups, etc. 

The next “Publication of Proposals” stage of the process is where the public will have the opportunity to comment, support or object to the proposals in writing. The proposals will be advertised in the Evening Times and notices erected on-street. The TRO documentation will be available to view at Council offices and on a dedicated web page from the first day of publication. 

We look forward to meeting you at the exhibition however if you are unable to attend or have any queries in the meantime please visit http://www.glasgow.gov.uk/saferparking or email us at: NorthKelvinAndNorthWoodside@glasgow.gov.uk . 

Yours faithfully 

Andy Waddell 

Director of Operations 

Neighbourhoods & Sustainability Restrictive Parkeing

We’ve really worked hard this year getting the meadow and wood ready for the spring and summer. So its a huge THANK YOU to all our volunteers for putting in alot of time and effort doing this, many of which have come out multiple times. We still have work to do but for the moment its about recognising the hard work put in so far this year.

At the risk of missing out people, here are a few of these volunteers: Alistair, Mike, Nikki, Ness, Stuart, Dorothy, Emilly, Katja, Ruth, Elley, Moira, Sarah, Sally, James, Martin, John, Chiara, Alyssa.

Meadow Seed about to be sowed:

Corn Poppy (Papaver Rhoeas) 10.0%, Cornflower ( Centaurea Cyanus) 16.0%, Meadow Buttercup ( Ranunculus acris) 7.0%, Musk Mallow ( Malva Moschata) 1.0%, Ox Eye Daisy ( Leucanthemum Vulgare) 12.0%, Red Campion (Silene Dioica) 12.0%,Ribwort Plantain (Plantago lanceolata) 12.0%, Salad Burnet (Sanguisorba Minor) 12.0%, Self heal ( Prunella vulgaris) 10.0%, White Campion ( Silene Alba) 3.0%, Yarrow, (Achillea Millefolium) 5.0%

We also planted some very nice Roses which will hopefully benefit both people and wildlife. One was named after Dame Judi Dench the actress of stage and screen. These roses are world renown for their fragence and with a price to match! But our land is about a sensory experience to those , especially kids, in this inner city Glasgow environment so we felt it worth paying the extra.

Here’s the full list as at todays date but more will be going in soon:

Brother Cadfael Rose by David Austin, Pink Blooms (Repeat) Old Rose Fragrance

Tess of The D’Urbervilles Rose by David Austin, Climber, Crimson Blooms , Old Rose Fragrance

Dame Judi Dench Rose by David Austin, Apricot Blooms (Repeat) Light – Medium Tea Scent

The Generous Gardener Rose by David Austin, Climber, Palest Pink Blooms, Musky Old Rose Scent.

Graham Thomas Rose by David Austin, Climber, Large rich Yellow Blooms, Tea Fragrance Voted the World’s Favourite Rose

The Lady of the Lake Rose by David Austin, Rambler, With Golden Stamens Sprays of pretty semi-double, blush pink Flowers (Repeat).

A Shropshire Lad Rose by David Austin Climber Large Rosette with delicious fruity fragrence. June until first frosts. Strong myrth fragrance. (Repeat)

Strawberry Hill Rose by David Austin Climber Pure rose – pink cupped rosette. Strong , delicious myrrh fragrence.  (Repeat)

The orchard trees need a prune before their growth starts in the spring .

Come help the land, your community and wildlife by creating more meadow on Sunday 3rd March 2019. We’ll supply the spades, tea, coffee and biscuits. All free.

Learn and be a part of meadow creation within an inner city environment.

Come for as short or long a session as you like.

We’ll have bird seed to fill the feeders which is an ideal one for the families to help with.

Children are the responsibly of their Parents or Guardians at all times.

Location: North Kelvin Meadow.

Come along on Sundays 17th and 24th February 2019, between 2-4pm to a community event which will :

1. Help you fill up our numerous Bird Feeders. We’ll supply the bird feed and your job is to find and fill the feeders (they are scattered throughout the land).
2. We’ll also have some meadow creation work you can get involved with if your up for that. This involves you using a spade and turning over the turf in certain parts of the meadow.

Do one or both activities.

Children are the responsibility of their parents or guardian.

Would you like to help maintain a Meadow and Wood?

If so please do email and let us know.

Everything you do to help the land matters to us.

If none of our current volunteering opportunities appeal to you, or you only have a small amount of time to give, then there are other ways you can support the land. This kind of volunteering can fit around a busy life.

Are you interested in some of these topics:

Planting flowers, growing vegetables, composting, general maintenance, bats, honey bees, bumblee bees, butterflies, trees, birds, meadow grass and flowers, orchard, litter, dogs, fixing fencing, funding, etc?

