With city gyms still closed, more people are making use of our wonderful city parks for exercise and recreation than used to be the case. The warmer weather helps too, as does the gradual relaxation of lockdown rules determining how many people are allowed to meet up and where — currently up to four individuals from up to two households, but must be outdoors.
We are so lucky to have Harrison Park and the Union Canal in our area and it is great to see people out enjoying these amazing natural resources. At this time of year, the crocuses and daffodils planted out by the City Parks Department and by local groups are a real joy to behold. However, there is a downside to the large numbers of people being drawn to our green spaces and that is the quantity of litter that gets left behind.
The problem is not just that some park users are irresponsible and careless about this — they brought the litter with them in the first place so why can they not take it home with them again? Merchiston Community Council has also received complaints that the litter bins, of which there are rather few, don’t get emptied often enough.
To get something done about overflowing bins, use the Council’s online form to report litter, fly tipping or overflowing litter bins.
Alternatively, phone the Council’s waste department on 0131 608 1100 (between 10.00 – 16.00 hrs Monday to Thursday and 10.00 – 15.10 hrs Friday).
And do remember that People Against Litter (PAL) campaigns for citizen action to reduce the amount of litter in public places. You can contact them at fs.pal@blueyonder.co.uk.
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.