Luxury Care Home to be constructed in Stirling

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By Achilleas Salaveris

 

In February 2021 UNUM Partnership submitted plans on behalf of Northcare, proposing the construction of a luxury care home southwest of Orchard House Health Centre on Union Street.

Original plans were for a four-storey housing complex that was accompanied by a masterplan proposal idea which was denied. The masterplan proposed the construction of a Student Residential Scheme which would be mixed with the care home.

This masterplan was proposed with the greater interest of Stirling in mind, as the aims were outlined in the planning application as follows; “The proposed development will transform an under-utilised island site into a key gateway location and in doing so fulfil an important aspiration for the city of Stirling as expressed in development plan policies and supplementary guidance”. The accommodation would have been the home of 305 students and the care home would have the capacity of 71-beds.

The reasons for refusal were mainly due to student housing, lack of parking and overall scale of the project. A decision was therefore made, to submit a new application for the construction of a care home alone.

Image Credit: Achilleas Salaveris

The home, which is projected to open in Spring 2023, will be a three and a half level building complete with accommodation and car parking.

Work is well underway, as the old small park has been transformed into an active construction site.

We asked residents of Stirling about what they think of this new addition to the town and their response was positive. One resident mentioned, “We have an aging population, so I think they we need a care home. The hospitals are crowded by old people and so a care home is good to have”.

When asked about the home, Stirling Council responded, “The care home building proposed is located in a similar position within the site as the previous approved building and is of similar scale. It is predominately three and a half storeys in height, dropping to three storeys adjacent to the existing health centre building”.

Image Credit: Achilleas Salaveris

“It will be separated from the street by a garden strip which will include some trees and shrubs. As for its architecture it will have the same tenement blocks on Union Street and will be a similar height with pitched roof pattern. The proposals for the roof were altered to introduce a traditional pitched roof and so did the size of the building, reducing from four floors to three and a half.

“The development provides some landscaping, with provision for sitting out areas or outdoor social space, however, such garden space as there is on the site will suffer from the adjacent traffic.”

Ultimately, the proposed development will transform an under-utilised island to a great place for Stirling’s elderly to live comfortably and in peace.

Stirling set to become world’s first fully augmented reality city

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By Nikita Vance

 

The “cutting-edge” software developed by BT and Seymour Powell, with the involvement of Stirling Council aims to completely transform the tourism industry in Stirling, by allowing visitors a unique view of the city through their phone screen. The £200,000 project was funded by Stirling Council via funding from the Scottish Government’s Place Based Investment Programme.

Through the free Stirling XP app (which is available to download here), tourists can use the AR technology simply by opening the app and holding up their phones as they make their way around the city centre. The AR technology detects key points within the city and, utilising sound; video; and other mediums, brings the rich history and heritage of Stirling to life.

Seymore Powell’s Head of Immersive Experiences, Chris Doughty, expressed his pride in the app saying, “Using Google’s new Geospatial platform, we were able to design a truly immersive experience that brings the city to life by revealing an exciting digital layer, gamifying local history, and providing tourists with local challenges that encourage them to go out and explore the city.

“We are delighted to have been able to deliver a project which firmly positions Stirling as a world-class digital destination and paves the way for continued, industry-leading, development.”

The app also features a rewards system, in which you win prizes for your ‘collection’ through playing and winning interactive games which include the “Stirling Wolf” and the “Chained Unicorn”. You are also able to unlock new areas and landmarks on the 3D map by visiting and interacting with them. Abbey Craig and Stirling Bridge are amongst those available to unlock, as well as Old Town Jail; The Tolbooth; and the Highland Hotel.

Of this exciting new venture for Stirling, Councillor Chris Kane, the leader of Stirling Council, said: “Offering this complete AR environment across Stirling is an exciting world first and will revolutionise the visitor experience in our amazing city.

“Stirling’s historic city centre and world-class attractions will be overlaid with interactive information, graphics, 3D models and much more, creating a fully immersive and dynamic experience that no other city currently offers.

Image via Stirling Council

“Stirling is already a must-visit destination, and this pioneering product will raise the city’s profile and attract more people to come here, boosting the wider tourism economy.

“The new free app will also open up a plethora of fantastic opportunities for local businesses and will make Stirling a more inclusive and accessible place that’s setting the world standard for next generation tourism.”