We also have a Raised Bed Allotment, each is rented by an individual or family for £5 per year. We also have our community raised beds too. So if growing vegetables and fruit is your New Year’s reolution you know where to come to!

Email: northkelvinmeadow@gmail.com

Glasgow City Council has a map called the “Open Space Map” that categorises all land within the City. Any Planning Application coming in would refer to this.  The North Kelvin Meadow and Children Wood is currently mapped as:

“6.51 Sports Areas – Playing Field”.

This is incorrect and we need YOU to ask them to re map it as:

“6.71 Natural / Semi Natural Greenspace – Woodland”.

They have a public consultation and questionnaire for us to complete, deadline is 10^thDec 2018.

Be sure to quote “Ref number SAPF388 North Kelvin Meadow” when completing the questionnaire.  Any questions then email:  northkelvinmeadow@gmail.com

Anyone from anywhere can complete the Council questionnaire.

To start the questionnaire click or copy Council link below:

https://www.smartsurvey.co.uk/s/OSS2018/

At the bottom of the page click Next Page. (If you like, you can see the actual map by clicking on “Open Space Map” in their covering letter and searching on Clouston Street, then drag map to where our land is. The colour legend is a drop down box at top right of map or click on the land for it to come up with the category).

You’ll be asked to provide some details like your name, address and email.

Click Next Page.

Q3.Which document does your comments relate to?

On the drop down menu click “Open Space Map”(near the end)

Q4. Which part of the document does your comment relate to?

Insert “Ref number SAPF388 North Kelvin Meadow on the Open Space Map”

Q5. What is you comment?

Here’s some points you can copy and paste or make up your own:

A). There are 500+ mature trees being over 30 feet in height on the land. Below the trees is a woodland understory of natural plants, fungi and growth. There is also a wild grass and flower meadow in the open areas. It looks like a Natural / Semi Natural Greenspace – Woodland, and so should be categorised as such.

B). As well as looking like a Woodland it is being used as one. Local nursery groups and schools regularly use it. There are Forest School sessions and a host of other natural greenspace educational and play sessions. It attracts many users because of what it is such as the National Theatre for Scotland – The Reason I Jump play.  Dog walkers, people having picnics and many others use it as a woodland and meadow area on a daily basis. There are two tree houses, 30 raised beds plus 5 community raised beds for growing vegetables and fruit, an extensive Orchard, 5 compost bins, two honey bee hives, Bumblebee homes, a kids mud kitchen, two benches etc.  However its use is not just about people. It’s being used for wildlife and forms an important haven and natural stepping stone for wildlife throughout the city.

C). It’s not being used or managed as a sport pitch and hasn’t been for a very long time so shouldn’t be categorised as such.

D). In 1993 the Council took away the goal posts. And in 1995 they formally said they wouldn’t upkeep it as a sports pitch and that the land was surplus to their requirements. In August 2011 the land formed part of the new extended West End Conservation area, which for example means all mature trees are protected. In December 2012 there was overwhelming support by the public to the Council Consultation regarding rezoning North Kelvin Meadow as Greenpeace, Proposal Number: prop0066, also under ref H023. This included updating the Open Space Map. This formed part of City Plan 2 via the Main Issue Report at that time.

In December 2016 the Scottish Government overturned Glasgow City Council decision to sell the land for housing. This follows both Government appointed Reporters Mr Timothy Brian (report under Martin Seddon name, Ref H023 Issue 26 Page 292-306) and later Mr Cunliffe that concluded it shouldn’t be sold off for housing and shouldn’t be zoned for future housing. Their reasoning was based, on it not being a sport pitch, but because the land was a community greenspace and woodland.

In summary the Council hasn’t managed it as a sports pitch for 23 years, it can’t be reverted to a sports pitch as it’s in the Conservation Zone and it can’t be sold off for housing. The obvious, and it has to be said a decade or two long overdue, conclusion is that it should be mapped as what is there and being used as, which is Natural / Semi Natural Greenspace – Woodland.

E). After such a long time that the local community has campaigned and managed this land, plus the backing of the Scottish Government, all of which are agreed that it’s a natural community greenspace and woodland its unacceptable for Glasgow City Council not to finally update its Open Space Map.

F). Name should be changed to North Kelvin Meadow and The Children Wood.

Q6. Would you like to make another comment or comment on anther document?

No

About You– complete the questions. This information is for analysis and equalities monitoring purposes only. No individual will be identified as part of any reporting.

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