Enter the 2014 New Year Dook at Broughty Ferry Harbour

It's time to get your entry in for the New Year's Day Dook 2014 at Broughty Ferry Harbour. Start time this year is 2:30pm.

The dook is organised by Scotland's only open water swimming club; Broughty Ferry's 'Ye Amphibious Ancients Bathing Association'; the Phibbies! 

Yes the year is passing fast and as the Christmas lights in The Ferry have already been switched on, it's time to fill in your entry form. All entrants will receive their own Dook T-shirt and a Certificate of Achievement.
Entry fee £15.

To enter either fill in the entry form in the printed Dook 2014 Official Programme which is available throughout the Ferry in shops and at the Library or apply online at Ye Abba Dook 1st January 2014 - online entry form. 

Steel Framework Assembly Begins for Barnhill Primary School Extension

On Wednesday, work began assembling the steel frame for the extension to Barnhill Primary School. Looking over from Gillies Park, you can see one of the the first steel beams being lifted by a crane into position. As these are erected, the scale and shape of the two storey extension to the school will become more apparent.

The £2 million extension is programmed to be ready for occupation by teachers and pupils for the new intake in August 2014.

Dundee Festival of Libraries - Events at Broughty Ferry Library This Week

@ Broughty Ferry Library This Week

Thursday 28 November 2013 7.00pm 
Lesley McDowell - Adult Event

Lesley talks about her new gothic novel “Unfashioned Creatures” 200 years after Mary Shelley’s stay in Broughty Ferry.

Saturday 30 November 2013 3–4.00pm
Metaphrog - Children’s Event
10–15 years

Create your own comic character workshop with graphic novel duo Metaphrog.

Read/download Dundee Wide Programme of Events

Broughty Ferry Community Library
Queen Street, Broughty Ferry, Dundee, DD5 2HN
Phone  01382 436919
Email  broughty.library@dundeecity.gov.uk
Website  http://www.leisureandculturedundee.com/library/broughty_ferry

Great Night Out at Christmas Lights 2013 in Broughty Ferry

Last night the Switching on of the Christmas Lights in Broughty Ferry and the associated festivities appeared to be a great success. 

Brook Street and Gray Street were thronged with folk enjoying the fun of the fair and the entertainment on the Radio Tay stage. While the temperature was near freezing, thankfully it was dry this year. 

Many thanks to Broughty Ferry Traders' Association for organising another great night out to celebrate the beginning of the Christmas season in The Ferry

Link to Slideshow of Christmas Light Night 2013 in The Ferry

Christmas Poster Competition Winners 2013 from our three Broughty Ferry Primary Schools

Click on poster to enlarge

Broughty Ferry Traders' Association have just announced the winners of their Christmas Poster Competition for 2013. 

• Lawry Angus from P7A at Barnhill Primary School, 
• Rosie Nicoll P5 from Eastern Primary School and 
• Sophie Merchant P2B from Forthill Primary School

will all collect their prizes from the stage at the Christmas Light Night in The Ferry on Thursday evening. 

Didn't they do well?

Temporary Road Closure Central Broughty Ferry Thursday 21 November 2pm-9pm for Christmas Lights Events

THE ROADS (SCOTLAND) ACT 1984 - SECTION 62

The Dundee City Council as Traffic Authority being satisfied that traffic on the road should be prohibited by reason of the Broughty Ferry Christmas Lights switch on event 

HEREBY PROHIBIT the driving of any vehicle in:

1. Brook Street (between Fort Street and St Vincent Street) Broughty Ferry
2. Gray Street (between Queen Street and King Street) Broughty Ferry.

This notice comes into effect on Thursday 21 November 2013 between the hours of 2.00pm and 9.00pm.

Alternative routes for vehicles are available via Fort Street/Queen Street/St Vincent Street.
Access will be maintained where possible.

For further information contact (01382) 433168.
Mike P Galloway
Director of City Development, Dundee City Council

Christmas Lights Going Up in Brook Street

On Monday afternoon work began erecting the Christmas lights in The Ferry.

