Plans to spruce up Lochee High Street

LOCHEE has always had one of Dundee’s strongest cultural identities and now a group is planning to rejuvenate its heartland — the High Street.

Save Our High Street was launched a few months ago, calling on council bosses to give greater focus to the problems facing the area.

Now the group has set its sights on sprucing it up and there are plans to have local artists paint murals and pictures depicting the area’s rich history.

Myles McCallum, one of the group’s members, today told the Tele the aim of the project was to bring the talents of local artists to the fore and create outdoor artwork celebrating its identity.

He said: “We are looking to brighten up Lochee High Street and make it more appealing. We want to do something that expresses the cultural community aspect of the area.

“People say Lochee is a deprived area but we are not deprived in terms of our sense of history and culture.

“We want the High Street to be more attractive for people to visit. We are going to get local artists to paint murals that capture the sense of identity in Lochee.”

Myles said a major motivation was to try to make the area an attraction for the projected influx of visitors brought to the city by the construction of the Waterfront’s V&A museum.

He added: “Lochee has always been its own wee town in the middle of the city. We think it would be a great idea, especially with the V&A museum and all the work going on at the Waterfront, to make the most of our community.

“The V&A is going to bring art and culture to Dundee and we want to showcase what we have here in Lochee.

“We are doing a lot of great things just now in the High Street and we are getting great feedback from everyone. We just want to get the local community together.

“We want to bring that sense of community to the forefront so that everyone can benefit from it. It would be great for getting more people to come to the High Street.

“I think Lochee is seen as a wee bit in the corner of Dundee but it is so much more than that.

“Some of the artists in the area are brilliant and it is going to be amazing to get them involved. Everything is really positive at the moment.”

Save Our High Street is holding a public meeting tomorrow at 7pm in Kelly’s Bar to discuss the proposals.

A spokesman said: “Lochee maybe lacks in wealth but it’s rich in history, unique culture and sense of community. Bring ideas, express yourselves, be creative, embrace and enhance our community or just come and listen.

“The High Street is a blank canvas and we need you.”

Lochee residents (from left) Janette Whitton, Ann Marie Allan (Kelly’s Bar licensee), Colin McTaggart, Jennie Pyrkos, Councillor Charlie Malone and Myles McCallum with Trooper the dog.