Community Allotment Project
In May 2009, Perth and Kinross Community Service Team won a gold
award for Engaging with Communities, one of five categories in the
Council's Securing the Future Awards.
The background is as follows:
From December 2007 to April 2009, Community Service in
conjunction with Housing Services and latterly, Community Learning,
worked on an innovative community based project in Perth, which
centred on a disused site that had lain fallow for
between 10 - 15 years. In the distant past, the site had
served as allotments had long since become overgrown.
Before December 2007, the site was being used as a dumping
ground and a place for local children to 'play'. Many local
residents had complained to the
local area housing team about disturbances and
vandalism. Indeed when the Project Officer paid his first visit, he
narrowly escaped being hit by a golf ball!
Enter the Community Service Squad!
By dint of hard work from both offenders and community
service staff, the site was cleared of approximately 40-50
tonnes of rubble and other 'debris', ranging from carpets and old
toys to bicycles, bedsprings, bottles and rubble.
The site was completely fenced off limiting its use for
anti-social behaviour.
Some large stones found were set aside for use on the
site. Other 'debris' was either separated on site or taken to
be recycled at
Friarton Depot.
Areas of the site were then developed for specific
uses, e.g. a rockery/seating area. Land was rotovated to
assist with the provision of new allotments or cleared for
subsequent landscaping.
The allotment was returned to the local community on 21st April
2009, when, with the help of the
Community Capacity Team, a local management group aimed to
maintain its restored state. This group will now take forward plans
to develop the site for community use.
Conclusions
The site has provided ideal visible work for offenders in the
community. Working on site encouraged and enhanced the
offenders' skills and abilities in relation to gardening and
recycling. It also received positive reports from the offenders
themselves, some of whom have expressed an interest in returning to
assist other such projects.
Glengarry Road allotment before (photo on the left) and after
regeneration (right).
