Book Exchange:
Valerie Cleave has kindly set up a book exchange within the telephone box that houses the defibrillator by lock gate 8. There is a plastic, watertight box with about a dozen books on the floor inside the telephone box, please help yourself and exchange if you can anytime.
There is a temporary yellow sign on the telephone door, which gets a bit lost amongst everything else and needs upgrading. Valerie is in contact with Donna Mallan from Scottish Canals, who is kindly offering more shelving, more books and / or another container and will notify their nautical customers of its location. A good mixture and rotation of books are needed.
Drop-In Coffee Afternoon at Cairnbaan Hotel:
The Steering Committee is trying to arrange an informal afternoon for Cairnbaan residents to drop in for tea/coffee and a chat where we plan to have post- it notes for community ideas that you would like to put forward for consideration. As soon as a date has been agreed with the hotel we will communicate this via posters and social media.
Logo Competition:
The Steering Committee has spoken to the Art Department at Lochgilphead Campus for pupils to design a logo for the Trust where a prize will be awarded to the winner. The competition is up and running and details of this have been posted on Cairnbaan Community Facebook.
Scottish Canals & McKenzie Funding:
There is funding available from McKenzie’s who are responsible for the upgrading of the Canal locks. This funding could be used for suitable initiatives on the canal if we are eligible for it. Please see link below which is a press statement released by McKenzie’s. The Steering Group is in liaison with them for further clarification on eligibility. If you have any ideas on initiatives that you would like to be put forward for consideration please let us know.
Open Day at Forestry Buildings:
The Steering Committee is currently liaising with the relevant stakeholders to have an open day at the buildings that could be available to the community if all of the criteria is met and a bid is successful in the future. The suggested date for this is Friday 23 June. Unfortunately this is requires to be a weekday due to Public Liability Insurance requirements. A representative would be available between 10.00 – 14.00 to show groups of people around the building. We would therefore require to know who would be coming to the open day and availability so that we could allocate a time slot.
Speed Limit on Canal Towpath:
On Monday 15th May ’23, two representatives of the Cairnbaan Community Trust attended the Lochgilphead Community Council Meeting and presented documents in support of the installation of 20’s Plenty signage along the Canal towpath on the section from Cairnbaan Bridge to Barnakill Farm, the B841, from where it joins the A846 on the west of the village through to its western outskirts, and the other access road at Cairnbaan Lea which links the A816 and B841 at the east end of the village. Also, all roads within the village to be designated 20s Plenty with the exception of the 10mph canal footpath. In line with many other Councils in Scotland, it was proposed that the speed limit should be set as 20mph for all mixed use roads within the village on a statutory basis.”
The Community Council have confirmed their full support for this project. We will update you on progress as this initiative moves forward with Argyll & Bute Council.
OSCR Application:
The Steering Group is moving forward with the application for the constitution and has been fine tuning this following feedback from the relevant stakeholders.
Freedom of Information (FOI) Request:
A FOI request was made to try and understand the number and type of properties within the Cairnbaan area. The response received showed:
Main Residencies: 142
Second Homes: 18
Information was requested around on properties that operated as a business, Airbnb. Short-term lets or similar within the relevant Cairnbaan postcodes but no properties were identified within this category. Further clarification is being sought.
