Green Scene

Green Scene is an environmental and community project to transform the space around Auchinstarry Basin on the Forth & Clyde Canal.

Local schools and residents have worked together to create new amenities for visitors to the basin, making it a user-friendly and attractive place to visit.

The £200,000 project has been led by The Waterways Trust Scotland in partnership with British Waterways Scotland and the Coach House Trust.

New amenities

As well as a new community mooring facility, car park and access path, the basin now boasts:

• sculptured picnic tables and benches - created by Chainsaw Sculpture and finished by trainees from the Coach House Trust
• artistic litter bins - designed by artist Julia Smith, developed by trainees at the Coach House Trust and decorated with tiles made by children from St Bartholomew's Primary School through a ceramic tile workshop funded by the project
• new trees & hedgerow - planted by members of the local community Kilsyth Primary and Banton Primary Schools

Project outcomes

• 200 school children aged 6-9 have participated in the project - planting trees and a new hedgerow, learning to respect the environment, how to identify different tree species and the importance of hedgerow for biodiversity and habitat. Through the ceramic tile workshop they learned new skills in the creation of clay tiles and the handling of clay.
• Adults with mental health issues aged 30-55 have benefited from the wood finishing and litter bin casting training programmes which have been held weekly since Jan 06-Dec 06. Seven trainees participated in the wood programme, which taught skills in wood finishing, and two took part in the litter bin programme. These programmes built confidence and self esteem and the trainees learned how to work as part of a team.
• 40 Adults aged 25-80 have also participated in two days of tree planting, learning about the trees and how to plant a new hedgerow.
• Local people now have new facilities to enjoy which will encourage more use of the basin, the Forth & Clyde Canal and surrounding environment.
• The biodiversity of the basin will increase due to the new trees and hedgerow which has been planted.

Location

Auchinstarry basin is situated on the Forth & Clyde Canal near Croy, near Kilsyth. (CLICK HERE FOR MAP)

Funders

The environmental improvement project has been made possible due to funding from:
The Environmental Key Fund - The fund is supported by North Lanarkshire Council, North Lanarkshire Forward and the European Regional Development Fund, Western Scotland Objective 2 2000-06 Programme, British Waterways Scotland, Big Lottery New Opportunities Fund 'Transforming Your Space', Community Environmental Renewal Scheme, the Tubney Charitable Trust, the Dulverton Charitable Trust and a very generous donation from an individual supporter of The Waterways Trust Scotland.