Local Councillor for Hazlehead/Ashley/Queen’s Cross, Ross Thomson, has organised a public meeting in an attempt to gain local public interest in forming a Friends Group for Johnston Gardens.
Friends groups play an extremely valuable role in the community by helping with the upkeep and enjoyment of our parks and green spaces,. Local people have rallied together to form Friends of Hazlehead Park, Friends of Walker Dam and Friends of Denburn within the local area. Volunteers work hard to protect and promote improvements to our parks and green spaces.
Councillor Thomson, who is already a Director of Friends of Hazlehead, is seeking to set up a Friends of Johnston Gardens to support improvements in the park. A public meeting has been organised for Thursday, February 18, 7pm at Airyhall School.
Councillor Ross Thomson said:
“We do not currently have a Friends Group set up for Johnston Gardens which is a wonderful park, a truly hidden gem, which could benefit from the support of a local Friends Group.
“There are areas of Johnston Gardens which could do with some TLC such as the small bridges over the burns, the pond at the centre and some planting and maintenance. A Friends group here would not be to undertake huge renovation projects and raise millions of pounds but to help support the park in a different, less intense way. For example, the Friends of Denburn have a committee, they meet four times a year and hold an action day five times a year where local residents meet on a weekend afternoon to help with practical jobs including litter picking, path surfacing, cutting back vegetation, painting the footbridges amongst more.
“I am holding a public information evening on February 18, 7pm at Airyhall school for interested residents. There will be a presentation from the Friends of Hazlehead to talk about their experience as well as to help and support any new Friends Group created. There will be a presentation from Council Officers to answer questions and explain how the council can support the Friends and what type of projects a Friends group can help with.
“Friends Groups make a valuable contribution to the community and at the moment Johnston Gardens is the only area in our community not benefiting from such a group. I really do hope that local residents will come along to hear more and to get involved in something which will be hugely rewarding.”