My picture catches the team perched on a platform over the middle of Brook Street putting up the illuminated 'Merry Christmas' suspended above the road between the YMCA and the Burgh Halls.

Only three days to go before the switching on of the lights on Thursday evening 21 November 2013.

Dundee Cycling Report Card - Some Good Progress But We Must Try Harder

Click on image to enlarge

A recent national report on Cycling in Scotland assessed the polices of each of the 32 local councils in Scotland. This assessment awarded the City Council an average score of two and a half stars from five. The summary report card is pictured. 

The Council's performance is rated as slightly stronger on 'Planning' and 'Monitoring' and relatively weaker on 'Action'. In fact the two star rating for 'Action' is the Council's lowest score.

The 1% modal share for cycling shows by implication that there is an enormous gulf between this performance and the target from the Scottish Government of 10% of short journeys by bike by 2020 to help meet carbon reduction targets.

Also significant and particularly disappointing are the very low scores of children cycling to school and those undertaking a Bikeabilty Scotland course, which is the replacement for the Cycling Proficiency Test that I tokk when I was at school. I don't think we can anticipate a significant future lift in cycling in our city if only two or three of our Primary Schools undertake this award.

More encouraging is the score for 'Households with Access to A Bicycle' at 23%. This shows that there are plenty of households with a bike who, with the right infrastructure and support, might be encouraged to get back on the saddle and ride their bikes rather than take short journeys in their cars. That would be good for the environment and personal health.

I will be raising the issues raised in this report with the Head of Transportation and the Director of Education.

 Read or Download the National Assessment Of Local Authority Cycling Policy

Speedy Response by Environment Department to Issues at Neglected Open Space on Douglas Terrace

On Monday night I raised an issue at the Environment Committee about the state of the rather neglected open space at the corner of the junction between the coastal pathway and Douglas Terrace. On Friday afternoon (yesterday) a team of Environment Department staff were out rectifying some of the issues I had raised.

The issues at this triangular area of public open space arose chiefly because the area close to the road had been used as a construction compound where plant and equipment had been stored, while recent construction work on the beach and the coastal pathway had been undertaken.

It looks as though the damage caused to the surface, particularly the deep ruts from heavy vehicles have been flattened.

I will look by again next week when the work has been completed - so far so good.

Temporary Road Closures in Central Broughty Ferry While Christmas Lights are Erected

THE ROADS (SCOTLAND) ACT 1984 - SECTION 62

The Dundee City Council as Traffic Authority being satisfied that traffic on the road should be prohibited by reason of the erection of the Broughty Ferry Christmas Lights being carried out HEREBY PROHIBIT the driving of any vehicle in:

1. Brook Street (between Fort Street and Gray Street), Broughty Ferry.
2. Gray Street (between Long Lane and King Street), Broughty Ferry.
3. Fort Street (between Long Lane and King Street), Broughty Ferry.

This notice comes into effect on Monday 18 November 2013 for 3 evenings between the hours of 6.00pm and 11.00pm. Only one section of road will be closed at any one time.

Local diversion routes will be available for each closure. Access will be maintained where possible.

For further information contact (01382) 433168
Mike P Galloway
Director of Planning and Transportation, Dundee City Council

Countdown to 2013 Switching On Broughty Ferry Christmas Lights Thursday 21 November 2013 from 6:00 pm

Only seven days left until the beginning of the 2013 Christmas season in Broughty Ferry begins with the switching on of the Christmas Lights on Thursday 21 November.

The evening kicks off at 6pm with street rides, the Radio Tay Roadshow, Eastern Primary School Choir, street entertainers, carnival rides, the famous Scott Brothers BBQ, together with complimentary mince pies, sweeties and hot mulled wine courtesy of the Broughty Ferry Traders. It will all be going on in Brook Street and Gray Street with the central section of both streets car free for the evening. The lights will be officially switched on at 7pm.

Once again our very own Broughty  Ferry Traders' Association, have organised the night and donate the Christmas lights to the people of Broughty Ferry by way of a thank you for their custom over the year. The official sponsor this year is Gillies of Broughty Ferry.