There’s no doubt that this incredible venture will do wonders for tourism in Stirling, as it gives the city an ‘edge’ over other heavy tourist areas such as Glasgow or Edinburgh. It is simply a matter of time before other cities follow suit and jump on the AR bandwagon.

Of this potential tourism boost, VisitScotland Regional Director Neil Christison said, “AR enables people from anywhere in the world to experience Stirling from the palm of their hands and learn more about this historic and vibrant city in an interactive way.

“It is also great to have a new platform that local businesses can take advantage of and a tool that visitors can use to plan their trips to Scotland.

“We know that tourism is a force for good with an impact that spreads far beyond the industry itself – it benefits our economy, our community and our wellbeing.”

Hunting – the Good and the Bad

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By Katherine Rosenius

 

Is hunting a necessity, a cruel sport, or somewhere in between? It can be argued that the root of the problem lies in humanity, the actions over the last hundreds if not thousands of years, have brought nature out of its natural equilibrium, resulting in certain species thriving, while others have been brought to the brink of extinction.

Today’s discussion is about hunting; its pros and cons; and the morality of hunting as an activity derived straight out of this imbalance, that humans themselves have created. 

Hunting has been vital in human history and for Mankind’s survival for millions of years, since the first Hominid species had to learn to survive in this world. The ability to forage food and hunt for meat was crucial for their survival and evolution. Nowadays, in the western world, hunting is scarcely a means of survival anymore, moreover, it is considered a sport that involves the seeking, pursuing, and killing of wild animals and birds.  

Currently, there are many laws and rules that follow the sport. One cannot pursue an animal or bird of the sort without the right means. That in short means one must have a firearm license, privately owned land or the right to use someone else’s, and the right hunting season for one’s prey. 

Some hunt for sport and competition, others use it to collect furs and pelts which can then be used for clothes, decorations, and various other uses. In more rural areas of the world, people still use hunting as a means of survival, as going to a grocery store is a luxury they do not have. Traditionally, hunting was intended for survival only, as natives would only hunt what they needed to survive. 

Even in the mid 16h century, hunting wasn’t a luxury and more of a necessity. At this time, hunts against foxes started occurring, but this was mainly a form of pest control. Foxes were generally regarded as vermin as they would greatly harm livestock such as goats, poultry and steal eggs. Later, hounds were trained to kill foxes to keep livestock at bay. 

During the Middle Ages hunting turned into an activity for people in higher societal classes to enjoy. This practice eventually led to overhunting and exploiting natural resources. Overhunting could lead to killing animals in a higher rate than they can repopulate which depletes the species population.  

There have been controversies about what hunting, and shooting is doing to the environment. The Destruction of habitats is a major driver in biodiversity loss in the United Kingdom. (Oldfield, TE)  

To understand the perspective of a hunter, Michael Rosenius, an experienced hunter, gave his take on the issue. “Natural predators such as wolves, bears and lynx were killed off and were reduced to mere extinction in most of Europe and the UK- the result is that the amount of deer, wild boar, and certain other species, have exploded to a point where they do substantial damage not only to farms but forest and woodlands as their main intake are young plants and trees (saplings), resulting in forests being unable to regenerate themselves and farmers suffering considerable damage to their farmland” 

“On the other hand, certain species such as pheasants, that aren’t part of natural fauna, have been planted artificially and in large amounts for sport hunting and game hunts. They are bred to be shot. 100-1000 birds can be shot in a day by a hunting party for pure fun, whether this serves any purpose other than sports aspects and economic aspects for the people who organize such shoots, is debatable. The moral issue for such shoots is also different from deer stalking.

“One benefit however of all hunting is that it supports and employs many people in the countryside where other employment opportunities might be very scarce, it is also deeply rooted in culture and serves a cultural and bonding purpose.”

A study on Field sports and conservation in the United Kingdom was conducted in 2003 which found that Landowners that take part in hunting and shooting are more likely to conserve and reinstate woodlands. The study shows they are 2.5 times more likely to plant new woodlands than landowners without shooting interests. These woodland habitats are essential for the persistence of a wide range of British wildlife. 

