Celebrating the success of Coalfields Communities regeneration with a tour of life changing projects
Members of East Ayrshire Council’s Cabinet recently took an extensive tour of areas of Cumnock and Doon Valley following the conclusion of the Coalfield Communities Landscape Partnership (CCLP) projects which, since the first investigations in 2016, have been instrumental in transforming landscapes and communities left devastated by the collapse of the opencast mining industry in the area.
Since the inception of the first projects in 2020, nearly £6.5million in funding and in kind contributions from National Lottery Heritage Fund, Scottish Government, East Ayrshire Council and project partners, has been invested in 22 projects spanning communities throughout the Cumnock and Doon Valley areas.
Councillor Douglas Reid, Leader of East Ayrshire Council, Depute Leader and local member, Councillor Jim McMahon, were accompanied by Councillors Claire Maitland, Neal Ingram and Drew Filson.
First stop wias the Ochiltree Community Hub, whch served as the epicentre of several CCLP projects including the “Sense of Place” project led by the Galloway and Southern Ayrshire Biosphere. This project encouraged local people to explore their natural and cultural heritage through participatory workshops, fostering greater connections with the landscape, the culture and each other.
The Ochiltree Community Hub itself has been a remarkable local success, thanks to the dedication of 12 local residents who worked with East Ayrshire Council, Ayrshire and Arran Health Board and the Scottish Government’s Regeneration Capital Grant Fund and Place Based Investment Fund to regenerate the former library to create a multi-use hub which now promotes multi-generational activities, healthy living, educational opportunities and access to heatlh care.
Next it was on to the Lugar Water Walk, which was carried out in conjunction with East Ayrshire Woodlands and Ayrshire 360. This project improved the path from Lugar to Cumnock and Cumnock to Auchinleck Estate.
A team of apprentices from East Ayrshire Woodlands learned new skills and gained qualifications as they worked to improve connectivity and opportunities for sustainable travel and healthy exercise over a distance of 14.5km.
History too, was an important part of the work of the CCLP. The “Life in the lost villages” oral history project captured the history of life in the villages which existed before the loss of the mining industry. These included Lethanhill, Burnfoot and Benwhat in the Doon Valley, Commondyke and Damconner in the Lugar Valley and Glenbuck, birthplace of many famous sportsmen including the legendary Bill Shankly.
Run in conjunction with University of Strathclyde, the project captured stories and recorded them for posterity in a book, “Memory, Mining and Heritage: Voices from Ayrshire Communities”. An accompanying exhibition was hosted at Cumnock’s Baird Institute before moving to the National Mining Museum and finally finding a permanent home at the Boswell Centre.
Over in Cumnock the Tower Street Pocket Park, project run by Cumnock Action Plan and Green Action Trust, transformed an undeveloped vacant site in the centre of Cumnock into an accessible green space including raised beds for community use, storage for tools and games, interpretation boards and seating areas to encourage people to gather and enjoy the increased biodiversity and wildlife which have resulted from the planting.
In a similar vein, the Netherthird Community Action Trust took on the “Hedgerow Habits” project, planting trees and forming hedges across the Netherthird Community Garden area and at the Community Woodland at Holmburn Road in Netherthird.
Next the Councillors visited the Doon Valley Inclusive Cycling project – run by Dalmellington Parish Development Trust, this included the setting up of an inclusive cycling track and cycle hub facilities to increase visitor numbers, build confidence and encourage people back into cycling while providing business opportunities for entrepreneurs.
Finally the party visited the Doon Valley Railway at Dunaskin/Waterside which is run by the Ayrshire Railway Preservation Group. Their project included improvement of their café, renovation of an old wagon shed to accommodate visitors and a narrow gauge railway, and the erection of a new shed to house their collection of restored and historically important rolling stock.
The project funding has helped secure the future of the Doon Valley Railway, increasing both its capacity and its offer to visitors who can experience rides on the various engines and carriages restored by the Ayrshire Railway Preservation Group, encouraging community led tourism in the Doon Valley.
Commenting on the visit, Councillor Douglas Reid, Leader of East Ayrshire Council said:
“While we had a busy day visiting these sites, meeting all the volunteers and people who have invested their time and effort into these projects, what we saw was only a fraction of the amazing work achieved by the Coalfield Communities Landscape Partnership during its time in existence.
“The great thing is that in bringing people and communities together to instigate real and lasting change, they’ve also boosted confidence, created bonds and pride in the areas with a legacy which will continue well into the future.
“In East Ayrshire we’re all about people and partnership working to the benefit of everyone who works, lives and visits our area. These 22 projects are a fine example of how much we can achieve by bringing together enthusiastic people who are passionate about their history, their culture and their landscape, and using that to bring tangible benefits to their communities, boosting health, wellbeing and prosperity as we go, creating bonds which will last long beyond the scope of the funding.
“Whether it was creating beautiful breathing spaces, great pathways for all to use, or restoring pride and recording important tales for posterity, it’s clear to see how this work has gone a long way to triggering vital, meaningful, and lasting improvements in quality of life for these communities.
“I’m sure I’m speaking for all my fellow elected members in congratulating all those whose fantastic efforts have pulled off these projects and I’m sure this good work will continue through the links made, and the knowledge that with determination and partnership working everyone can do their bit for their own local environment.”