Public Open Space Improvements in Broughty Ferry

At the Environment Committee on Monday (11 November 2013), Councillors approved proposals to undertake Public Open Space Improvements (Report reference AN121-2013) at a number of locations. These had been developed by the Environment Department to enhance amenity whilst, at the same time, reduce the cost of long-term maintenance. Apparently, the proposed improvements would also help reduce concerns about health and safety.

In Broughty Ferry the following three schemes were included.

• Barnhill Housing/Strathmore Street/Nursery Road - refurbish shrub areas and landscape to grass, improving maintenance;
• Queen Street/Orchar Park/Inchkeith Avenue - regenerate hedging and rose beds, replace with new plantings and
• Castle Green/Windmill Gardens - redesign and plant new flower beds.

At the meeting I welcomed these three improvements but queried why there were no plans included to cover the triangular area of public open space at the junction of the coastal pathway and Douglas Terrace. Part of this area had been damaged by successive contractors who had set up a temporary compound for building materials and equipment on this ground. I was assured at the meeting that this was to be attended to. On Tuesday I received an email confirming that the contractors who had been working there were being held to reinstate the flower bed and grass. While this commitment was also welcome, I have also asked for a redesign of this area because the rockery is crumbling, the other flower bed is overgrown with weeds and furthermore the corner by teh road has been become muddy and ill defined.

Commemorative Plaque Installed in Reres Road to Honour Cartoon Genius Dudley D Watkins

Dudley D Watkins (1907 - 1969) is one of the twelve historic figures to be chosen in the first year of the Commemorative Plaque Scheme for Scotland. There is a now a plaque on his former home in Reres Road honoring his celebrated work as an illustrator and cartoonist. I think his artistry, especially in Oor Wullie and The Broons makes this recognition much deserved.

According to Historic Scotland, each plaque celebrates the person's life and achievements and will be placed on their home or on a building synonymous with their achievements. Members of the public have been invited to nominate historic figures on Historic Scotland's website and then these were whittled down by an independent panel with a maximum of only 12 plaques awarded each year.

At this pace however, it will take many years before Broughty Ferry, or Dundee for that matter, has enough blue plaques to merit much more than passing interest. I hope this new national scheme will not preclude a scheme for Broughty Ferry, which I raised last month after the appearance of an unofficial plaque on a house wall celebrating the previous residency of Bob Servant.

Armistice Day Service at Grove Academy 11am 11th November 2013

Click on image to enlarge

This morning I joined pupils and teachers for a short service of remembrance at Grove Academy. 

The service, led by the School's clergy team, included the observation of the two minutes silence at eleven o'clock. This marks the time, at the eleventh hour of the eleventh day of eleventh month of 1918, when the armistice was signed bringing the first world war to an end. 

The service was introduced by Rev Helen Bridger (St Mary's Episcopal Church) and included contributions from Gary Torbet (St James' Parish Church) and Patrick Sullivan (Church of Christ at Campfield Square) and Senior Pupils. It was held outside the school around the war memorial where two wreaths were laid to honour the memory of Grove FPs who died in the two world wars and later conflicts.

Broughty Ferry 2014 Calendar on Sale in The Ferry

Click on image to enlarge

Broughty Ferry has it own colourful Calendar for 2014 and it's on sale in The Ferry right now.

Click on image to enlarge

The calendar has been produced by Broughty Ferry Traders' to help raise money for local good causes.

The beautiful photographs, one for each month, were some of those submitted to the Traders as entries in their 2013 Photography Competition.

The calendar photographs attest to the high standard of entries received and to the attractiveness of Broughty Ferry as a place to live, work and visit.




The calendar costs £9:99 



Available from the following Ferry businesses:

• Eduardo Alessandro Studios, 30 Gray Street;
• Ferry Potty Arts & Crafts Shop, 339 Brook Street;
• The Gift Horse, 82 Gray Street;
• Gillies Furniture Carpets and Floor Coverings, 180 Brook Street;
• Millar's Clothing Store, 41-43 Gray Street;
• Mostyn McKenzie Shoes, 168 Brook Street and
• R.S McPherson Pharmacy, 120 Gray Street.