It seems the people I have interviewed and read about make it clear that the last thing they want is for their pray to suffer or the meat to go to waste, for it to be a useless kill. 

Hunting has been a popular activity for both necessity and recreation since the start of recorded history. It has been subjected to controversies and debate, as hunting can lead to various environmental issues like animal extinction and forest depletion but can also help control animal population and valuable woodland.  

A Lament that Lacks

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By Peter Humfrey

 

Earlier this month the ‘A Lament for Power’ exhibition opened at the Tolbooth, as part of the Stirling Science Festival and coinciding with Black History Month.

The Lament takes the form of a digitally animated short film, from artists, Larry Achiampong and David Blandy, that explores “ the ethics of scientific discovery” inspired by the true story of Henrietta Lacks, or ‘HeLa’.

It cycles through various scenes, starting with a wooden hut, moving through a lab, a hospital campus, a slum, and corridors with a voiceover that explores the concepts of ownership and exploitation in the name of scientific discovery.

The context for the piece comes from the story of Henrietta Lacks, a black woman who was diagnosed with cancer in 1951 at John Hopkins hospital, in the US. A sample was taken and, unlike others collected up to that point, the cells in the sample survived and multiplied.

The cells became known as “immortal” and to this day have directly contributed to breakthroughs in cancer treatment, vaccinations, and a wide variety of other medical treatments.

What makes this story so compelling and controversial is that, whilst the cells are being used even today, the Lacks family did not become aware of, nor were asked consent for the usage of the cells until the mid-70s.

The Henrietta Lacks story has prompted introspection about consent and privacy issues with some, including presumably the artists for the Lament, viewing the usage of her cells as exploitation.

Whilst the piece explores a profoundly important and incredibly interesting piece of recent history, it lacks the emotional punch that the topic should evoke. The animation feels very basic, almost dated, and comical, and the dialogue feels monotonous at points, droning away in the background. There will be many that can engage with this piece but for those with short attention spans or an inability to focus easily the Lament lacks any real pull. The piece definitely isn’t one that will appeal to children which is a disappointment as the topic is compelling and an important lesson for younger generations on the impact and contribution made by a person of colour.

Credit must be given though to Achiampong and Blandy, who have delved into a topic that few, if any, will have given much thought to and given much-needed exposure to a historical figure of who many people are unaware. Illustrating this exact point is that of the 20 or so people I have discussed this exhibition with; students, taxi drivers, cleaners, and people from all walks of life; just one had heard of Henrietta Lacks. This person was a high school biology teacher.

The story of Henrietta Lacks is one that is woefully unknown and unappreciated, so whilst the piece isn’t particularly engaging it is something I could recommend to at least go and sit throw the 4-5 minutes that piece lasts.

The Lament comes against the backdrop of Black History Month, which runs throughout October, with the exhibition being in the Tolbooth from the 6th to 29th October. The exhibition is free to all and comes as the result of a 9-month residency by Achiampong and Blandy at the University of Essex.

Computers are key at The Thistles Shopping Centre

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By Nikita Vance

 

The Thistles Shopping Centre is all about computers this week, as they host a coding challenge and an electronic art instalment for the Stirling Science Festival which is set to end on 22 October. The festival has been providing a plethora of events aimed at children and young people, to keep them entertained while still learning over the autumn break.

Betty the Basking Shark is a sculpture created by Edinburgh artist, Johnathan Elders, with the sole aim of outlining the sheer magnitude of the electronic waste problem in Scotland. It was created using various second-hand electronic devices which include more than two hundred keyboards and water panels, each one being saved from going to landfill; alongside two projector lenses and TV screens which show a film detailing the real and raw impact of e-waste that gets shipped overseas each year.

Talking about his inspiration behind the piece Elders said, “I chose the basking shark, native to Scotland, as I encountered one as a child whilst on a boat trip to Bass Rock in North Berwick. This moment had a huge impact on me, and it has stayed with me ever since.

“I didn’t want to be subtle. As a nation, we have so much to be proud of – like these magnificent creatures – but we also have a massive problem that we’re just not doing enough to address. Like producing such vast quantities of e-waste.

“As the footage shows, much of this waste is shipped away to other parts of the world so that we can forget about it. But that needs to stop.

