A well attended meeting reflected the interest in Helensburgh that this hugely ambitious Park Regeneration Project has produced. Melissa Simpson, Project Development Officer of Hermitage Park, gave a thorough account of the tremendous amount of work and enormous sums of money that have been sourced with boundless energy from all involved.
The presentation was summed up in the vote of thanks: Bad news for BIG trees, but new lease of life for others; the once overgrown burn is now looking great; war memorial restoration is so appropriate and money well spent; love the idea of youngsters introduced to veg growing; sad to see the tennis courts go, with the decline in expensive local club membership it is becoming harder to introduce and encourage youngsters to play the game; Passivhaus Pavilion plans look interesting and will include community meeting space, cafe and Park Managers Office; kids playground will hopefully develop a habit of having fun in, and using the park, and it is good to see teenagers and children of all ages getting involved in many ways , including the fascinating exploration of wildlife here - eg. the previously unheard of rat-tailed maggot!
Many of us were intrigued by the title " Have we really saved Hermitage Park ?" It could so easily have continued to decline with possible replacement by housing or other buildings, Thankfully, this is not the case and Melissa, with the vast team of experts and volunteers behind her, has given new life to this place. We are extremely fortunate to be given this insight into the park development with such enthusiasm and passion by one of our own members..