Lorna Slater: Calling all friends of Holyrood Park – come and help us
Holyrood Park is one of Edinburgh’s greatest treasures, yet too often it falls short of its potential. Years of heavy traffic, erosion, neglect and under resourced management have left parts of the park under strain.
Now, a new community-led initiative aims to change that. I’m leading community groups and volunteers in creating a Friends of Holyrood Park organisation to give local people and park users a more effective voice in how the park is cared for and improved.
At the public meetings we’ve held so far, we’ve heard from people who want to see the park become greener, safer and more accessible, with the needs of biodiversity and activities better balanced with traffic management.
Everyone with an interest in the park is invited to a public meeting this Monday at 6.30pm in Epworth Hall, Edinburgh, as the group holds its first AGM and elects a committee to take it forward.
The meeting will bring together residents, community organisations, local councillors, parliamentarians and other key stakeholders. It is designed to be a forum for ideas and action, giving everyone who values the park a chance to shape its future.
We want to work constructively with Historic Environment Scotland and support them in progressing their strategy for the park while progressing long overdue actions.
The new group will decide its priorities, which may include restoring habitats, repairing worn paths, improving accessibility for those with mobility challenges and protecting the park’s wildlife. Volunteers might be able to create opportunities to help map problem areas and identify priorities for conservation and safety improvements.
Many people want to see better maintenance and clearer signage throughout the park so visitors can explore easily without damaging fragile habitats.
Reducing car usage and removing the ability to treat the park as a through-route for private vehicles would make the area safer and cleaner while improving everyone’s experience.
Accessibility is another key issue, with calls for improved pathways and smoother surfaces to make the park easier to enjoy.
The Friends of Holyrood Park group plans to be a constructive partner, working with public agencies, coordinating community input and ensuring that commitments to improve the park are followed through.
Holyrood Park belongs to all of us and its future depends on the choices we make now.
Monday’s meeting is an opportunity for everyone who cares about this extraordinary landscape to help shape the greener, cleaner and more inclusive park Edinburgh deserves.
Tickets for Monday’s meeting are free and can be found online via Eventbrite. Search “Friends of Holyrood Park AGM”