Evening Telegraph (First Edition)
Plans for new festival
Community event could be in place by summer
LOCHEE could be set for a new community festival this summer.
A group of volunteers is forging ahead with plans for a major event in the area in August — similar to the annual festivities in Stobswell.
The Village of Lochee Partnership is hoping to bring the community together for the event as well as attracting new visitors to the area.
A number of initiatives are planned by the group in order to transform Lochee’s fortunes.
And they believe a summer festival would be the ideal event to showcase Lochee to the rest of the city and beyond.
Jayne Kelly, co-chairwoman of the group, said: “We’re now thinking about the suitability of dates and we’ll be asking the other community groups and businesses to take a role within that.
“We’re quite keen to coordinate a parade down the High Street.
“The only thing we are struggling with is time but it can be done.”
The organisation evolved out of the ongoing Lochee Save Our High Street campaign, which has spent the last year fighting to improve the area.
Recent successes by the group includes a campaign to introduce a security door in Aimer Square and helping to bring the Discovery Credit Union to the area. The Village of Lochee Partnership also has plans to create a new community centre and offer greater services for the elderly.
Talks have also taken place about the possibility of creating a number of murals throughout the area.
The summer festival hopes to replicate the success of Stobfest, now in its third year.
Run by the Stobswell Forum, the 10-day festival hosts a series of events including a parade, a gala day, talks and exhibitions.
Jayne added: “We’re looking to hold it on a Saturday at the end of August so it ties in with when the schools are back.
“We’re looking for volunteers to get involved with the events and the planning so we’ll start forming some committees and sub-committees soon.”
Jayne said that the group wants to highlight how unique Lochee is.
She added: “If we’re not physically bringing shops and businesses into the High Street then we’ve got to be attracting people to come and spend time here.
“We’ve got to make it as attractive as possible and by having things like a festival that people can get involved with then that’ll be a great start.”