Some local issues
Things that are going around in my head at the moment
In a previous post I said that I’ve got an ever growing list of specific items which I think the community of Nairn really could be doing better on and I’d like to think that between us we might be able to achieve that. These are just the things that are niggling at me and I’d welcome your thoughts as I’m sure you’ve got other things you’re worrying about too.
Sports facilities - there’s only one all weather sports pitch in Nairn, at the academy and I’m told that it's already booked out solid. It’s also due to be part of the site of the new academy so I’m told that we will then have no all weather pitches until after the academy is completed.
Nairn library - I’ve talked about this before so I won’t dwell on it here but the proposal to move it is an important issue for Nairn, and not just for library users either. Emma Roddick MSP and I wrote a letter to the chief executive of Highland Council about it this week.
Riverside Park - Highland Council badly let down the children who live close to this park where in the end there was no play equipment left. Thankfully Nairn Play has now, finally, been enabled to get new equipment installed but I think there’s lessons to be learned about how we ensure we have sustainable funding in place in future, both there and at other sites around Nairnshire, rather than going through cycles of boom and bust as we’ve done in the past.
Kingsteps Quarry - this is owned by Highland Council and after some work a few years ago they have neglected it badly since so paths are becoming overgrown.
This is an issue elsewhere too: I’m told that in Tradespark there are 2 metre wide busy, tarmac footpaths which are now about 60cm wide due to overgrown hedges making them impassable with a pushchair. Again the word “sustainable” is key here. The council has a nasty tendency to fix problems but not think about how they can prevent them from recurring.
Ardersier Port - some of the development being proposed at the port worries me. It’s not actually in our ward but it is just upwind and it will potentially bring both benefits and problems to Nairnshire. We all need to keep an eye on this, but especially our councillors.
Service 20 town bus - if you’ve not come across this service before it essentially wanders around town in a vaguely circular manner delivering people - mainly the elderly - to places like the town centre and the hospital. It’s not a great service and frankly at the moment you’d only use it because you’ve no sensible alternative. There is some new funding available to improve bus services and it’s essential that Nairn gets its fair share of that.
Lochloy foot/cycle railway crossing - when we moved to Nairn six years ago the promise of a crossing from Lochloy into the Balmakeith Industrial Estate was one of the things which made us choose the house we now live in. I wanted to be able to walk to Sainsburys without having to go via a long dog leg down Lochloy Road and back up the A96 with its choking car fumes. There is funding for this and Highland Council put forward three different designs last year, all of which were rejected by local residents, but there’s still a need for a crossing and I know I’m not the only person who would like to see one there so how do we take this forward in a way that works for everyone?
I’m sure you’ll have items of your own to add to this list. Do let me know.