School’s public art celebrates cycling and walking network
Cowie pupils have celebrated the delivery of a new cycling and walking network with their own piece of public art.
Stirling Council, with funding from the Scottish Government via Sustrans’s‘Community Links’ scheme, helped to deliver four improved road crossings and a number of new and improved path links around Berryhills Park and St Margaret’s Primary.
The project aimed to enhance Cowie’s Main Street and boost levels of walking, cycling, and wheeling in the village, forming part of the council’s‘Active Travel Action Plan’.
The plan looks to support the delivery of the‘Local Transport Strategy’, which encourages people to make more trips through walking, cycling and public transport.
Residents gathered on Wednesday to celebrate the new work of art, which celebrates Cowie’s mining heritage, natural landscape, and strong community spirit, along with an exhibition of work by school and nursery pupils.
Balfron artist Elspeth Bennie ran a series of workshops with a‘Old and New’theme for Cowie Primary, St Margaret’s Primary, Cowie Nursery, as well as the area youth group.
Following those workshops, the youngsters’ideas were pulled together into three possible artworks.
Pupils, parents, and the Cowie community voted on the options, with the chosen artwork created with the input of pupils through Ms Bennie’s mobile forge.
Convenor of Stirling Council’s Housing and Environment Committee, Councillor Jim Thomson, said:“I’m delighted to see this project completed, with local pupils having played such a central role in the creation of this fantastic piece of artwork.
“The improved paths and crossings will help more children and their families to walk, cycle, and wheel safely around Cowie, especially on the school run.”