A handsome new wooden bench has been unveiled on the bank of the Union Canal at Polwarth. Designed and built by local woodworker Janie Morris, the bench was installed by Merchiston Community Council with a community grant from the City of Edinburgh Council. The unveiling was performed by local Councillor Neil Ross, and Andrew Burns, Chair of the newly reconstituted Edinburgh Union Canal Society, was also present.
The bench is made from specially-sourced Scottish oak and weather-proofed with Danish oil. The wording carved into it says By Still Waters I will Heal You, and people are telling us how much they love its tranquil setting overlooking the canal, the towpath and Harrison Park beyond.
Access to the bench is via the garden of Polwarth Parish Church at 38 Polwarth Terrace. This garden is open 24 hours a day and is fully accessible. The picture, which was taken by MCC Chair Ian Doig, shows (L to R) Bridget Stevens of Merchiston Community Council, Janie Morris, Cllr Neil Ross and Rev Jack Holt of Polwarth Parish Church.
Bridget Stevens, a former Chair of Merchiston Community Council, has lived in Merchiston for around 25 years. In her current role as Licensing Lead, she attends CEC Licensing Board meetings and other city council meetings as appropriate. She represents MCC on the Board of FOMBL (Friends of the Meadows & Bruntsfield Links) and was in the past a trustee of Dig-In community grocer and of the Eric Liddell Centre. She chairs a small local charity, Tap into IT, which introduces older residents to the joys of the internet, while another of her volunteering activities is as an audio describer of live theatre for the benefit of visually impaired members of the audience. In 2012 she was made a Deputy Lieutenant of the City of Edinburgh.