Dumped in the West End

The fly-tipping problem in Kelvinbridge just won’t go away – despite council efforts to address the problem.
In November last year the communal recycling bins that sat on the edge of Holyrood Gardens and Napiershall Street were moved due the site being used as a dumping ground.
Glasgow City Council operates and maintains the public recycling points across the City.
A spokesperson for the council said: ‘The site at Napiershall Street was regrettably removed due to constant fly-tipping and the banks were being contaminated with non- recyclable material. ‘Additional banks were provided on Great Western Road for local residents use when this site was removed.’
However, as we found out Napiershall Street is still being used as a dumping ground (at Holyrood Gardens and Burnbank Lane) and the dumpers are leaving their waste at the new recycling site on Great Western Road too.
Martha Wardrop, Green Party Councillor for Hillhead, understands the reason for moving the bins.
She said: ‘It’s very unfortunate that they moved these bins from Napiershall Street.
‘But I can appreciate that people that people living next to them wanted to see some action to stop the dumping on their doorsteps.
‘The message for 2010 has to be: Use the the free service that the council provides.’
Mr B Sood, a landlord who owns a flat on Barrington Drive, where the Great Western Road recycling site is, says additional bottle bins moved form Napiershall haven’t helped.
However, he admitted that the dumping problem is nothing new in the street.
He said: ‘There are so many students arriving with their own furniture and they just chuck the existing stuff out.’
He admitted that it was a complex issue, and added: ‘The council need to do more in terms of regular pick-ups and letting people know about the free uplift service.’
‘Essentially it comes down to educating the people.’
The Glasgow City Council 24-hour cleansing and uplift help line number is 0141 287 9700.

The Kids are alright

West End kids from three local schools are no slow-coaches when it comes to expressing their creative talents.
Young people from Hillhead High School along with Hillhead and Willowbank Primary Schools celebrated their work being unveiled on Thursday 1 October at the launch of a mural which sits between Kelvinbridge Underground and the bridge at Gibson Street.
The mural runs 90 metres long and shows images that represent transport in Glasgow past and present.
The process of turning the kids’ drawings and paintings into an environmental art spray paint piece was masterminded by Glasgow based 27-year-old artist Sam Bates.
Sam said; ‘I have done similar size work in the past but this feels bigger, and it creates more of a buzz with the involvement from kids in the local community. It has a really positive feel and the kids have a sense of ownership with it. There was certainly no shortage of ideas from them.’
Daisy McEwan, 13, a second year pupil from Hillhead High School was delighted to see her work up on the wall.
She said; ‘I like the concept. I came up with the idea of drawing a doll in the pram and it’s been done really well – I think it looks great.’
There was input too from local primary schools; 10-year-old Hannah Khan from Hillhead Primary explained how it brightened up the whole area. She said; ‘It looks really nice and I’m proud that we all helped.’
Vishal Dhanda, 11, from Hillhead Primary was equally pleased, but admitted he had his doubts in the beginning. He said; ‘I was nervous at first as I didn’t know if people would like the idea of a giant mural on a wall. But now being here today – with all these people here – I can see it’s really great’.
The project was made possible through the work of Glasgow Community and Safety Services (GCSS) and with funding from Glasgow City Council, Strathclyde Police and Clean Glasgow Initiative.
Councillor George Roberts from the Hillhead ward, explained that they didn’t have to look far for inspiration to aim for the public art mural.
He said; ‘Steven McGeady from GCSS and I were fed up with the vandalism on the wall and it was costing £5,000 a year to keep clean.
‘We took inspiration from the mural just outside the underground station and thought we could do something similar, but using a transport theme.
‘The kids involved were all taken to the Transport Museum to gain inspiration, and I think that comes through in the work.’