Local residents, athletes, sports groups and coaches marched from Meadowbank stadium to Edinburgh City Chambers to hand over thousands of 'Save Meadowbank' petitions and protest at Edinburgh City Council's plans to demolish Meadowbank stadium to replace it with luxury houses.
Saturday 31 March 2007
Thursday 22 March 2007
We need sport not flats
One of the banners that was on display at last Saturday's public meeting in Meadowbank. It pretty much sums up the feelings of everyone from the public who attended.
Wednesday 21 March 2007
March to save Meadowbank
Supporters of the campaign to Save Meadowbank will be marching from Meadowbank stadium to the City Chambers at 5pm on Friday 30th of March. Thousands of petitions demanding that Edinburgh City Council reverse it's decision to demolish Meadowbank stadium will be handed over to the council. Everyone is welcome to take part!
Monday 19 March 2007
Meadowbank demolition 'still open' to debate says council
The decision on whether to demolish Meadowbank Stadium and replace it with a new sports facility in Sighthill is "still open", according to city leaders. Read more.
www.edinburghnews.com
www.edinburghnews.com
Sunday 18 March 2007
Mark Ballard
Mark Ballard MSP, Green party, speaking at the Save Meadowbank public meeting held on March 17th 2007.
Colin Fox
Colin Fox SSP MSP, speaking at the Save Meadowbank public meeting held on March 17th 2007.
Margo MacDonald
Margo MacDonald, MSP, speaking at the Save Meadowbank public meeting held on March 17th 2007.
Gavin Strang
Gavin Strang, Labour MP, speaking at the Save Meadowbank public meeting held on March 17th 2007.
Stefan Tymkewycz
Stefan Tymkewycz from the SNP speaking at the Save Meadowbank public meeting held on March 17th 2007.
Donald Anderson
Donald Anderson from City of Edinburgh Council speaking at the Save Meadowbank public meeting held on March 17th 2007.
Saturday 10 March 2007
Sports group backs Meadowbank campaign
A group set up to push for better local sports facilities is backing the campaign to save Meadowbank Stadium. Read more.
www.edinburghnews.com
www.edinburghnews.com
Thursday 8 March 2007
Public Meeting
There will be a Public Meeting to discuss Edinburgh Council's plan to sell Meadowbank to property developers in Hall 2 Of Meadowbank Sports Centre on Saturday, 17th March, between 3pm and 5pm.
Members of the public are invited to come along and discuss the council's proposals with councillors and politicians.
Members of the public are invited to come along and discuss the council's proposals with councillors and politicians.
S2M-5663 Mark Ballard: Save Meadowbank Stadium
Mark Ballard, The Scottish Green Party MSP for Lothians, has put forward a motion to Save Meadowbank Stadium to the Scottish Parliament.
S2M-5663 Mark Ballard: Save Meadowbank Stadium — That the Parliament expresses concern at the proposed demolition of Meadowbank Stadium, home to the Commonwealth Games of 1970 and 1986; notes that stadia in Berlin, Helsinki, Stockholm and Los Angeles have all been successfully refurbished and all are older than Meadowbank Stadium; notes that the proposed transfer of the stadium to Sighthill would mean that two running tracks, the other at nearby Saughton, would sit on the west of the city, while stadium users from eastern and central Edinburgh would be expected to make a round journey of up to 12 miles and users from East Lothian would largely be excluded on the grounds of travel time and travel expense; rejects the loss of Scotland’s sporting heritage, Meadowbank having been home to Liz McColgan’s first Commonwealth title in 1986 and Lachie Stewart’s Commonwealth 10,000 metres victory over Ron Clarke in 1970 to name but two iconic performances, as well as being the training ground of Yvonne Murray, former European 3,000 metres Champion; notes that Meadowbank Stadium is home to Edinburgh Southern Harriers, currently the best women’s athletics club in the United Kingdom, having won last season’s UK League, a most notable feat for a Scottish club; notes the concerns of football clubs that use Sighthill Park for training; notes the objections of thousands of users, who have signed an ongoing petition, as well as coaches and their athletes who fear loss of facilities at a vital time in their preparations for 2012 Olympics and 2014 Commonwealth Games; notes that the current public consultation does not extend to whether or not local people want the stadium demolished but only consults on ideas for the site when demolition is complete; rejects the logic that new facilities can only be funded by the sell-off of existing facilities; notes that this proposal is at odds with need to tackle Scotland’s appalling health record and growing obesity problem, and calls on the City of Edinburgh Council to work with the Scottish Executive to restore the neglected stadium as it is part of our national sporting heritage.
