A voluntary group is making the seafront at Kirn more welcoming and comfortable for the community and visitors thanks to the enthusiasm of local volunteers, organisations and funding from the council’s Sustainable Community Initiative Fund.
EnviroKirn Action Group was founded in 2001 and is now a charity. It funds its project work through an annual appeal and sourcing grants.
The Sustainable Community Initiative Fund (SCIF) offered up to £5000 for projects leading to long-term community benefits. EnviroKirn applied to the SCIF for a grant to help fund a regeneration project for Kirn waterfront promenade. The SCIF granted the sum of £2370 which was matched by Envirokirn with its Appeal Funds.
As a result, four attractive metal benches and 10 self-watering planters are now situated along for Kirn waterfront promenade. A concrete layby, at the junction of James Street and Marine Parade, has been completely transformed with planters, filled with nectar and pollen-rich plants. The addition of benches has created a calming green space where people can sit and enjoy the view.
Residents were invited to give their ideas for the project. As work was going on, residents and visitors stopped to chat to volunteers to suggest things for future projects. Altogether the work took about seven months to complete
Edward Costello, of EnviroKirn AG, said: “The council has been helpful with the funding and getting the benches sited properly. I would like to thank our volunteers and everyone who offered ideas. We hope to take many of them forward in the future.”
EnviroKirn’s volunteers work with a range of local groups, as well as the council, to generate pride in the community. In recent years, its volunteers have taken charge of looking after council planters and created the gardens at Alexandra Parade, as well as enhancing the gardens at Marine Parade with floral displays and planters purchased by annual fundraising within the community. The local Men’s Shed has been involved in refurbishing wooden benches, while local young people’s group HELP has been painting picnic benches that were originally designed and built at Dunoon Grammar School.
Councillor Roddy McCuish, Policy Lead for Roads and Amenity Services, said: “I’d like to congratulate EnviroKirn AG’s volunteers for what they’ve achieved with the funding but also for the work they do year in, year out.
“Each year, cuts to funding make it harder for the council to deliver all the services we would like to. We thank EnviroKirn AG for working with us to make Kirn, and Dunoon, a place that people want to live, work and visit.”
If you have some spare time, and would like to volunteer with EnviroKirn AG, you can email the group at envirokirn@gmail.com.