Happy New Year! Despite 2021 starting with another lockdown, there still seems to be room for optimism about the potential held within the rest of the year. The team at Walk, Cycle, Live Stirling certainly feel optimistic about the upcoming months, which promise to be very busy as we start the year by launching our detailed design consultation in a few weeks. Unfortunately we will no longer be using the Commonplace website for this final round of consultation. However, all the information we have gathered thus far will still be stored here on Commonplace and accessible for reference. Stirling Council has a new engagement platform, <a href="https://engage.stirling.gov.uk/en-GB/">https://engage.stirling.gov.uk/en-GB/</a> and all future WCLS consultations will be hosted here, <a href="https://engage.stirling.gov.uk/en-GB/folders/wlcs">https://engage.stirling.gov.uk/en-GB/folders/wlcs</a> Do take a look at the 2 fun family Winter Walks accessible from this link. These are activity trails along each of the WCLS routes that help reconnect participants with some of Stirling’s history and encourages them to imagine what it might be like in the future. Each 1.5 hour walk consists of a number of stops with location history, puzzles and activities to complete for children and adults as well as targeted place quality questions. These will help us understand current perceptions of those places and allow people to share ideas and aspirations for how these places could be improved in the future. Completing the puzzles and questions also puts participants in line to win some fantastic prizes! Please ensure you have read the latest Government guidelines in advance of participating in our walks https://www.gov.scot/coronavirus-covid-19/ Moving to a new platform also means that we will change how we send out project updates. If you want to continue receiving Walk, Cycle, Live Stirling updates, please sign up to our newsletter after completing the one of the Winter Walks online surveys, or email <a href="http://jacksonmi@stirling.gov.uk">jacksonmi@stirling.gov.uk</a> to let me know you want to receive email updates. Thank you for all your support so far.

New Walk, Cycle, Live Stirling engagement platform and Winter Walks

Hi All,Hope everyone is keeping well and safe.It has been some time since our last news post, and would like to use this opportunity to update you on the design phase for Walk, Cycle, Live Stirling.During February, we held various design workshops and a public drop-in event to showcase the proposals for cycle routes in Stirling.<img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/commonplace-digital-limited/image/upload/c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:eco,w_1024/v1587475339/projects/universityofstirlingroute/8846e747-05a0-46cb-bd0f-2f004a763f3d.jpg" />The Forth Valley College Route steering group design workshop focused on key sections including Upper Craigs, Albert Place and Dumbarton Road Roundabout.<img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/commonplace-digital-limited/image/upload/c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:eco,w_1024/v1587475507/projects/universityofstirlingroute/b33c520a-8a77-411b-b5ac-0509b068cdb9.png" />The group collaboratively discussed their thoughts on the current proposals, such as opening Upper Craigs to one-way traffic, full segregated cycleway along Albert Place, and providing additional crossing points at Dumbarton Road Roundabout.These comments have been collected and analysed, and now sit with the design team while we develop them further. You can read these comments in more detail here <a href="https://forthvalleycollegeroute.commonplace.is/schemes/proposals/consultation-feedback/details">link to consultation feedback page</a> .<img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/commonplace-digital-limited/image/upload/c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:eco,w_1024/v1587475813/projects/universityofstirlingroute/d7d703bc-0c2d-4db8-ac08-e4fbb4c76d81.png" />A further workshop was held for the University route, and focused on problem areas such as Causewayhead Road, crossing points needed along Cowane Street, and changing Laurencecroft Roundabout to a signalised junction.<img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/commonplace-digital-limited/image/upload/c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:eco,w_1024/v1587475906/projects/universityofstirlingroute/994d3f16-642b-4e08-8661-054277cb966d.png" />These comments can be read in more detail <a href="https://universityofstirlingroute.commonplace.is/schemes/proposals/consultation-feedback/details">on this page.</a>We worked with other key groups on these concept designs, including the Business Improvement District (Go Forth Stirling) and the Stirling Area Access Panel.<img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/commonplace-digital-limited/image/upload/c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:eco,w_1024/v1587476035/projects/universityofstirlingroute/1eab379a-7581-46f0-bd9d-0693eddece40.png" />As well as having the design proposals available on Commonplace for comment, we also held a public drop-in event at the Cowane Centre.<img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/commonplace-digital-limited/image/upload/c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:eco,w_1024/v1587476419/projects/universityofstirlingroute/afe6464c-1d31-40ff-8294-dcd0821bd43a.jpg" /><img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/commonplace-digital-limited/image/upload/c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:eco,w_1024/v1587476444/projects/universityofstirlingroute/e82dcc14-7289-4f6a-81c7-7d493510032a.jpg" />We are working hard to ensure consultation can still continue throughout the global pandemic, and hope to have many of you involved in the next stage of design.Keep up to date by following our news posts.Take care all!

We're still here

It does not seem to have stopped raining this month, and doubts were present for how this would put a damper on our celebration event yesterday in Raploch. However, the sun stayed out for the two hours we were there! We could not have timed it better!<img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/commonplace-digital-limited/image/upload/c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:eco,w_1024/v1582288470/projects/universityofstirlingroute/f7f8d264-1a8f-4000-9910-0330e1d9ac2b.jpg" />Members of the community who were involved in the Raploch Street Design came along and shared some cakes with the team, and talked about how the temporary changes have improve the junction.The junction has been narrowed with the use of temporary concrete blocks, and has reduced the speed of traffic taking this junction. This makes the community members feel safer, especially when trying to cross at Huntly Crescent. Another improvement was the addition of dropped kerbs and a new highlighted crossing on the road.<img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/commonplace-digital-limited/image/upload/c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:eco,w_1024/v1582288875/projects/universityofstirlingroute/1e659041-6f04-45c6-a0ce-aee42ed63178.jpg" />Finally, members of the Forthbank Care Home were particularly thrilled with the addition of colour to the edge of the footpath at this junction - the colours were specially selected to ensure they are dementia friendly.What do you think could be done in your area?