Library/museum

[ullean's mum]

We may not like what is happening, we can put up a fight, but if it is going to happen it will, which i think it will anyway & six months down the line the dust will have settled & all the commotion will have been forgotten, except by the diehards who have always been against it & always will be against it.

if we think back to the threatened rural school closures,and we had decided that if it's going to happen it will ,my kid's would now be making a 17 mile journey to primary school instead of 1/2 mile,sorry but i would not just sit back and think that it is going to happen anyway,that's why my kid's rural school is still open,most people who care about their local building's would not give up so easily

[Annie]

You go UM!

[paraffin man]

We may not like what is happening, we can put up a fight, but if it is going to happen it will, which i think it will anyway & six months down the line the dust will have settled & all the commotion will have been forgotten, except by the diehards who have always been against it & always will be against it.

if we think back to the threatened rural school closures,and we had decided that if it's going to happen it will ,my kid's would now be making a 17 mile journey to primary school instead of 1/2 mile,sorry but i would not just sit back and think that it is going to happen anyway,that's why my kid's rural school is still open,most people who care about their local building's would not give up so easily

Ullean's mum, i agree with what you say on the rural schools, cos i to was & probably still am going to be affected with this issue also, again i will fight it. I can understand why people are fighting this (Library/museum), but i feel the schools are a different kettle of fish on this & it is probably not for this debate, education is different as that is for our future generations 7 we have to maintain this & do the best for our kids, granted the buildings are for the future generation too, but at the end of the day they are only 'bricks & mortar'. Education is different.

Probably fuel to the fire, but this is a debate.

Dont get me wrong, i want to see the nice buildings remain, if this is a way of getting them to remain then so be it.

You go UM!

Annie take offence to this, this looks like spoiling for a fight, this is an opionated debate, you are in effect 'stirring the pot' & getting peoples back up.

[Annie]

Sorry PM, I did not mean to offend you or anyone else for that matter. I was in agreement that if you want something that you have to get involved and not just sit back and bitch and moan about it. However, that said, I do believe the rural school thing is another topic altogether. I myself, attended a rural school (Bellochantuy and then Glenbarr)!

I do agree that the old buildings should be, at the very least, preserved for future generations, be it as council buildings or otherwise. Why hasn't the National Trust jumped in? These buildings are wonderful pieces of architecture!

Please accept my apology!

[Ship called Dignity]

We may not like what is happening, we can put up a fight, but if it is going to happen it will, which i think it will anyway & six months down the line the dust will have settled & all the commotion will have been forgotten, except by the diehards who have always been against it & always will be against it.

I must admit I am not a diehard of the Burnet Building in terms of using it etc but I have been thinking about it more and more lately and in particular to what the town offers tourist who arrive in our town centre (or for that matter us residents). Unlike Inveraray or Oban we do not have a major tourist attraction in our town centre (eg The Jail, Castle etc etc) - there is plenty of history and to a certain degree the Heritage Centre has tried to capture this.

If you look at the proposed plans in the cold day of light they are not suitable - a mixed room for meetings, weddings and a museum all accessed by the rear of the building (abeit through the lovely gardens). Gone will be the public access to the front of the building etc and the room to the left will now be for staff. (again, I suppose you could be nosey and just wonder in). I, personally, am not saying the concept behind the move has not been thought through - if it takes staff to move to these buildings to save it then I wouldn't oppose it - I just think it has to be done tastefully, respectfully and with the long term interest of the town at heart so why can't all the rooms to the left of the entrance be for an extended museum with a wedding room? (I believe, the Aqualibrium could be used for meetings now that their facilities will be open)

We have to evolve & give this a chance, & as i have said in an earlier posting we have to trust the councillors on this, we have all voted them into the position & we have to have faith in them to make the decision on behalf of their electorate.

