Lover's Lane

Rhu and Shandon Community Trust has been awarded a grant of £10,000 to repair and upgrade Lover’s Lane in Rhu.

​​​

 

Rhu and Shandon Community Trust (RSCT) undertook a Community Survey in partnership with Rhu and Shandon Community Council earlier this year to gauge opinions on the formation of the Trust and shape the Local Place Plan.  "Improvements in pathway maintenance" was identified as the highest priority need in the category for Active Travel and Transport - and Lover’s Lane was identified as the highest priority pathway in need of repair and upgrade, with over 95% of respondents saying that it was a high or medium priority.

​

As Scotland’s walking charity, Walking Scotland's SPT Community Path Fund supports communities to enhance local path networks, making it easier for people to walk and wheel around their communities to carry out everyday functional journeys (such as to school, workplaces or the shops). It is funded by the Scottish Government’s People and Place Programme – and delivered through Strathclyde Partnership for Transport and Transport Scotland. 

 

Chair of RSCT Fiona Baker said,

​

‘Whilst the Trust wait for the legal work to transfer Ardenconnel Wood to community ownership to be completed, we have been busy in the background developing the foundations of the charity.  We are delighted to have been awarded funding from Walking Scotland to deliver a project that so many residents identified as a priority for improvement in the village.’  

 

COST

The total project cost is £13,400 and RSCT will be providing half of this in volunteer time, managing the contract and clearing vegetation along the lane, which is designated as a core path.  A funding appeal has been launched to help make up the shortfall and RSCT has already received financial assistance from Helensburgh and District Access Trust, Rhu and Shandon Community Council and immediate neighbours of Lover’s Lane.
 

Fiona added,
 

‘We are very grateful for the financial contributions toward the total cost so far, but we hope to raise more funds to help do a top-quality and long-lasting repair of this well used path.  In order for the repair to Lover’s Lane to be sustainable, we really need to fix a couple of major drainage problems, which might cost a bit more. As a new charity, we haven’t had time to build up any unrestricted funds for projects like this and of course initial donations to the Trust were made for Ardenconnel Wood so that money is ring-fenced for the Wood and can’t be spent on other things.  As the Trust develops, we will work hard to build up financial reserves, but at the moment we are appealing to residents to make a small donation if they can.’  

 

STATUS

Lover’s Lane will be closed while the repair works, which include drainage solutions, vegetations clearance and resurfacing, take place this winter.  The Trust will announce the closure in good time and hope it will take a week to 10 days to complete the work.

 

If you wish to donate to help support the repair of Lover’s Lane and support the Trust or find out more about the project please contact rhushandontrust@gmail.com or to make a donation search Just Giving for Rhu and Shandon Community Trust.

 

https://www.justgiving.com/charity/rhuandshandoncommunitytrust