Edinburgh Trams – new part of the line opens today
Today’s the day for the newest part of the tramline to open at noon between Picardy Place and Newhaven. The trams will run every seven minutes, and this will be using the entire line to the Airport as Edinburgh Trams engineers were able to fix the damage caused by a truck at The Gyle on Tuesday.
The line will eventually cost the city £1 billion with borrowing and interest. This stretch alone – just 2.9 miles with eight stops between the city centre and Newhaven, has cost £207.3 million, but the consensus is that this part of the tram project was better organised and went more smoothly. The learning came from the first part which was so botched that it cost twice the original price and delivered half the line, resulting in former First Minister Alex Salmond ordering a public inquiry. That inquiry has cost around £13 million and counting under the chairmanship of Lord Hardie who has only just sent his written report to the printers. It cannot be released until the printed copy is ready for distribution, but nobody knows yet when that will be.
But, today is the day when celebrations of a sort are in order, and there will be a piper, members of the High Constabulary at the Burgh of Leith border at Pilrig Street complete with their top hats and silver batons and Pulse of the Place, a samba drumming band. Oh and a tram or two…
Edinburgh College of Art at the University of Edinburgh Graduate Show
This is on now until 11 June. See the celebration of the work by 2023 graduates from the Schools of Art, Design, Architecture and Landscape Architecture and Music.
The ECA Graduate Show 2023 will be open Friday 2 June to Sunday 11 June, 10am to 4pm, with late night opening until 8pm on Wednesday 7 and Thursday 8 June.
Entry to the Graduate Show is free. Booking is advised, but walk-ins are welcome.
Forth Children’s Theatre – August musical
The local youth theatre group is producing the Addams Family for the Fringe this August. The show will be at Broughton High School 29 East Fettes Avenue EH4 1EG from 5-12 August. Buy your tickets now – if you dare.
Rio needs a new family
Dogs Trust have begun an association with us and provide us with details of one of their dogs each week. This week it is Rio who is looking for a new home. Rio is a 12 year-old Springer spaniel. If you are thinking of having a dog then do go and see the Dogs Trust at West Calder this weekend. They are holding ‘The Long & Short Of It’ on Sunday 11 June at 12-4pm in the West Calder centre which is a chance to meet their dogs and take advice.
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Edinburgh-born multimedia journalist and iPhoneographer.