“Betty is the name of a lovely local lady – a total character who knows everybody. She lives overlooking Newhaven Harbour but won’t go anywhere near it because she is scared of the sea. Hence the reason I called the shark Betty, because like the real-life Betty, this shark will never go to the sea!”

It is only fitting that this computer constructed sculpture be accompanied by a coding challenge, which is available to interact with around Thistles via a QR code. The prompt for the challenge is “Create a text based adventure game using any piece of software. In a classic interactive fiction book your story would change depending on what option you picked at various points …there was always more than one ending to the story or you sometimes never made it to the end of a story! We would like you to create a similar story using software.”

Some of the suggestions for software entrants can use include Scratch; Python; Makecode; and Javascript or you could simply create a game using an interactive Google Slide which utilises hyperlinks to make each choice and progress the story. Thistles also encourages entrants to get creative and tell whatever story their heart desires, provided it is appropriate for public consumption.

Learn more about the coding challenge here.

Stirling gets starry-eyed for observatory

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By Peter Humfrey

 

The Observatory has opened it’s doors for the evening as part of the Stirling Science Festival, giving locals a chance to see inside one of the city’s hidden gems.

The event, yesterday evening, was hosted by the Stirling Astronomical Society, the custodians of the observatory and it’s Newtonian reflector telescope. 

More than 120 people attended, greatly exceeding expectations, with chairman, Deirdre Bryce, describing the turnout as “excellent”

Groups of people were taken up a narrow spiral stairway to the roof of the old High School, now Stirling Highland Hotel, and from there into the small wooden observatory.

 

Observatory guide, Bert Mackenzie, was on hand to talk about the observatory and explain the use of the 133-year-old telescope and answer questions from visitors.

The plan had been to gaze out at giants such as Saturn, Jupiter, and Earth’s closest planetary neighbour, Mars. Sadly the weather had other ideas and, faced with poor visibility the telescope was instead pointed at the Wallace Monument to show off its powerful zoom.

Chairman Deirdre Bryce, the society’s first female chairperson, spoke of how it was “very nice to know people are interested enough to turnout to something they didn’t know existed”

Speaking to The Stirling Scope, Bryce spoke of her path into astronomy, with a Christmas present of a telescope from her eldest son, before joining both Falkirk and Stirling’s astronomical societies when she moved north to Scotland.

The observatory has a storied history, dating back to 1889, being a gift from then MP for Stirling Burghs, Henry Campbell-Bannerman, who was later knighted and went on to serve as Prime Minister from 1905 to 1908. The observatory tower was designed by former pupil, and architect, James McLaren, who sadly died before it’s completion.

The centre-piece of the observatory, the 9ft telescope, was designed, constructed and installed in 1889 by 27yr-old, and later knighted, William Peck, City Astronomer of Edinburgh.  From 1906 onward it fell into disuse until the appearance of Comet Kohoutek in 1974 prompted staff and pupils to begin work on restoring the old telescope. By April of that year the telescope was restored and has been used regularly ever since.

For those inspired by last night’s event, or who simply have the time, next week on Tuesday is a partial solar eclipse. For those viewing the eclipse it is advised you do not stare directly at it but instead make use of a pinhole viewer, of which the instructions on how to make one are available online.

Anyone interested in joining the society or seeing what it’s all about they meet on the last Friday of each month at the Stirling Highland Hotel. Other than it’s historic telescope in the observatory, the society also has an array of smaller telescopes they loan out to members.

Frustration as McGill’s buyout leads to issues with buses

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By Achilleas Salaveris

 

More than 200 buses on East Scotland are run by a different operator, causing frustration to travellers.

Bus passengers in Stirling are hoping for a new start as First Bus Scotland is no longer the operator of the region. McGill’s has officially been announced to have bought First Scotland East bus business.

The agreement includes all First Bus deports in Livingstone; Larbert; Bannockburn; Balfron; as well as the Edinburgh open-top bus operation Bright Bus Tours. Also included in the agreement are over 200 buses that run in the region as well as approximately 550 members of staff.

From now on First Scotland will be operating in Aberdeen and Glasgow. As mentioned by the managing director of First Bus Scotland, Duncan Cameron “This scale is part of a strategic refocusing of our Scottish businesses with significant investment in zero emission buses in Glasgow and Aberdeen”.

