East Dundee Environmental Network - a path brought back to life
A green pathway near a Dundee industrial estate has been upgraded by a volunteer-led community project and helped restore a 500m stretch of path along Dighty Burn.
Dighty Connect, part of East Dundee Environmental Network (EDEN), was awarded a Paths for All Active Travel grant to improve greenspaces and paths in the East Dundee area.
Untouched for 15 years, the path was in a bad state of repair. Yet, the volunteers at Dighty Connect took only four days to complete most of the renovations.
The path work was completed by a group of 10 volunteers who brought a host of different skills, attributes, and resources, with the wider community helping out where they could with litter picking and planting wildflowers.
The community group is liaising with bosses at the 2000-plus employee industrial estate which is adjacent to the burn. The hope is that employees will be encouraged to use the path on their commute to work – as well as people living in the east of Dundee and the surrounding areas.
The regenerated path is also central to a project being supported by the Smarter Choices, Smarter Places Open Fund targeting local schools and employers to encourage active commutes.
“During lockdown the path route alongside the burn has been a lifeline for many locals as it has given them a place to access the outdoors and nature. Our group works to transform areas along the Dighty Burn for people and nature, within parts of Dundee that are often neglected. We run many projects to actively engage people living close by in the paths and greenspaces as well as enhancing the walking environment for residents. For 15 years, we’ve been committed to working with the local community to identify and deliver projects and initiatives, ranging from path and entrance improvements, environmental education programmes, citizen science and practical conservation work, to publishing books, leaflets, and maps. We look to get the community involved on every step of the way; to make sure we work on projects in areas that mean something to local people. Our main aim is to bring local people’s ideas to life.”
Ann Lolley, Project Co-ordinator at Dighty Connect
The project was awarded a Paths for All Active Travel grant, supported by Transport Scotland.
More information on the Path: http://www.dightyconnectmap.co.uk/