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Funding for quarrying communities
12/09/2007
Funding of around £500,000 is to be allocated to 16 communities across Scotland for environmental projects including a red squirrel conservation project in Fife, a multi-use games area in Inverness and allotment redevelopment in Tillicoultry, it was announced today.
Environment Minister Michael Russell confirmed the successful applicants for the second round of this year's Community Environmental Renewal Scheme (CERS) funds.
Mr Russell said:
"I am delighted to announce this second tranche of funding for 16 local projects. The Community Environmental Renewal Scheme is helping communities across Scotland living in the vicinity of quarrying activity to boost their quality of life by improving their local environment.
"Community action can make a real difference in transforming environments and changing attitudes. This grant scheme supports our objective of creating a Greener Scotland, by improving Scotland's natural and built environment and the sustainable use and enjoyment of it."
The CERS grants are aimed specifically at communities in the vicinity of quarrying activity.
Other projects to be funded include an all-abilities woodland path in Clackmannanshire, a skate park in Muir of Ord, Highland and trim trails in East Ayrshire and South Lanarkshire.
The scheme is administered by Forward Scotland, on behalf of the Scottish Government, using funds from the Aggregates Levy. For more information on local projects, please contact Forward Scotland on 0560 0010 564/0870 4711 715.
The scheme supports projects directed at the provision, restoration, protection or the promotion of understanding of landscape, habitats and local biodiversity, the built or cultural environment, including historic, geological or archaeological heritage, or community recreational amenities.
This is the second tranche of projects in the 2007-08 scheme. The total grant is £497,116 to 16 projects. Expenditure needs to be incurred, and projects completed, by March 31, 2008.
This is the remainder of the total available funding of £1.75 million in 2007-08, following the announcement of the first tranche of £1.24 million funding on August 2.
The projects to be approved in the second round are:
- Community Based Red Squirrel Conservation, Ladybank, Education and Interpretation Project, Fife - £22,800: Creation of a meeting area for local groups, installation of squirrel rope bridges to facilitate viewing and a project officer to co-ordinate surveys and grey squirrel control measures
- Menstrie Community Woodland, Clackmannanshire - £30,732: Construction of a 500 metre all-abilities path in the Menstrie Community Woodland
- Muir of Ord Skate Park, Highland - Phase 3 - £29,400: Funding for the final phase of a skate park, to install split level quarter pipe and landscaping works around the park
- Family Play Area - Gilvenbank Park, Glenrothes, Fife - £43,000: Creation of a children's play park for children of all ages
- Back Braes Project, Leslie, Fife - £48,534: Installation of a youth shelter, ball court and skate park on a former landfill site
- Brediland Outdoor Project, Paisley, Renfrewshire - £18,778: Installation of a trim trail and play apparatus for toddlers in primary school grounds, to encourage active play
- West Bay Play Park Dunoon Regeneration, Argyll and Bute - 75,000: Creation of a play park for children of all ages, reflecting the character and style of the local area
- Auchinleck Community Trim Trail, East Ayshire - £28,765: Creation of a series of pathways linking the community and secondary school, providing a trim trail station and seating areas
- Dunlop Village Hall Phase Two, East Ayshire - £30,000: Upgrade of local community hall, installing double glazing and improving storage spaces
- King George V Park basketball/five-a-side court, Currie, Edinburgh - £25,000: Creation of a netted basketball and five a-side court with all weather surfacing as part of park redevelopment
- Completing Our Routes For The Future - Stewarton Access Strategy, East Ayrshire - £13,998: Creation of 500m of all-abilities path in Lainshaw
- Tinto Trim Trail, Symington, South Lanarkshire - £10,458: Installation of a school trim trail
- Tillicoultry Allotments Association (R&D Phase 2), Clackmannanshire - £25,355: Provision of a new security fence and hedge around allotments, alongside new compost bins and water butts
- Muiravonside Country Park Heritage Trail Link, Falkirk - £29,734: Upgrading and building more than two kilometres of path within the country park, extending existing network of paths
- Get the Community on the Go, Inverness, Highlands - £50,000: Creation of a multi-use games area with all weather surface within the grounds of Charleston Academy, Inverness
- Braco School Playground Improvement Group, Perth and Kinross - £15,562: Creation of willow features on railings, wall murals and 'outdoor classroom' as part of playground improvements