Reclaiming a community gathering corner – “The Chippie Hing Oot”
An old hang-out
The triangle of outdoor space beside The Chip Inn on Oxgangs Road North has long been a place where people hang out and socialise. Through decades, locals gathered there, ate their snacks and chips, or met with friends and neighbours to chat. It has always been a good vantage spot to have a seat and wait until your bus appears at the top of the hill before dashing over the road to catch it.
50 years later
Sadly, over the years it became overgrown and the benches that were once there have gone. But it has never ceased to be an important meeting, chatting and snacking place!
What a transformation!
Two years ago, Oxgangs Community gardeners began to clear the space up, with permission from The Co-op who own the ground. This is an ongoing process. On Saturday 2nd May we gathered again to clear the weeds and do some more planting. New members and volunteeres joined us to help us with the tidy, which was brilliant!
Rain threatened, but never appeared, and an amazing number of weeds were removed and replaced with bedding plants kindly donated by Pentland Plants Garden Centre and perennial bulbs. It is never all work – there was also lots of chatting and working out things like “Is this a weed?”, “Is this a plant?” and “Does it really matter?”
It was an enjoyable sociable gathering with a little light gardening, and what a transformation!
In time we hope that new benches will be put back in the area so that people can snack, loiter and socialise in more comfort – It’s a work in progress.
Please get in touch if you want to know more or join us.
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