AT LAST – A NEW CENTRE FOR CARNOUSTIE

Carnoustie Centre Action Group has put an ambitious proposal to Angus Council for a Centre to be developed on part of the former Kinloch Primary site

We believe that a new centre would:

• Help the town become a more attractive place to visit which would also support local businesses
• Link the East and West sides of Carnoustie and help break down physical and social barriers as the population continues to grow
• Provide a showcase for local talent and history
• Create new opportunities for residents and visitors to meet, relax and develop their knowledge and skills in a cultural setting

THIS IS THE LAST OPPORTUNITY WE WILL HAVE TO PROVIDE CARNOUSTIE WITH A CENTRE! – THERE IS NO MORE LAND OR POTENTIAL BROWNFIELD SITES AVAILABLE IN OR NEAR THE TOWN CENTRE

Angus Council has given over the site to CCAG for the exclusive development of a Centre for the Town. Now the work begins to drive the project forward.

We need enthusiastic members to help us take this exciting development to the next stage.

Why not come along to our next committee meeting and get involved.

 

First Quiz-nite of 2012

The Kinloch Centre Project latest fund-raising quiz-nite will take place at the Craws Nest Function Lounge on Tuesday 21st February at 7.30pm. Entry is £10 for a team of four. Great prizes – all welcome.

AGM 2012

The CCAG 2012 AGM will be held on Wednesday, March 28th at 7pm in the Comrie Hall. Please feel free to come along.

Kinloch Centre Project race-night

The Station Hotel played host to our latest fund-raising venture last Friday evening, where an enthusiastic set of punters gambled the night away (all for a good cause you understand!)  Thanks to all those who turned-up on the night and managed to raise an amazing £1100, especially Andy Gilbride and Brian McCartney who seem to know an awful lot about racing!   A special thanks to our race sponsors: REMBRAND, I AND G MOTORS, MOSSDALE CHEMICALS [ SAM RUDDELL ], SOUTAR PRESERVATION, BRUNTON DESIGN STUDIO, IAN KYDD PLUMBING and CARNOUSTIE TYRES. Not forgetting the Station Hotel for the lovely stovies.

 

Hopefully we will be able to repeat the laughs and lengths, noses and near things in the near future, as we sprint towards our own finishing line.

Kinloch Centre sign in place

Following much debate with Angus Council, the CCAG sign-board is now firmly inplace at the site of the proposed new hub for the Town. Now no-one can now say they weren’t aware where our new building was going to be built!

Gala Day went swimmingly well with many strawberries sold and some £507 raised for our coffers. Thanks to all who contributed in any shape or form. 

 

Quiz-nite next in list of fund-raising efforts

A Kinloch Centre Project quiz nite is sceduled for Monday 9th May in the Kinloch Hotel. As usual there will be lots of great prizes and no-doubt tricky questions posed by our quiz-master Rodger. Other fund-raising events planned include a stall at this year’s Gala Day, a street collection and a Race Night later in the year. Details will be posted here or on Kirsty’s gate in the High Street – so keep your eyes peeled!

 

Public meeting hears Architect’s proposals

Last Wednesday, the meeting at the Royal British Legion Function Room proved to be a very successful night for the Carnoustie Centre Action Group in getting information out to the public on the future of the Kinloch Centre Hub. There was a considerable turn-out for the presentation of the chosen concept plan by the two young architects from Nicoll Russell Studios, Broughty Ferry who offered a fascinating insight into the thinking behind their design. They believed that the building should be oriented towards the south allowing maximum exposure to the sun allowing for the garden/ open area for public performances and community events to get the best of the weather during the year.

Ron Woomble , one of the interviewing panel impressed by their practical attitude, explains: “ The Hub would be all on one floor in order to be as compact as possible, but still able because of the flexible use of space to accommodate the whole range of community activities being looked for by the Carnoustie public. Considerable pains will be exerted to provide the building with the latest technology in so far as energy sustainability is concerned. They have certainly taken into account the current financial climate”

 

 Alison Paget, another member of the interviewing panel emphasising the heritage aspect of the Centre stated, ”It will be done creatively and rather than a static space allocated, it will be woven into visual displays in and around the building.”

Provision will be made for a welcoming Reception Area, an attractive cafeteria, performance areas, areas for meetings for organisations, spaces to accommodate activities for children, and more specialised areas for an IT suite, a recording studio and possibly a dance studio. Nicoll Russell Studios have generously offered to do a number of presentations to interested local groups perhaps in the library over the summer in order to engage the wider Carnoustie public in this very exciting project and build up community support for it.

