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Tuesday, 9th March 2010

Seminar to discuss the way forward for 'Demolition' centre

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Published Date: 19 April 2006
LOCALS who want to re-invent Cumbernauld's town centre are to converge on Cumbernauld College on Saturday for a long-awaited seminar - which will be filmed for the follow up to Channel 4's Demolition programme.
Organised by Cumbernauld Community Forum, the by-invitation only event will involve more than 60 locals- including those who were screened in the first Demolition programme which was broadcast before Christmas.
They will be joined by representatives
from Cumbernauld's community councils, a selection of 18 to 25-year-olds plus Cumbernauld and Kilsyth MSP Cathie Craigie in a series of workshops as the cameras roll.
The event be chaired by the veteran roads engineer Bill MacKay who is considered one of the town's "founding fathers" after putting its roads system together.
Leading Glasgow architect Gordon Murray who spoke at length about Cumbernauld on the first Demolition show will also be involved.
But there are some figures who look set to be conspicuous by their absence.
As reported two weeks ago, the forum was snubbed after offering an invitation to North Lanarkshire Council's chief executive Gavin Whitefield and planning boss David Porch.
The council has since dismissed Demolition as a "makover show'' and declined to take part - in a move which suggested that cracks are showing in its resolve to work with the forum as they strenuously resolved to do by means of a damage limitation exercise following the town's second "Plook on a Plinth" award.
Despite this, a forum sub-committee intend to present the conclusions reached at the seminar to NLC planners at a meeting which has been scheduled for May 3.
Forum spokesperson Bobby Johnston is determined that the forum finds a way of moving forward from the first programme - and maintains a positive outlook.
"We really don't want this to be about the existing shopping centre - or even the centre which is now being built but the town centre as a whole,'' said Mr Johnston.
"We have invited a couple of traders to take part but we don't want to be dealing with complaints about rents and rates because we want to take the discussion forward from that.
"There are so many things we can be looking at through this seminar. For example, this is one of the few shopping centres in the world which is dead at night and we want to see how that could be changed. That's one of the reasons that we wanted to get the 18 to 25-year-olds on board, the so-called "clubbers'' to see what they have to say about that,'' he added.
"That's just one aspect of it - there's so much to discuss,'' said Mr Johnston.
The forum was impressed by the conclusions reached on the first show which ironically did not call for the centre to be demolished - but for undeveloped areas of the mall to be given a facelift.
Architects and planners involved with the show were particularly taken with a proposal for a pedestrian walkway complete with pavement cafes which would stretch between St Mungo's Church and the side entrance of the existing centre next to B&Q.
The council wants no part in that idea - but the programme makers from Oxford Film and Television are undeterred and say that the filming of the seminar will make up a vital component of the new programme.
Tracey Li of Oxford Film and Television said: "We thought it would be a good opportunity to include the opinions of the people of Cumbernauld on their ideas and aspirations for the town centre and we are very excited about filming the design workshop on Saturday.
"It's great to see the people of Cumbernauld coming together to brainstorm ideas for how their town centre can be improved,'' said Ms Li.
"It's quite inspiring and I'm looking forward to hearing what ideas the people of Cumbernauld come up with for their town centre, and including their voices in our final programme,'' she added.
Meanwhile, anyone anticipating the arrival of the lady who sparred so memorably with Mr Porch on the first show will however be disappointed - Janet Street-Porter will NOT be coming back for Saturday's event.

Report: CLARE GRANT




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  • Last Updated: 19 April 2006 3:44 PM
  • Source: n/a
  • Location: Cumbernauld
 
 
 

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