He adds, “I’d like to thank our employees for their continued hard work to deliver the best experience possible for our customers across the First Scotland East business”. “We will be supporting them fully as they transfer to their new employer”.

CEO of McGill’s, Ralph Roberts quotes “We would like to welcome all First Scotland East employees into McGill’s family”. “We are pleased by the opportunity has arisen to acquire the business and we appreciate the efforts of the First Bus towards ensuring a smooth transition”.

However, this transition has not come without any problems. Many of the citizens of Stirling and especially university students have been complaining about the services. Some of the complaints are related to the duration of the trip from the city to the university’s campus.  Students blame the current roadworks on Causewayhead road, which are linked to Stirling’s Council Walk, Cycle Live Stirling scheme.

Complaints regarding the routes have also been posed by students. “I don’t understand why they don’t stop in the Union Street.” says a student living in university accommodation.

The change in the ownership has caused confusion among bus users as they do not know how to transfer their mobile ticketing to the new app. In an interview with a student, he described his experience. He mentions that he got informed by a driver, about the need to switch from the First Bus app to the McGill’s in order to keep his online tickets. Unfortunately, he downloaded the wrong application, which did not include the routes part of the East business. Consequently, the online ticketing did not transfer and until the confusion was resolved he was forced to explain the situation to every bus driver, every time.

Scottish Icon Robbie Coltrane Dies Aged 72

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By Nikita Vance

 

Coltrane passed in Forth Valley Royal Hospital on 14 October following lengthy battle with a debilitating illness. Coltrane was wheelchair bound since 2019 due to severe osteoarthritis, which left him with “no cartilage” in one of his knees, and was said to have been in pain “24 hours a day” in the period leading up to his death. The cause of his death is currently unknown.

He was previously forced to cancel his appearance at July’s Comic Con this year due to ill health, presumably caused by this ongoing condition.

His passing was confirmed by his agent Belinda Write who spoke of him fondly, “For me personally I shall remember him as an abidingly loyal client. As well as being a wonderful actor, he was forensically intelligent, brilliantly witty and after 40 years of being proud to be called his agent, I shall miss him.

Image via Wikipedia

“He is survived by his sister Annie Rae, his children Spencer and Alice and their mother Rhona Gemmell. They would like to thank the medical staff at Forth Valley Royal Hospital in Larbert for their care and diplomacy.

“Please respect Robbie’s family’s privacy at this distressing time.”

Coltrane, real name Anthony Robert McMillan, was best known for his roles as Rubeus Hagrid in the Harry Potter series and as Valentin Dmitrovich Zukovsky in the James Bond films GoldenEye and The World Is Not Enough. He had numerous successes across his almost 39-year career, most notably he was made an OBE in the 2006 New Year Honours list for his services to drama and was subsequently awarded the Bafta Scotland Award in 2011 for outstanding contribution to film.

Tributes have been pouring in for the beloved star. His Harry Potter co-star Daniel Radcliffe gave a statement to The New York Post saying, “Robbie was one of the funniest people I’ve met and used to keep us laughing constantly as kids on the set. I’ve especially fond memories of him keeping our spirits up on Prisoner of Azkaban, when we were all hiding from the torrential rain for hours in Hagrid’s hut, and he was telling stories and cracking jokes to keep morale up. I feel incredibly lucky that I got to meet and work with him and very sad that he’s passed. He was an incredible actor and a lovely man.”

Image via The Sun

Fellow co-star Emma Watson also paid tribute to via Instagram Story which she wrote, “Robbie was like the most fun uncle I’ve ever had, but most of all, he was deeply caring and compassionate towards me as a child and an adult. His talent was so immense that it made sense he played a giant—he could fill ANY space with his brilliance. Robbie, if I ever get to be so kind as you were to me on a film set I promise I’ll do it in your name and memory. Know how much I adore and admire you. I’ll really miss your sweetness, your nicknames, your warmth, your laughs, and your hugs. You made us a family. Know you were that to us.”

Hollywood and Scotland have been joined together, as both were shaken by this unexpected loss. The actor touched the lives of so many throughout his career, with fans citing Coltrane as their “childhood hero”. Without a doubt, he will be sorely missed and never forgotten.

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