Harlaw Hydro to be switched on
Gracemount Leisure Centre reopens today
St Andrew Square Art
Lady Provost’s Sleep out!
Council’s Smoke Free Policy
Later this morning we will be up at Harlaw Reservoir to witness the big switch on of the community hydro scheme. Minister for Business, Energy and Tourism Fergus Ewing will be on hand to perform the ceremony. Our photo shows the Lord Provost helping to start off the building process in September last year.
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Following a renovation project which has included a new sauna, reorganisation of the cafe and a bigger and better gym locals are looking forward to Gracemount Leisure Centre reopening this morning at 6.30am.
The Edinburgh Reporter NEWS from Phyllis Stephen on Vimeo.
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As you can see in our photograph of the day one of Scotland’s leading contemporary artists, David Martin, has created a large scale painting on the steps of one of Edinburgh’s iconic heritage buildings.
To coincide with this year’s festival season, David painted a 7 x 3.5m mural on to hoardings at the entrance to 42 St Andrew Square. Situated at the gateway to The Registers, a regeneration project planned for the south east corner of Edinburgh’s St Andrew Square, the painting evolved live and in situ, whatever the weather and in full view of residents, commuters and visitors.
It will be installed later in the dramatic double height glass lobby of the new office building planned as part of the regeneration of the area that aims to revitalise and pedestrianise part of West Register Street. Here, it will be permanently on public display.
Commissioned by the Chris Stewart Group (CSG), it is intended that this will be the first in an ongoing series of art installations in The Registers.
David, who was given his first major solo exhibition in the Royal Scottish Academy in 2007, is the founder and creative director of the Hidden Door arts festival, which turns abandoned or hidden places in Edinburgh into temporary arts venues. The Registers commission is the first live art project of its kind and for this David intends to paint a single standing figure, surrounded by the grand space of the building, referencing the stairwell and main hall of the beautiful, historic interiors, as they dissolve and transform into a different, more evocative and timeless space.
The painting will remain in place until the autumn to coincide with David’s next exhibition at the Open Eye Gallery in early November.
Commenting on the project, David said:
“I’m delighted to have the opportunity to create such a large scale painting at so prominent a site in the city centre. It will be a really interesting few weeks to see how the work progresses and to gauge the public’s reaction – to the painting itself, but also to the fact that I’m going to be there from morning till evening creating the piece in situ.
“I’m not approaching it like a graffiti artist, or mural artist, but just as I would my normal paintings on canvas, and so it will go through stages of evolution – and may look quite strange for a while as I build the layers up with colour and collage material, such as old maps which create the surface interest of the painting.
“I don’t think Edinburgh has ever really seen this approach to live painting in public before – not on this scale, anyway.
“I have a real sense of how the painting is going to look, taking inspiration from the amazing atrium and banking hall inside the building – but even I don’t know exactly how it’s going to turn out. It will have to take on a life of its own through the process of painting for it to be any good! It is exciting to think of it having a home inside this fantastic new building once CSG has completed its planned regeneration of The Registers.”
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Edinburgh’s Lady Provost will brave a cold night at the Zoo later this month in a bid to raise thousands of pounds for local causes.
On a crusade to raise awareness of homelessness in the city, the Lady Provost Elaine Brand has challenged local businesses and individuals to join her as she swaps her bed for a sleeping bag and experiences a night with the nocturnal sounds of the RZSS Edinburgh Zoo’s animal inhabitants.
‘The Lady Provost’s Sleep Out at Edinburgh Zoo’ will raise vital funds for Four Square and the Rock Trust to help young people get off the streets and into work. Already, over 150 people have signed up to take part including teams from Edinburgh companies, members of the British Army and Lord Provost Donald Wilson. AND in breaking news…… THE EDINBURGH REPORTER WILL BE THERE TOO! Read more here.
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We presume this is may be some form of reply to Councillor Norman Work who has been observed having a fly puff on his e-cigarette in the City Chambers in the past, but the council is now going smoke free. And that includes e-cigarettes.
Later this morning a report to the Corporate Policy and Strategy Committee will recommend that a Smoke Free Policy for the council’s buildings and grounds is put in place. This will include play parks and school entrances and playgrounds.
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Founding Editor of The Edinburgh Reporter.
Edinburgh-born multimedia journalist and iPhoneographer.