S2M-5663 Mark Ballard: Save Meadowbank Stadium — That the Parliament expresses concern at the proposed demolition of Meadowbank Stadium, home to the Commonwealth Games of 1970 and 1986; notes that stadia in Berlin, Helsinki, Stockholm and Los Angeles have all been successfully refurbished and all are older than Meadowbank Stadium; notes that the proposed transfer of the stadium to Sighthill would mean that two running tracks, the other at nearby Saughton, would sit on the west of the city, while stadium users from eastern and central Edinburgh would be expected to make a round journey of up to 12 miles and users from East Lothian would largely be excluded on the grounds of travel time and travel expense; rejects the loss of Scotland’s sporting heritage, Meadowbank having been home to Liz McColgan’s first Commonwealth title in 1986 and Lachie Stewart’s Commonwealth 10,000 metres victory over Ron Clarke in 1970 to name but two iconic performances, as well as being the training ground of Yvonne Murray, former European 3,000 metres Champion; notes that Meadowbank Stadium is home to Edinburgh Southern Harriers, currently the best women’s athletics club in the United Kingdom, having won last season’s UK League, a most notable feat for a Scottish club; notes the concerns of football clubs that use Sighthill Park for training; notes the objections of thousands of users, who have signed an ongoing petition, as well as coaches and their athletes who fear loss of facilities at a vital time in their preparations for 2012 Olympics and 2014 Commonwealth Games; notes that the current public consultation does not extend to whether or not local people want the stadium demolished but only consults on ideas for the site when demolition is complete; rejects the logic that new facilities can only be funded by the sell-off of existing facilities; notes that this proposal is at odds with need to tackle Scotland’s appalling health record and growing obesity problem, and calls on the City of Edinburgh Council to work with the Scottish Executive to restore the neglected stadium as it is part of our national sporting heritage.
Tuesday 6 March 2007
Save Meadowbank Campaign Launched
A campaign has today been launched to save Meadowbank Stadium.
Edinburgh Council plan to demolish the landmark and replace it with over eight hundred homes. Campaigners are concerned about the loss of sporting facilities and angry at the lack of consultation.
“At no time has there been any public or user consultation about selling Meadowbank,” said campaign spokesman Kevin Connor.
“Instead of asking our opinion, Edinburgh Council has issued a document stating housing is the most appropriate alternative use of the site and asking for comments on the proposed development.
“The current consultation does not extend to whether Meadowbank should be demolished. We only get to comment on their ideas for the site. Meadowbank Stadium is a major public asset and its status demands an effective consultation exercise.
“Already thousands of people have signed paper petitions. And an Internet petition to Tony Blair has attracted over 1,600 signatures.”
Bill Walker is an athletics coach who was formerly a manager at Meadowbank Stadium. He said: "I am very concerned. Meadowbank Stadium has produced many Olympic athletes and is used daily by hundreds of people from the immediate area and beyond.
"It is a long-term legacy for both the local community and the country. Yet two decades of neglect has left it needing modernisation. Money should be earmarked for its maintenance rather than its destruction. The Council state that it would not be viable to refurbish Meadowbank and has offered to provide only a small sports facility on a site that has been used for sporting purposes for generations. At a time when people are being encouraged to be fit and healthy, we don't need our politicians selling off a prime recreational facility like this for high density housing.
