Pitz/Powerleague site

General Tactifer · Post by **General Tactifer** » 21 Oct 2005, 00:28

Porty wrote:Golf is rich sport and is amply provided for.

Can't agree with you there, Porty. If the sport is "rich" it's only because the well-off exclude the poorer participants. Facilities like Portobello are needed to encourage kids to take up the game - they wont get a look-in at most clubs unless Daddy knows the right people!

General Tactifer · Post by **General Tactifer** » 21 Oct 2005, 00:45

[tinhatmode]
Why not combine the rebuilding of Portobello HS with that of Holyrood HS (currently on hold) and build a combined school on one site? Possibly Portobello FP RFC might benefit from this in receiving new facilities in return for giving up some of the open space at Cavalry Fields. That satisfies the needs of the children for proximity to playing fields, maximises use of facilities and scarce resources, maintains the open space and achieves the unspoken objective of the council to make money from the deal.
[/tinhatmode]

General Tactifer · Post by **General Tactifer** » 21 Oct 2005, 00:50

Porty wrote: As far as I can recall, Portobello has not "lost" a green open space in my lifetime.

Might not be Portobello exactly, but don't forget about the Jock's Lodge rugby ground, where now stands Morrisons and a mass of new housing. That is only just up the road.

Porty · Post by **Porty** » 21 Oct 2005, 09:50

Epykat wrote:
Porty wrote:
Epykat wrote:....... By the time we get rid of this Council there will be nothing left in the way of green, open space in Portobello, or indeed, most of Edinburgh.....
As far as I can recall, Portobello has not "lost" a green open space in my lifetime.
I believe the site the school is currently on was playing fields? That's certainly been in your lifetime.

Yes, that is correct but I'm not wrong as I did precurse with the Clintonesque "as far as I recall".

Let's not forget that the siting and construction of the existing school was a 60's mistake. The footprint of the existing facility is unrealistically small and it was a huge error not to have attaching playing fields. Re-building the school their is not an option.

Porty · Post by **Porty** » 21 Oct 2005, 09:54

General Tactifer wrote:
Porty wrote:As far as I can recall, Portobello has not "lost" a green open space in my lifetime.
Might not be Portobello exactly.....

There is no "might" about it, as well you know GT.

General Tactifer wrote: but don't forget about the Jock's Lodge rugby ground, where now stands Morrisons and a mass of new housing. That is only just up the road .

I can never forget about that place. I had some of my best Rugby memories there. The loss of the ground was sorely felt in Rugby, Cricket and Football circles. Please, don't get me wromg, I am not for the sake of developing green sites just for the sake of it.

Porty · Post by **Porty** » 21 Oct 2005, 09:56

General Tactifer wrote:[tinhatmode]
Why not combine the rebuilding of Portobello HS with that of Holyrood HS (currently on hold) and build a combined school on one site? Possibly Portobello FP RFC might benefit from this in receiving new facilities in return for giving up some of the open space at Cavalry Fields. That satisfies the needs of the children for proximity to playing fields, maximises use of facilities and scarce resources, maintains the open space and achieves the unspoken objective of the council to make money from the deal.
[/tinhatmode]

Site not in the catchment area is one fairly significant reason.

Porty · Post by **Porty** » 21 Oct 2005, 10:05

dccairns wrote: Porty

You are quite right, I am not going to descend to your level of tit-for-tat, let's tear each other's posts apart style of debate.

Fair enough.

dccairns wrote: There are plenty of alternatives.

Ok, give us your top three alternatives, if you find a top three hard to sift, i will accept a third equal.

dccairns wrote: What is not acceptable is to have to choose between the alternatives of either a new school or a much needed, used and loved open space near the heart of Portobello. We should be able to have both.

As Maureen Child has previously stated, we cannot build schools in the air.

Look Dc, I am nor pro-the Golf Course development at all costs. I just can't see a workable alternative. If you have one, share it. Why not turn the GC into a portobello leisure campus with the school, tennis, football, rugby, basketball and all weather facilities. And site the meadowbank replacement sports centre there? The children could be educated, excercised and interact with the community all on one self contained site. It could still look like a green open space.

dccairns wrote:PS Your reflexes seem to be slowing down. It's taken you about three days to respond.

