Flood defence work (Oxgangs entrance Aug 2009)
During the week beginning 3rd August Carillion (the contractors undertaking the flood defence work) will begin erecting temporary fencing within the south entrance to the park and close access on Thursday. Notices have been posted at the affected entrance and on Thursday 6th August they will erect the diversion signs and post notices at all entrances to the park. This will allow tree clearance and access construction to start and pile driving will begin w/c 10th of Aug for a period of around 3 weeks. It is likely that the Oxgangs entrance will remain shut until the end of the year.
Flood defence work (Oxgangs entrance Oct 2009)
There will be opportunity for new planting once the work is done and the Friends Group will be invited to work with the landscaper.
on 03 Aug 2009 at 9:25 pm
The contact for Carillion is Stuart Mackay. If you have a complaint about any of the work, his mobile number is 07779 585762.
on 06 Aug 2009 at 10:39 pm
Please tell me they are not ripping out all the trees the length of the park and putting that big wall up preventing our kids and dogs enjoying paddling in the burn?!!!!!
How long is it closed for and how long is the Oxgangs entrance closed for?
on 07 Aug 2009 at 9:31 am
The work is restricted to the Oxgangs entrance and we are not expecting the completed flood defences to restrict access to the burn from the path. Some trees in this area will unfortunately be lost.
Carillion have indicated that this entrance will be closed until the end of the year.
on 07 Aug 2009 at 9:51 am
The floodwall will be constructed around the boundary of no 117 Greenbank Crescent and slightly into the park, although the section within the park will disappear under the ground and we will landscape an earth embankment on top of it. Essentially what will be left in the park is a grassy mound.
The original plan was to remove all the vegetation at the south entrance. However, as a result of public consultation we have created a burn crossing that will enable us to access the area from a different angle and minimise the clearance. We will have to take some of the limbs of the poplar trees to give height clearance for the machine, but the vegetation within the park will be largely unaffected. The sycamores and hedge within no 117 will be removed by the end of today. (7th Aug)
The park entrance will be closed until the end of the year. The working area is very restricted and we must prioritise safety and security above public access; the remaining access points are unaffected and we have posted warning notices and diversion signs that will hopefully reduce the risk of anyone walking through the park, to find the access closed.
The work is part of an essential flood scheme, but we do understand that the park is a cherished locally and we will take great care while working within in it. We will also involve the committee and parks department in any discussions about the final reinstatement and ensure the area is returned in the good condition.
Please feel free to call me for an update on 07779585762.
stuart.mackay@carillionplc.com
on 16 Aug 2009 at 6:08 pm
The tree felling work is now complete. The contractors (Carillion) have constructed an access bridge into the Park which avoids removing the trees at the entrance. The pile driving has started in the area upstream of the Park and the work appears to be going well. We have been informed by Carillion that the pile driving work will move into the Park around the 24th August. They are currently using a machine to vibrate the metal piles into the ground but will use a pile driver to hammer them in to the final depth.
Following the insertion of the metal piling a concrete wall will be constructed around the piles. This part of the work and the re-instatement of the pathway is expected to take until the end of the year.
on 30 Oct 2009 at 4:39 pm
The work in the Park is almost complete and it is hoped that the Oxgangs entrance will re-open sometime in November. The outstanding work is the construction of a wooden fence on top of the flood wall around 162 Greenbank Crescent.
All areas of grass affected by the works will be re-instated and new trees and shrubs of native species will be planted to replace the ones that were felled.