Welcome to your Pop Up Hub.We are a network of Bonnyrigg residents passionate about nurturing sustainable community in fun ways. We do it by finding creative ways to connect your passions with Bonnyrigg's needs as part of their everyday lives. Our ethos is to do this in a grass roots way. We are a 'Pop up Hub' rather than a physical one, popping up at various times and venues in Bonnyrigg. You can join in by coming to a gathering. We meet roughly each fortnight and have a social hour followed by a meeting. Feel free to drop in and chat. We are a pretty laid back bunch. Or come to a larger social like the Bonfire, Wacky races etc. The best way to keep up to date by getting emails and like the Facebook page. Your also very welcome to become a Hub member with opportunities to shape the direction and vision.
Coming up Next...Food Group Launch (Nov)A small group of local residents would like to get together to bulk buy health foods through a food group via Suma or GreenCity so they can get 40% discounts. If your interested subscribe to the email list or email us, to get the updates.
Willow Wreath Making (Dec)Following last years successful pilot of this innovative workshop, we will be harvesting willow from our community willow bed and making Christmas willow wreaths, while getting into the Christmas spirit with carol music and mince pies. The children did an excellent job getting the hang of it.
Cinema? (Jan 2016?)There have been ongoing interest in piloting a community cinema night. Maybe starting with a sing along like Frozen or The Sound of Music. If your interested subscribe to the email list or email us, to get the updates.
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Our Story so far...2015
Bonfire is Roaring Success (Nov)Its been 20 years since Bonnyrigg had a community bonfire. The Hub brought it back in partnership with Bonnyrigg and Lasswade Community Council. It was a roaring success with 350+ people coming, a £Nil budget and 7 days to organise.
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Wacky Races 2015 (June)The second Wacky races but this time we tried to run the event with a budget of £30 instead of £800. It was great fun. The carts were works of art. Finishing with a 20min go cart building challenge. Go to our Facebook page to find more.
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Our First Full AGM (April)We had a great AGM on 27th April that was the culmination of getting all the administrative due process aspects of the Hub in place. Social time followed by electing directors.
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Willow Harvest (March) |
Big Newsletter update (Feb) |
Establish Healthy Systems (Jan) |
In 2014...
Hub Helps Santa (Dec) December- Every year Bonnyrigg gets a special pre-Christmas visit from Santa, especially arranged by Poltonhall Gala Day group. In 2014, with some extra help from Bonnyrigg Hub, Santa was able to visit all the streets in Bonnyrigg. More..
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Wacky Races 2014 (Nov) On a darkening November day, in King George IV Park some of Bonnyrigg’s intrepid children and families entered the Wacky Races put on by Bonnyrigg Hub. There were carts and bogies of all descriptions. More...
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Grassroots Pop up Hub (Aug)
Our goal has been to foster community spirit sustainably. We decided that it would be wiser to focus our energies on doing this with the resources that were available to us the park.
Building matters were left with the local Councillors. The Community Council are pursuing the inclusion of public softplay and a youth workshop in Council plans. More... |
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Picnic in the Park (June) On a sunny Sunday in June last year, 60 Bonnyrigg residents gathered for the Hub’s inaugural community ‘Picnic in the Park’. There was eating, racing, a good deal of sitting in the sun chatting with neighbours and an adults-versus-children tug-of-war, which the children won. When it is a bit warmer get ready with your sandwiches! More...
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Resubmissions permitted (May)In May the Council officers turned down the bid citing financial concerns. However, two independent assessments proved these conclusions unfounded. After 12 months, 3400 volunteer hours, huge community pressure via press and emails, Councillors allowed a resubmission.
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The Hub's Building Plan (Jan)January 7th the Hub was born as an organisation and plan. The plan was to reuse the former Bonnyrigg Leisure Centre as a 100% self funded Hub:
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In 2013...(The first year)
Community Consulted (Oct)Here's what some folk involved in cheerleading say about their experience about getting space in Bonnyrigg. Quite a surprise to see how hard people are finding to find space to reliably rent.
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Demolition Paused! (Aug)(Tour Video of Facility) To our great surprise Midlothian Council officers recommended a pause in demolition for 6 months for community asset transfer to be considered, and for a formal process to be agreed. Midlothian Councillors unanimously agreed because their lawyers said Fields in Trust, the overseers of the land, would require this before they granted permission to demolish.
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Rescue Plan Submitted (July)The Cheif Executive officer of Midlothian Council finally agreed to meet with the campaign and agreed that they should hear a community submission for saving the building. They gave us an impossible and unrealistic 6 weeks to put it together. A huge team effort went in to proving the building could be viable as a whole. At this point we were a voluntary association of residents called 'Bonnyrigg Centre Initiative'. This was the plan:
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Campaign March (June)A huge range of people turned up on Sat 8th June at 1pm in George V Park to show that they want to have a chance at designing their own community facilities in this building. We’re asking for a year to work together and decide as a community what would be best for the centre and the people of Bonnyrigg.
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First Newsletter (May 13)Our first newsletter to get the public informed of the planned demolition. Up till now Midlothian Council refused to inform the public of the demolition.
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MSP Gets Involved (May)MSP Alison Johnstone has tabled a Motion in the Scottish Parliament asking the chamber to support a proposal to delay any plans for the Bonnyrigg Leisure Centre building until the Neighbourhood Plan has been agreed. She took the time to talk to local residents outside the Leisure Centre.
The Parliamentary Motion. |
1 of 3 Councillors Convinced (April)Bonnyrigg ward Councillor Ian Baxter (1 of 3) writes compellingly about the reasons why he has changed his mind and now thinks the Leisure Centre building should be granted a stay of execution.
His story: |
"Stop the Demolition" Petition"We want Midlothian Council to stop the demolition of Bonnyrigg Leisure Centre (July) for at least 12 months. To give residents of Bonnyrigg the time to make a combined community decision on how they want to make use of it. (currently the council want to knock down the main building and leave the back hall)
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Campaign Launched (March)March 2013 Midlothian Advertiser puts up the first public article informing residents. Councillors Milligan and Constable have known about demolition plans for over 2 years. Public finds out with 4 months to go.
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Bonnyrigg Centre Trust Ltd is a Company Limited by Guarantee, SC465218