By reflex do you mean an involuntary response of the nervous system to a stimulus?

Porty · Post by **Porty** » 21 Oct 2005, 10:14

dccairns wrote:Here's a letter from today's Evening News on the subject.

City Fathers are not too logical

I thought it must be a belated April Fool when I read Councillor Marshall's proposal that the new Portobello High School be built on Portobello Golf Course (News, October 13). However, it seems this could be a serious proposition.

A new high school is of course required, but it must not be at the cost of losing this local amenity. What always appears unthinkable to Edinburgh citizens always seems to be totally logical to our City Fathers.

What next - Portobello beach sold to make way for houses on stilts with sea views? (I hope I have not given the council's consultants an idea for another high-cost feasibility study at our expense).

Please - leave this golf course and park alone.

Margaret Thomson, Durham Square, Edinburgh

Wonder if Margaret has anything to offer in the way of an alternative? I also wonder how she idenitifies something that appears unthinkable?

Porty · Post by **Porty** » 21 Oct 2005, 10:22

General Tactifer wrote:
Porty wrote:Golf is rich sport and is amply provided for.
Can't agree with you there, Porty. If the sport is "rich" it's only because the well-off exclude the poorer participants. Facilities like Portobello are needed to encourage kids to take up the game - they wont get a look-in at most clubs unless Daddy knows the right people!

There is a council facility at craigentinny, which in terms of travel is less distance than 1450 PHS pupils have to travel to do PE at either Cavalry Park or Meadowbank. Do the Math.

Golf is rich and they have a phenomenal development programme. We are talking about the quality of school life for 1450 continally replenishing school children at the biggest high school in Edinburgh. The loss of one 9 hole course is nada. Particulaty when you consider that the land was donated by a property developer in the first place.

dccairns · Post by **dccairns** » 21 Oct 2005, 11:11

Porty, I fear you need to go back to school. There is no such subject as "math" on the curriculum. Do you mean "maths"?

There is more than enough American imperialism in the world without it creeping onto this site.

Porty · Post by **Porty** » 21 Oct 2005, 11:15

Fair point.

Are you working on the alternatives?

Pal of Porty · Post by **Pal of Porty** » 21 Oct 2005, 12:01

dccairns wrote:Porty, I fear you need to go back to school. There is no such subject as "math" on the curriculum. Do you mean "maths"?

There is more than enough American imperialism in the world without it creeping onto this site.

I take it you are both referring to "mathematics"?

Porty · Post by **Porty** » 21 Oct 2005, 13:02

Margaret Thomson fi' Durham Square wrote: What next - Portobello beach sold to make way for houses on stilts with sea views?

I have long envisaged a sort of Florida Keys type strip of land, out in Portobello Harbour, stretching from Musselburgh to Granton with houses, restaurants and leisure. A seaside starbucks and a sense of a seaside resort.

dccairns · Post by **dccairns** » 21 Oct 2005, 13:04

Time you came off the hallucinogenics!

Porty · Post by **Porty** » 21 Oct 2005, 13:14

Don't think it will be in our time but I would wager.

Epykat · Post by **Epykat** » 21 Oct 2005, 17:16

Porty wrote:The loss of one 9 hole course is nada. Particulaty when you consider that the land was donated by a property developer in the first place.

The fact that it is a golf course is neither here nor there. The fact that it is green space which, once built on, will NEVER be reclaimed is the point. Maybe it would be easier for you to think of it like the Amazonian Rainforest on a smaller scale - once it's gone it's gone

dccairns · Post by **dccairns** » 21 Oct 2005, 17:24

Exactly. Good metaphor.

General Tactifer · Post by **General Tactifer** » 21 Oct 2005, 19:34

Porty wrote:There is a council facility at craigentinny, which in terms of travel is less distance than 1450 PHS pupils have to travel to do PE at either Cavalry Park or Meadowbank. Do the Math.

I'm not sure that the Craigentinny Golf Course is closer to the Portobello one, nor even to Portobello centre, than Porty High School is to Cavalry Park.

The loss of one 9 hole course is nada. Particulaty when you consider that the land was donated by a property developer in the first place.