"Although the Council plan to build a smaller stadium at Sighthill, it is on the other side of the city and itself involves the destruction of several playing fields, leading to a net loss in the recreational facilities available.
"There are several existing sports complexes in west Edinburgh but there would be a serious lack of facilties near the centre should Meadowbank be demolished. People would also have to travel for up to one hour longer to reach the facilities they presently use."
“I urge people to sign the online petition at http://petitions.pm.gov.uk/Meadowbank/.”
The campaign group is apolitical and has been formed by concerned locals and sports groups. It has three aims:
-To reverse Edinburgh Council’s decision to demolish Meadowbank Stadium and sell off the cleared site to private housing developers.
-To call for refurbishment of the stadium using our public money, to specifications deemed fit by the centre’s users, local residents, and the wider public.
-To demand full and open public consultation on such major issues.
The campaign group has set up a website at http://savemeadowbank.org/ and can be contacted at savemeadowbank@blueyonder.co.uk.
The public consultation period ends on 30 March.
For further information about the campaign contact:
Kevin Connor 0131 468 4157 (home) or 0771 324 6570 (mobile)
e-mail: savemeadowbank@blueyonder.co.uk
website: http://savemeadowbank.org/
Edinburgh Council plan to demolish the landmark and replace it with over eight hundred homes. Campaigners are concerned about the loss of sporting facilities and angry at the lack of consultation.
“At no time has there been any public or user consultation about selling Meadowbank,” said campaign spokesman Kevin Connor.
“Instead of asking our opinion, Edinburgh Council has issued a document stating housing is the most appropriate alternative use of the site and asking for comments on the proposed development.
“The current consultation does not extend to whether Meadowbank should be demolished. We only get to comment on their ideas for the site. Meadowbank Stadium is a major public asset and its status demands an effective consultation exercise.
“Already thousands of people have signed paper petitions. And an Internet petition to Tony Blair has attracted over 1,600 signatures.”
Bill Walker is an athletics coach who was formerly a manager at Meadowbank Stadium. He said: "I am very concerned. Meadowbank Stadium has produced many Olympic athletes and is used daily by hundreds of people from the immediate area and beyond.
"It is a long-term legacy for both the local community and the country. Yet two decades of neglect has left it needing modernisation. Money should be earmarked for its maintenance rather than its destruction. The Council state that it would not be viable to refurbish Meadowbank and has offered to provide only a small sports facility on a site that has been used for sporting purposes for generations. At a time when people are being encouraged to be fit and healthy, we don't need our politicians selling off a prime recreational facility like this for high density housing.
"Although the Council plan to build a smaller stadium at Sighthill, it is on the other side of the city and itself involves the destruction of several playing fields, leading to a net loss in the recreational facilities available.
"There are several existing sports complexes in west Edinburgh but there would be a serious lack of facilties near the centre should Meadowbank be demolished. People would also have to travel for up to one hour longer to reach the facilities they presently use."
“I urge people to sign the online petition at http://petitions.pm.gov.uk/Meadowbank/.”
The campaign group is apolitical and has been formed by concerned locals and sports groups. It has three aims:
-To reverse Edinburgh Council’s decision to demolish Meadowbank Stadium and sell off the cleared site to private housing developers.
-To call for refurbishment of the stadium using our public money, to specifications deemed fit by the centre’s users, local residents, and the wider public.
-To demand full and open public consultation on such major issues.
The campaign group has set up a website at http://savemeadowbank.org/ and can be contacted at savemeadowbank@blueyonder.co.uk.
The public consultation period ends on 30 March.
For further information about the campaign contact:
Kevin Connor 0131 468 4157 (home) or 0771 324 6570 (mobile)
e-mail: savemeadowbank@blueyonder.co.uk
website: http://savemeadowbank.org/
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