You don't need to be an 'investor' to invest in Singletrack: 6 days left: 95% of target - Find out more
For the last few years I've been involved with a group of people trying to build a pump track and MTB skills loop in an area of disused woodland in central Edinburgh (in Dumbiedykes, next to Holyrood Park).
We've spent a lot of years sorting out the bureaucracy and securing £150,000+ of funding. We've now managed to get everything in place with the lease, planning and cash and are on course to get it built this summer.
However, we have hit a snag - a very vociferous anti bike park online campaign organised by a local NIMBY.
So, I'd like to ask you to give us some support by liking our FB page and signing our online pro- bike park campaign.
Now, I won't ask you to take it on faith that we're right and they're wrong, so I've got links to their claims and our info.
In summary they say there has been no consultation, we're destroying wonderful greenspace, cutting down all the trees and a bike park will be a haven of crime from youths and antisocial bikers.
Our side is that we did lots of consultation, the woods weren't too nice - lots of garbage and needles etc, we did cut down 70 trees (out of 500) but are planting 200, and that a bike park is a positive, healthy place for young people to hang out.
If you can like our page and sign our petition it would really help us out as we're in some kind of battle of the bands, who's got the most mates war now. If you can share the page and petition with your friends it would help massively too.
Please sign and share:
https://you.38degrees.org.uk/petitions/support-the-skelf-bikepark-on-the-southside
Anti bike park page: https://m.facebook.com/Stop-Skelf-bike-track-Preserve-our-green-spaces-Dumbiedykes-Edinburgh-1522226694748912/?rc=p
Our info page: http://theskelf.org.uk/faqs/
Our FB page: https://m.facebook.com/skelfedinburgh/
Signed and shared.
One comment, 5 seconds into this. The image on the petition page is like yoof graffiti. Fine, I get it. But it won't help the NIMBYs who view it as a place where yoof hang out and do stuff like graffiti (and play yoof music and drink yoof drinks etc). If it were, say, woodlands with a kid looking enthusiastic on a pump track it might come across as bit more wholesome.
I shall now read the rest.
That there looks like a good plan to me!
Liked...
Signed...
Shared...
😀 😀 😀
Oh, the image I describe is the cover photography your facebook page. But the profile photo is the yoof bit.
Wow, very clever use of the word 'developer' by the NIMBY in question, technically I guess you are trying to develop something but that makes you sound like some sort of heartless corporate monster...
Good luck, I'm sure emotions will be running high if local folks see any change whatsoever to their local forest, I guess I'd feel the same rightly or wrongly.
Thanks guys.
Here is a pic of the woods: https://photos.google.com/share/AF1QipOuPnOWcortARhYzu-x1vfhsr4x-GGNbc9HLTODlrMD0dBRhxu4hstdSaQzzbwCSg?key=TlRMYWhyR2hBZUc0Qk85TkhRd3JHaGtkc0R0YjhB
Can somebody embed? Can't sort it from the mobile
All for this!
Nice one! I love this! Signed and shared
Don't destroy our green spaces! 😕
Signed and shared too. There's some rabid folks on their page.
Same here. Signed n shared.
I'm guessing all that outdoors work makes people peckish.
Email me tomorrow on markdownie@2pure.co.uk and i will have some yummy in your tummy Honey Stinger goodies sent your way for thermos tea times.
Stick at it, we need more things like this happening.
^ cheers. Had one of those gels last ride I was on, really liked them!
So stoked about this project, and now this happens. Signed (and sharing tomorrow)
Article in the local paper comes out tomorrow. We've given all our info - interesting to see their take/spin on it
Signed and shared.
Signed.
Signed
We've now managed to get everything in place with the lease, planning and cash and are on course to get it built this summer.
If this is the case then it would appear the NIMBY's actions are too late? What are your specific concerns about them?
If you want any advice on noise issues I can help
Signed.
2 questions for those more involved; they bang on about tarmac, how much actual tarmac surface are we talking about here? And how local/homegrown is the group? Just for countering the claims.
The nimbies are nutters, tbf. But as above, not the usual screeching nutters, they're manipulative and cynical and clever. "developers" "sweetheart deals", it's all the language of community vs big business. Unhappy dogs, deny the consultation, selective quotes of the skelf facebook site (ie, taking a post about one volunteer session and pretending it represents the big picture), trying to make it sound like the entire area is to be tarmacced over
Oh and most of all, THIS WAS THE ONLY GREEN SPACE NEAR HOLYROOD PARK!!1!
On the plus side, they become more screechy and unpleasant when faced with polite comments and facts.
Signed.
Really looking forward to using the bike park with my kids - Edinburgh really needs this!