With regards your closing paragraph I'll agree to disagree. I was always under the impression we vote the Councillor in to represent our views? I am not naive enough to think that the majority of the times the Cllrs have to react to situations and react as they believe best so they act on our behalf which I am sure we are all happy with (and I'll be the first to admit have done this very well). However, on a subject so contentious as this there should have been far more public consultation and to this end I am afraid I feel the wrong decision has been made.

If the descision proves to be the wrong one then they will no doubt get the brunt of the criticism.

If the descision proves to be the wrong one then it will be too late....

[ullean's mum]

yeah, i agree education is important PM ,just felt that the people of the toon shouldn't give up without a fight,just feel they are bricks and mortar that that need to be kept as they are or extended into a larger museum which everyone could benefit from

[paraffin man]

Mr P, cant disagree with most of what you say. You know my feelings for the area & what is trying to be acheived.

On the coucillors though i do agree that they have to listen to the electorate views but we in voting them, are also putting our trust in them to make judgements on our behalf.

At the end of the day as far as i can see from this, we all want the best for the toon, as with everthing people have differant opinions, but to that end we all want what is best. In the society we live in we will always get this type of debate, thats what a democracy is all about, may not seem like that sometimes though.

Getting too political for me now!

[Ship called Dignity]

At the end of the day as far as i can see from this, we all want the best for the toon, as with everthing people have differant opinions, but to that end we all want what is best. In the society we live in we will always get this type of debate, thats what a democracy is all about, may not seem like that sometimes though.

Got to agree with the above - and I always respect people who say how they feel on here - its better to be heard than never be heard at all!

And, you are right, this is far too political for me. I'm on holiday and time for me to finish off some work and a website for the Davaar!

[Bobbie En Tejas]

Mr P, cant disagree with most of what you say. You know my feelings for the area & what is trying to be acheived.

On the coucillors though i do agree that they have to listen to the electorate views but we in voting them, are also putting our trust in them to make judgements on our behalf.

At the end of the day as far as i can see from this, we all want the best for the toon, as with everthing people have differant opinions, but to that end we all want what is best. In the society we live in we will always get this type of debate, thats what a democracy is all about, may not seem like that sometimes though.

Getting too political for me now!

I have a question about the way things are run there. Do people just go to meetings to give their opinion to the council, but the council ultimately the ones who decide issues, or are there ever special elections to vote on things that are bigger issues than the daily running of business that will affect the future of the community? Also, are all towns in scotland set up to run the same way politically?

[John S]

I think the council do this regularly - sometimes successfully, sometimes not, that is trying to solve several problems in one go with the same solution. The new swimming pool being the most notable attempt to date of this. The difference with the pool was that their was a consultation process.

The local councillors have taken a big risk in supporting this proposal without engaging with the community, my worry is that the solutions will not be satisfactory either as office space, for wedding parties or museum and the buildings will be lost to the community as an opportunity for more worthwhile developments.

Why the rush? What harm would it have done to spend a few weeks exploring options with the public? Who knows a better solution may have materialised.

Perhaps there is a rational explanation for why no consultation took place, I haven't heard it yet. has anyone else?

[Malky]

I think the council do this regularly - sometimes successfully, sometimes not, that is trying to solve several problems in one go with the same solution. The new swimming pool being the most notable attempt to date of this.

I thought that when it came to funding new projects, multi-use/purpose buildings was the in-thing now. The idea being to get the best value for the money spent. One problem that may arise from this approach is that you may get something that tries to be everything, but ultimately fails.

Malky

[John S]

Malky, the in-thing is common sense. Sure multi-purpose but only where it will work, the key thing is looking closely at just how things will work. Unless thorough examination / consultation has taken place, particularly with multi-purpose use, how do you know? You wouldn’t put your chickens and ferrets in the same sack would you?

[Surfbored]

Aqualibrium .. never liked that.

Now the "Amstrad Building" ...there ya go.

Weren't they the kings of multi-purpose things, like music centres with built in toaster and washing machine.

[Ship called Dignity]

Any news on this?

Photo from today

[jane59]

Thats a great photo Davie and no cars .....you must have taken it very very early!