Please don’t think it’s too late to have your voice heard on what YOU, the Carnoustie residents want. The plan is conceptual and will without doubt change throughout the process of completion. Make your views known by visiting our website or come along to one of the forthcoming presentations

There will soon be an information board erected at the corner of our site to remind people of exactly where we hope to open YOUR new centre in 2013

 

Presentation by Kinloch Centre preferred Architects

A public presentation by the Kinloch Centre preferred chosen Architects, Nicoll Russell of Broughty Ferry, will take place in the Royal British Legion Function Suite at 7.30pm on Wednesday 23rd March. Please come along and hear about the proposals and let us know what you think.

The proposed Concept Plans of all four short-listed Arcitectural practices will be on display at the Library for the next couple of weeks. Have a look and leave your comments please.

You can also comment or submit your ideas at the Our Carnoustie website by clicking on the link below:

http://ourcarnoustie.ideascale.com/

It’s still not too late to influence the design!

Preferred Architects chosen

The Carnoustie Centre Action Group took a significant step in bringing the new Kinloch Centre Project into realisation this week.  Eight architectural practices, one from as far afield as Ireland, tendered for the chance to design a concept for an exciting new Hub for Carnoustie. This number was narrowed to four architects who made their presentations to members of the CCAG on Monday at the Burgh Chambers. Chair of the group Alison Paget  said  “all the designs were exciting and involved an enormous amount of work far beyond what had been asked for, however we felt that Broughty Ferry  Architects, Nicoll Russell Studios best met the criteria we had set. They have long experience in working with charities such as ourselves and have been of great assistance in helping with funding arrangements for similar projects elsewhere. Not only are they a prestigious local firm, they have also designed comparable buildings as far apart as Stornoway and the south of England and countless places in between. The concept design is a starting point and will be altered by other considerations as we move towards fruition.”

Jim Simpson, CCAG secretary said,  “ We finally have a tangible design to take forward to the community for further input and ideas and I would urge the people of Carnoustie to come along to a presentation by Nicoll Russell Studios at our AGM on Wed 23rd of March at 7:30pm in the Royal British Legion Hall. The Kinloch Project will serve everyone in the community for years to come and its still not too late to have YOUR say”

The chosen preferred architect’s concept designs, along with the other short-listed proposals  will presently go on display in the Town and there will be further opportunities for the general public to make their views known.

Check out more views by clicking on ‘Concept Plans’ at the top of the page

The Kinloch Centre Project up-date

Sorry there hasn’t been much news over the past 3 or 4 weeks – the Committee has been busy though, working behind the scenes to put in place the next exciting phase of the Project.

Just before Christmas, adverts were placed for Architects to submit a tender for a design to take the Project up to Planning stage. Four Architectural practices have now been shortleeted for the final selection process which will be happening before the end of the month – so we will, at last, have a  design proposal to move forward to the local community with. This design will also form the basis of the next stage in the long and complicated process of applying for lottery funding for the Project.

Many thanks to Colin Landsburgh of the Spar and Peter Burke of Fobel for stocking and selling our merchandise over the past few weeks and to everyone else who has contributed in any way to helping us raise funds. We couldn’t do it without your support!

MORE NEWS SOON ….

The Carnoustie Centre Action Group

would like to wish all our friends and supporters a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year

 

Keep logging on in the New Year for all the up-to-date info about

YOUR

KINLOCH CENTRE

Angus Council pledge £300,000

CCAG received welcome pre-Christmas news that Angus Council has agreed in principle to pledge £300,000 towards the cost of a new community hub for the Town. Members of the Corporate Services committee agreed to lease the land at the former Kinloch School playground, valued at £160,000, for a ‘peppercorn rent’. The Council has also committed an additional £140,000 subject to a positive project feasibilty outcome. Angus Council finance spokesman, Cllr Mark Salmond, believes that a new facility would greatly enhance the Town. He said “The Council and the Carnoustie Centre Action Group have been working together for some time. I am delighted that the Council has agreed to donate a part of the former Kinloch Primary School site for a new centre which, along with a substantial cash pledge, will assist the community to take this project forward. I now look forward to continuing our partnership with the action group to develop and deliver this project which will greatly enhance the quality of life in Carnoustie”.