New Portobello High School- Where and how?

by **bbbrown** » 22 Sep 2006, 12:03

here's a thought.

there is much talk from PFANS and its lobbyists about the lack of sporting facilities available to the children at PHS and St Johns. This has always puzzled me.

The Current Portobello Park is around the corner from the schools. It has the football pitches and grass areas required to provide excellent sporting facilities. Rather than spending sums of money bussing children around the area, why not invest in the park to create really top notch sporting facilities. Improve the pitches...provide good Changing facilities for the schools to use.......lay a running track.......The schools could utilise an intelligent time tabling strategy, so that games and PE are fitted into the day imaginatively, alowing kids the time to get to the Park and change. The sports facilities could be used by the community outwith school hours (dare i mention five a side pitches.....)

The schools, when rebuilt on the current site, would not require the football pitch that is shown on the drawings, as these facilities exist but five minutes stroll away. Instead, an area of pleasant green space could be incorporated for the kids to enjoy at break time. A lot of PHS kids walk down to the Portobello shops at lunch time, is it too much to expect that they spend a few minutes walking to the Park for PE and games?

This would put an end to bussing kids here there and every where, with all the implications that has with regards to time wasting, congestion, pollution etc...etc

Private schools, Heriots for instance, have playing fields at much further distance from the actual school itself and seem to manage fine.....

by **Pal of Porty** » 22 Sep 2006, 12:16

Thank God it is only a thought!

by **Bob Jefferson** » 22 Sep 2006, 13:05

From today's EN:

by **Bob Jefferson** » 22 Sep 2006, 13:06

From today's EN Letters Page:

by **bbbrown** » 22 Sep 2006, 13:33

by **Maria** » 22 Sep 2006, 13:38

by **bbbrown** » 22 Sep 2006, 13:58

by **Dadaist** » 22 Sep 2006, 14:22

by **Bob Jefferson** » 22 Sep 2006, 15:09

by **Pal of Porty** » 22 Sep 2006, 15:23

by **bbbrown** » 22 Sep 2006, 15:45

i love the language .......

"Portokabin ghetto..."

....compulary cold showers and floggings every morning too no doubt....

"You can't separate decisions and outcomes in this"

this is precisely what the council is doing....separating where to site the school's from how to fund them.....or does it not work both ways?

by **Bob Jefferson** » 22 Sep 2006, 16:31

by **Dave Connelly** » 22 Sep 2006, 18:27

by **Dave Connelly** » 22 Sep 2006, 18:33

by **Dave Connelly** » 22 Sep 2006, 18:43

Does the council think that by delaying any decisions until after the elections next year they are fooling anyone?

I think that the mention of what happened in Ayr regarding the very similar issue with schools being built on puiblic land at the deputation meeting, really did rattle them. :lol:

They were voted out after they caved in big time to the public demand.

Any councillors reading this please let us know what your opinion is.

by **Bob Jefferson** » 22 Sep 2006, 19:01

by **Bob Jefferson** » 22 Sep 2006, 19:06

by **Marguerite-the-Poet** » 22 Sep 2006, 21:38

by **Dave Connelly** » 22 Sep 2006, 21:46

by **Bob Jefferson** » 22 Sep 2006, 21:54

by **Alison Connelly** » 22 Sep 2006, 22:33

by **Alison Connelly** » 22 Sep 2006, 22:47

by **seanie** » 23 Sep 2006, 00:45

What's possible, feasible and desirable can be quite separate things.

For example it would certainly be possible to build PHS on the Freightliner Terminal, the crappy site conditions notwithstanding.

Would it be feasible? Not really. It's a crap site, too small, awkwardly shaped, bounded by a bypass and a mainline railway, that the council don't own and that would cost a significant sum to buy.

Desirable? Only if you don't give a toss about the quality of the educational environment, as well as the additional shortcomings.

by **Dadaist** » 23 Sep 2006, 01:03

by **Bob Jefferson** » 23 Sep 2006, 03:40

by **Bob Jefferson** » 23 Sep 2006, 03:52

by **Alison Connelly** » 23 Sep 2006, 08:04

by **Bob Jefferson** » 23 Sep 2006, 08:28

by **gilo** » 23 Sep 2006, 09:44

(Camera shot) A child stumbles through an urban ghetto, weaving through a concrete jungle. She stops for a rest and sits down on some rubble. She wipes a tear off her dirty face. She looks down at her ripped clothes and broken sandals. Then she starts to sing softly to comfort herself

Give a little green because the children are the future
give a little green to make the world a better place
give a little green for all of our tomorrows
give a little green to put a smile on this child's face.

She stands up smiling and repeats the chorus other children join her and soon they're singing in harmony.

(Voice over) "Give a little green, support buliding PHS in the park"

by **Bob Jefferson** » 23 Sep 2006, 10:29

by **Porty** » 23 Sep 2006, 10:59

New Portobello High School- Where and how?

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