Down Memory Lane

10 years ago, Thursday, November 11, 2004

a planning application to build Europe’s biggest windfarm, the Clyde Windfarm, on hills near Crawford, was lodged with the government. Greenock-based Airtricity Developments Ltd submitted the proposal to Scottish Ministers. It wanted consent to construct and operate a £480 million 173-turbine windfarm.

* police from across Scotland were to use the Law Hospital site to prepare for the G8 summit the following year. All eight Scottish forces and the British Transport Police would be using the site and its buildings for riot training in the run up to the summit which would take place at Gleneagles Hotel in Perthshire between July 6 and 8, 2005.

* the King Midas bookmaker shop in Carluke High Street was bought over by Ladbrokes. This gave the High Street two Ladbrokes outlets and company bosses had no plans to close either of them.

* carnwath runners Steven Evetts and Andrew Brown were in the Big Apple recovering from a big challenge. The brave men from Kaimend had run the 26 miles of the New York Marathon the previous Sunday after raising over £1000 in sponsorship for St Andrew’s Hospice.

* less than half of the road surfaces in South Lanarkshire were in “acceptable condition”. In a report by Audit Scotland, only 46.5 per cent of roads in this area had been given pass marks.

*an estimated crowd of 400 were treated to a fantastic Craighead Park contest in the Scottish Junior Cup. A last minute Dougie Imrie goal gave Lanark United a thrilling 3-2 victory over hosts Lesmahagow Juniors. This completed an astonishing United comeback from 2-0 down.

25 years ago, Friday, November 10, 1989

It was announced that major plans by Lanarkshire Health Board to revitalise its hospitals would result in Law Hospital being sold off. The new structuring would mean three general hospitals in the county – with no room for the Second World War buildings at Law. The favoured option was to build two completely new district general hospitals to supplement Monklands.

* environmental matters had been on the minds of Carluke Community Council members at their latest meeting. One item on the agenda was the introduction of a paper bank in the town, for the recycling of used papers. John Allan told the council that a company in East Kilbride was offering £12 a ton for paper but, in his opinion, for it to be worthwhile everyone in the town would need to participate.

* lanark man Marshall Watson faced a delay before learning if his plans for a new housing development near New Lanark would be allowed to go ahead. Objectors feared that a development of four houses in Braxfield Terrace would be out of place near the famous tourist village.

* carluke karate star Steven Morris became the first Briton ever to feature in the World Cup medal list when he scooped a bronze in Budapest. Steven (26), who specialised in the non contact discipline of kata, fought off more than 40 countries to clinch third spot.

* A hat-trick by Paul McArthur helped Lanark United to a resounding 5-1 victory at Islavale in a first round OVD Scottish Junior Cup replay. Classy winger McArthur had to vie for the man-of-the-match award with new signing Tom McDonald, who had rejoined the Moor Park men in midweek after a spell with Baillieston. United’s other goals were scored by Quinton and Lennon.

* forth wanderers pulled off a shock in the first round of the RB Farquhar Cup by winning 2-1 at Premier League Baillieston. Goals by substitute Colin Lamb and Danny McDougall saw Forth safely through.

* the draw for the second round of the OVD Scottish Junior Cup – made on bonfire night – had thrown up a real cracker of a tie for the previous year’s semi-finalists Lesmahagow Juniors. For ’Gow had landed a draw at home to Ayrshire outfit Muirkirk, managed by former ’Gow goalkeeper Alex Morrison. The other two remaining Clydesdale representatives, Lanark United and Forth Wanderers, were drawn at home to Aberdeen East End and away to Lugar Boswell respectively.