Not sure about the relevance of the second point but there just aren't that many youngster-friendly golf facilities around. I believe there are just 6 public courses in Edinburgh and only 2 are 9-hole, the kind of place where people can try the game without too many rules and regulations. The loss of one 9-hole course is 50% of the total. If the council were proposing to build on half of the football or rugby pitches in the city, I'm sure there would be an outcry!

Porty · Post by **Porty** » 23 Oct 2005, 13:32

GT you are quite correct. portobello golf course is 1.76 miles from craigentinny and PHS is only 1.09 miles from Cavalry and 1.68 from meadowbank. So I was wrong on both counts.

ceejam · Post by **ceejam** » 17 Nov 2005, 14:54

Just happened to come across this advert while surfing a few property sites!

http://www.scottishproperty.co.uk/free/ ... /index.cfm

Porty · Post by **Porty** » 17 Nov 2005, 17:24

Does it say if its sold?

bbbrown · Post by **bbbrown** » 01 Mar 2006, 14:27

http://edinburghnews.scotsman.com/busin ... =313042006

bbbrown · Post by **bbbrown** » 02 Mar 2006, 14:02

this subject seems to have died a death....
i wonder where the 1.5 million pound investment is going to land...Portobello Park?

Stephen McIntyre · Post by **Stephen McIntyre** » 02 Mar 2006, 14:16

Bb, stop wondering and have a look at Brenda's post in the questions thread. And on the council Q and A.

I noticed a Scotsman article on Poweleague the day before yesterday. it was about their record operating profits for last year: Â£1.4m pounds. Which means it takes them 3 years to make as much as they did from the council buyout in portobello. It sticks in my craw.

bbbrown · Post by **bbbrown** » 02 Mar 2006, 14:46

i hope we are not going to lose it altogether..it has been a good venue for some exercise...

Stephen McIntyre · Post by **Stephen McIntyre** » 02 Mar 2006, 14:54

Really? Here was me *wondering* if you were just looking to add more spurious content to the school debate.

bbbrown · Post by **bbbrown** » 02 Mar 2006, 16:07

i've used the pitz every week for about 5 years.
do you not agree it would be a pity to lose this amenity?

Stephen McIntyre · Post by **Stephen McIntyre** » 02 Mar 2006, 16:20

Do you think we could develop Duddingston Primary to include Powerleague and St John's?

bbbrown · Post by **bbbrown** » 02 Mar 2006, 16:25

nah, i would call that spurious, i would have thought somewhere like the Jack Kane centre would be a better place for it myself....

Stephen McIntyre · Post by **Stephen McIntyre** » 02 Mar 2006, 17:02

Perhaps but you may as well carry on ignoring the evidence and continue suggesting that it may be the Golf Course.

I do wonder.

Bob Jefferson · Post by **Bob Jefferson** » 04 Oct 2006, 18:00

It has been a long time since we had an update on the Powerleague situation. The whole issue about the re-location, the replacement of the library and the community centre seems to have been put on the back-burner. And Powerleague don't seem to be in any particular hurry to move from this account in today's EN:

Powerleague playing waiting game over Portobello arena

Bob Jefferson · Post by **Bob Jefferson** » 07 Mar 2007, 18:01

And still waiting...

From today's EN:

Powerleague 'relaxed' as hunt for Porty site enters extra time

Bob Jefferson · Post by **Bob Jefferson** » 10 Oct 2007, 20:17

From today's EN:

Powerleague hits the net with 'another record-breaking year'

But chief executive Sean Tracey said progress on finding a new site in Portobello to replace its current venue was slow with any announcement some way off.

However, he said that failing any development on progress in the short-term, the current one and its sister site at Sighthill were pencilled in for investment of around £500,000.

Powerleague has been in talks with Edinburgh City Council for a couple of years now as it tries to find a new home at Portobello - where it has a 99-year lease - after housebuilders expressed an interest in its current site.

"We have a good relationship with the council but it's slightly frustrating. There's been changes in personnel within the council and in terms of progress it's been held up and delayed."

However, Mr Tracey said both Portobello and Sighthill would benefit from investment.

"We can't not invest in the two Edinburgh sites. We need to make a decision on capital expenditure on fifth-generation pitches at them.

"At some point in the new year, we'll make that decision if we don't see any real progress in the Portobello situation. We'd probably do both sites, as we can't offer the best available pitches at one venue and not the other."

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