Marina’s future goes up for public debate

HAVE your say on the future of Auchinstarry Marina and Scotland’s waterways.

That;’s the call from the organisation in charge of our canal network, British Waterways Scotland.

The organisation is running a public consultation on its Waterways Strategy, which is intended to find ways to increase canal usage. Public drop-in sessions will be held in Glasgow and Edinburgh.

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Richard Millar of BWS said: “The Waterspace Strategy asks how we can encourage people to live, work and play on the Scottish canals.

“Since it reopened a decade ago, the Forth and Clyde Canal has changed dramatically. Each year more and more people visit the waterway to walk, run, cycle, fish or just enjoy the surroundings.

“Whilst we have some wonderful canal societies, charities and social enterprises operating on the canal and a strong base of leisure boaters, we need to get more boats onto the canal if it is to continue to flourish, attract visitors and do more for the waterside communities like Cumbernauld and Kilsyth along the banks.

“We are looking in particular at how we attract more people to live on the water and operate a business on the water. Auchinstarry is one of the potential locations for new residential moorings so we want everyone in Kilsyth and Cumbernauld to share their thoughts.”

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SNP MSP Jamie Hepburn said: “The Forth and Clyde canal has been important to the area’s history and can be important for its future too. A wide range of people and groups make use of our canals and it is important that any strategy reflects this. The best way to ensure that as broad a range of views as possible are taken into consideration is for as many people as possible to submit their opinions to this consultation.”

Responses must be submitted by May 11. For more information and submission forms, see www.scottishcanals.co.uk or call 0141 354 7534.

The drop-in sessions take place at the Re-Union offices on Edinburgh Quay in Edinburgh on Wednesday, March 21, and at BWS headquarters Canal House in Glasgow’s Applecross Street on Thursday, March 22, both from 3pm-8pm.