Signed (using my folks postcode...) Interestingly the NIMBY leaves a mobile number on their page - it would be a shame for that to be written in some public toilets somewhere....
Aaaand signed.
Signed. We're following your model to try and build one in Hawick. Good luck guys.
Ah yeah, think we got chatting at Glentress last year while taking a break from puffing up the hill! Stay in touch and we'll give you as much help/info as we can
Northwind - only tarmac is the pump track, everything else is gravel single track.
About 50% of us live within 1/4 mile of the woods, but everyone stays in town.
Signed. You've done really well to get this far and it must have involved a lot of effort. I've tried and given up a few times to organise something similar near to me so well done for sticking with it and I really hope it comes to fruition.
Signed/bumped.
Shame it's come down to a petition competition given the amount of effort that has been put into consultation, planning and seeking consents for the Skelf project over the last few years.
It's amazing how the anti-skelf stuff makes it sound like this is the [i]only[/i] greenspace in the area and fails to mention the 260 hectares of public parkland just the other side of the wall.
I love how the NIMBYs, by way of explanation of what a pump track is, link to a video of some people using a pump track which appears to exist quite peacefully in the middle of a residential area, with nice looking apartments all around and a kids playground next door. Probably in some more enlightened corner of Europe.
Signed. Good luck!
There is a guy I know in Northumberland who works with schools and helped one organise a pump track build, yes a school with a pump track!
https://twitter.com/BikeDoctorDave/status/692628865127206912
If you get in touch he might have a some publicity material you could reference to support your build.
There has also been a pump track built in a North Tyneside park so this might help you also...
http://www.northtyneside.gov.uk/browse-display.shtml?p_ID=562797&p_subjectCategory=23
Pic here from twitter.
https://twitter.com/BikeDoctorDave/status/705656326282747904
Signed. Good on ya OP.
Liked.
I *nearly* liked the NIMBY FB page you'd linked to in a haste fueled clickfest.
Might be worth adding a "Do not like this" disclaimer to the post 🙂
Thanks for all the support guys.
While we're not worried about this that much - we have planning permission and funding, we'd still like to keep the local community onside. I feel we come across as the more reasonable side of it.
It's funny really - the anti bike park people say "Hey, there's loads that could be done with the woods"... well yeah, why didn't you do anything then? We did. We love bikes and that gave us the motivation to go through all the hassle doing something like this entails. No-one is getting paid!
Local newspaper article came out today: http://www.edinburghnews.scotsman.com/our-region/edinburgh/city-centre/edinburgh-mountain-bike-park-plan-hit-by-protest-action-1-4077699
Think it's actually pretty reasonable!
[img] 
[/img]
A rare glimpse of NIMBYs in their natural habitat.
Pretty good article and better than usual comments off the bottom half of the page.
Judging by the comments it seems most are happy with what you're doing. The opposition appear a lot more measured in that than they do on their Facebook page though.
It's looking a bit close at the moment - 360 against versus 376 in favour. Need some more folks to sign!
Why does the STW news article link the antis' petition but not the pro petition?
Signed.
I usually walk or picnic with friends in Holyrood park when I'm up in Edinburgh, and suspected those woods round the NW edge might be the site. The NIMBYs are really over-egging the amount of space it'll take up, those woods have never seemed inviting, and I think trails there will be a real asset to the park.
Signed and shared
[quote=NewRetroTom ]It's looking a bit close at the moment - 360 against versus 376 in favour. Need some more folks to sign!
As with any planning thing, it's not actually about the numbers though. It's about what the valid case is. From what I can see the objectors don't have much of a valid case - lots of stuff about loss of things when the plan is actually to replant and provide a better space for what they want.
The funny thing is them complaining about lack of consultation when presumably the usual planning notices were posted at the site in question. Personally anything which concerns me I've seen the planning notices posted at the site - if they haven't seen the planning notices that suggests they haven't actually visited the site before they got upset about it!
I suppose it just proves that people will object to anything, even if it's something which objectively is unlikely to make anybody's life worse.
Actually I'm curious - given you already have planning permission and own the land, exactly what could their petition result in even if they got thousands of signatures?
Signed, sounds like a great idea.
I'm looking forward to spending an hour two at the pumptrack whilst my son is at the Commie Pool. Maybe a regular STW meet up, safety in numbers and all that.
Signed. You appear to have done a very good job to get this far, well done.
I agree that no matter how difficult the minority of local residents are, you have to try and keep them onside. They aren't going anywhere and you're going to need to somehow co-exist. I wonder if they'll be receptive to community events or anything of that ilk once you're up and running?
Good luck.
Signed and liked.
If you need volunteer labour I'll be moving to Edinburgh in July and would be happy to help out.
