Council and community work together to spruce up war memorial
Posted on 10 Nov 2023
Our photo shows Councillor Jim Montgomerie, Veterans’ Campion, with villagers John Logan and Robert Gourlay at the revamped Dreghorn War Memorial.
A village war memorial has been transformed after disrespectful vandals and litter louts regularly left it surrounded by rubbish and broken glass.
North Ayrshire Council’s Streetscene team has worked closely with two residents in Dreghorn to revamp the war memorial and make it a place people will want to visit again.
A spate of antisocial behaviour saw the memorial structure being vandalised, wheelie bins being dragged near it and set alight, hedges being ripped up and litter being strewn around.
It now looks tidy and clean after Dreghorn residents John Logan and Robert Gourlay got in touch with the Council and worked in partnership with Streetscene staff.
Neighbours John and Robert have maintained the area by cleaning the paving slabs, planting bushes and plants, weeding, cutting the grass and painting existing benches. The Council helped by supplying new benches and plants and resurfacing a section of whinstone track to improve access to the site.
Councillor Jim Montgomerie, the Council’s Veteran’s Champion, said: “What a difference this effort has made!
“The feedback from the people of Dreghorn has been positive, and this is now an area where families out for a stroll and people walking their dogs can sit, take in the fantastic view and reflect.
“Well done to everyone involved for helping to breathe new life into an area that villagers can now enjoy.”
John noticed the decline of the memorial and viewing point while out walking his dog and said he felt saddened by its state of disrepair.
“It was covered in green algae, and surrounded by litter, cans and broken bottles. The views are beautiful from the memorial, so Robert and I thought it deserved some time and effort to improve things.
“We contacted Streetscene around March to talk through some ideas. They gave us hedges, bushes, plants, paint, a picnic bench and two new memorial benches.
“We cut the grass, created a short path – where the ground was waterlogged - to the woods, cleaned the surrounding wall, cleared the algae and have maintained it. It has been a total turnaround and the support from the Council has been great.”
Robert is also delighted with the transformation and hopes people will continue to be respectful when walking near the memorial.
He said: “Before, there was abandoned shopping trolleys, burning wheelie bins and rubbish everywhere.
“Now, it is a place people can visit, take the weight off their feet and enjoy. We had a lot of help, including from Muirhouses Farm, which donated manure for the border where we planted the hedges.”
Councillor Tony Gurney, Cabinet Member for Green Environment and Economy, added: “This is a fine example of residents and the Council working together for the good of the community.”
Details of this year’s Remembrance Sunday proceedings in Irvine on Sunday, November 12, are:
- 10.40am - parade assembles in High Street
- 10.50am - parade departs for War Memorial
- 11am to11.20am - service and wreath laying ceremony at War Memorial and
- 11.30am to 12.30pm - Remembrance Service in Irvine Old Parish Church. All are welcome.
On Armistice Day - Saturday, November 11 – from 11am to 11.15am there will be a service and two minutes’ silence at Watson Memorial Garden, Burns Street, Irvine. Again, all are welcome to attend.