We're having a volunteer tree planting day on Saturday if anyone wants to come get involved?
Details of the FB page:
https://m.facebook.com/skelfedinburgh/
The petition is about showing that they've not got the only side to the argument, and getting people to know about the project and get invested into it.
Going to up the PR game tomorrow - contacting lots of cycling news sites, pro cyclists etc - just needed to get something concrete and positive to give to them.
Thanks for all the support, we're way out ahead now!
This reminds me of bouldering on the stone embankment in Dumbiedykes back in the '80s. The residents used to throw bottles at us, hurl abuse suggesting we were setting their kids bad examples whilst the little darlings in question used to ask us if it were cocaine we were applying to our fingers... 😀
Have signed btw.
Signed.
Best of luck. The NIMBYS in my neck of the woods have just managed to torpedo the building of a new school.
We were supposed to be going away but if I'm about I'd be up for helping. I can even bring my own spade. I read somewhere about the things the NIMBYS would like there, might be worth trying to accommodate some of those. I think they said something about allotments so maybe suggest building some raised beds? Going out of your way to accommodate them even a little bit might swing some of their support your way.
Great idea - good for you!
Multiple benefits from doing this - NIMBY ****ts do my nut in.
Good luck with it.
The NIMBYS in my neck of the woods have just managed to torpedo the building of a new school.
St Andrews? A bit more info needed I think. It's not as if folk hate the idea of children having a decent school. It's that due legal process was circumvented during the planning process and resulted in a less-than-suitable site being chosen.
Yes St Andrews. That's what they managed to convince the judge, but it's nimby that's behind it.
One of the objectors even described the pipelands plans as "evil"
[quote=yourguitarhero ]We're having a volunteer tree planting day on Saturday if anyone wants to come get involved?
The NIMBYs seem keen on trees, you should invite them.
Signed and best of luck. Your plans look fantastic and its something I would use when in Edinburgh. Can't understand the NIMBY's either or attitude. Surely you are improving the area for all! I might have missed reference to this but have you been in touch with Developing Mountain Biking in Scotland and SNH. They should be able to help. SNH have Greenspace initiatives and have supported development of mountain bike facilities. Apologies if you are ahead of me on that one.
Thanks for the tips - will definitely get on to those guys, the more support and even awareness we can raise the better.
The park is going to be great - we've got Claudio Calouri (the guy who does the Red Bull DH videos)'s company Velosolutions building the pump track and ArchiTrail doing the MTB trails.
Noone seems interested in the 10ft gap jump I suggested though.... health and safety or some rubbish 😉
Here's the Facebook event for our volunteer tree planitng day if anyone wants to come along (or even share it on their own Facebook?):
Ooft, the support petition is up over 1300 now!
Was just about to contact STW Towers about it, but see they're ahead of the game! http://singletrackmag.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/03/charity-behind-mini-glentress-hit-back-at-opposing-petition/
Signed. If its the space I imagine, then any effort targeting it will be worthwhile. Can't imagine that the current residents or neighbours want it as it is!
Signed, I was speaking to the head teacher at Royal mile PS about a year ago and he was really keen on the project.
It amazes me...what would the NIMBYs rather have, local yoof either sat at home in front of a Playstation, hanging around on the streets or being encouraged to get outside and do something worthwhile?
Signed.
signed and shared.
Having some "debate" on the anti page on facebook. They're a pretty special lot.
Signed and shared, also on local mtb group page
Having some "debate" on the anti page on facebook.
Good luck with that. I was doing the same last week and they deleted all the comments, shame as they weren't doing themselves any favours and they've blocked me from making any more comments.
Signed and shared. Superb idea and fantastic that your doing this.
I'd be down on Saturday but will be racing in Glentress, I'll keep an eye on the FB page for others.
Good luck with that. I was doing the same last week and they deleted all the comments, shame as they weren't doing themselves any favours and they've blocked me from making any more comments.
Was that the one where they accused all skaters and bmx of being drug abusers?
Idiots. Signed.
Signed. Good luck.
Signed. Bloody nimbys. How did the local news article go? Fair handed? (Not on FB so limited as to info)
Any update on this?
All is good. Had lots of volunteers help us clear brambles and plant fruit trees today.
Track will be built in summer
[url= http://us2.campaign-archive1.com/?u=1e7bfe1acb8584c3f33c238c9&id=799d2bf4f6&e ]Date for the diary[/url]
The guys are having another session on the 24th. They're really pleased with response to the petition and would love it if a few of those people could make it along to lend a hand. It'll be a good chance to see what they've done so far and maybe have a little input into what you'd like to see. Given the number of bricks and coping stones we dug up I reckon we could make a mtbing equivalent of Paris-Roubaix.
Bump for the evening crowd.