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PROJECTS
Caol Seafront Development Project
The project will realise the transformation of the Caol seafront area from a dirty unused beach littered with industrial and domestic detritus to a clean, pleasant environment which local people and visitors will use as they did fifty years before.
The beach will be cleaned and graded a pathway (which will be an alternative west end of the Great Glen Way) will be built by local volunteers (with the help of contractors)
The project will make the beautiful sandy beach, at present spoiled and polluted by years of neglect, sitting adjacent to and overlooking 3 SSSI’s – Ben Nevis, Doire Donn and Ach an Todhair
(with a stunning view of Corran Narrows of Loch Linnhe and Fort William on the south, Ben Nevis on east and Lochiel on the west.) accessible for all to enjoy.
We will landscape the grassed area between the car park and the road, will build a focal point, a cairn with modern lighting and tumbling water feature. Seats will be placed around. This will enhance the dramatic setting.
Caol beach - the history
Donnie Corbett, Chairman of Caol in Bloom, has often spoken wistfully of Caol beach when, in the 1950’s, he and his pals used to play on a nice sandy beach and residents, visitors and their families would have their picnics there.
Over the years the beach was heavily polluted by flotsam, jetsam, SPPM, British Alcan, Marine Harvest and fly tipping and it was not possible to use it for playing on or even for walking on.
Soon after LEG came to this area they set up a meeting with some Highland Council Community Managers and local Community Councils. Donnie and Cathy attended and various environmental issues were discussed. We brought up the subject of Caol beach.
In February ’02 two members of Caol Community Council met with Susan Carstairs to assess the state of the foreshore and Susan was to give a detailed report of the work to be done there to the Area Manager – we did not see or hear about her report.
In July ’02 Kim Cameron, a local business man, passed on a letter to Caol Community Council from Scottish Coastal Projects with a view to getting Caol beach cleaned. The Community Council passed it to the Area Manager who was discussing it with LEG.
At a Caol Ward Forum meeting in November ’03 the Community Council raised the matter of the unsightliness of the beach and the Area Manager spoke with the Great Glen Way Manager, Criminal Justices Service (they would tidy any landscaped areas from time to time, subject to resources being available) and the Area Roads and Community Works Manager (they would support any voluntary effort by assisting with the transport and removal of the collected items from agreed locations. The refuse tipping charges would be met by the Council and these could be considerable).
Some members of the Community Council had informal meetings with the Great Glen Way Manager to arrange for a beach spring clean. She attended another Caol Ward Forum meeting and displayed photographs of the foreshore mess, and on seeing the photographic evidence it was agreed that a litter pick would be too unsafe at this stage. It was agreed that we would require getting contractors and we had a site meeting with Dr. Sen, a local contractor and a CJS worker. It was agreed that we would look into the project a bit deeper i.e. background, contractors’ estimates. It was also agreed that it would be easier for Caol in Bloom to get funding because of its charitable status and it was unanimously agreed that we would work in tandem with Caol Community Council initially and may take the lead role at a later date. This project was kept on the Community Council and the Ward Forum agendas.
Mrs. Pat Haynes a Landscape Consultant came on a site visit and she produced a very good artist’s impression of how the beach could look. It was decided that the project be divided into 3 phases – cleaning the beach, upgrading the grass area at the Shopping Centre and building a cairn with a water feature and a restaurant. In November ’04 we had contact with Highland Council, Scottish Natural Heritage, SEPA, Great Glen Way Manager, and British Waterways and in the future we will contact other local businesses. To acquire the land that we will require for the building we contacted the Area Manager and we looked at getting funding for plans, architect, and civil engineer estimates were in the region of £10,000. We would also need other consultants on board – Dot Ferguson for development matters, Ken Johnston for planning, J. Tolmie – TEC Services Manager, SNH.
We set up a Steering Group to move the project forward. Mrs. Paton showed us her late husband’s collection of local photographs and more especially of Caol beach as it was in the 1950’s. Bob Bruce did an artist’s impression of the building for a restaurant with other facilities. Dot Ferguson looked into funding sources and she did a Business Plan for us.
We held a Public Meeting in November ’04 and described our plans for the beach and other areas. Sheila Sen compiled a market research questionnaire that we delivered to every house in Caol Ward and we collected them a week later.
A hurricane in January cleared the beach on to every area in Caol and beyond. Highland Council made a good job of cleaning up.
In February ’05 the Steering Group agreed to call the company Caol Regeneration Company Ltd.
In April Dr. Sen started doing funding applications for getting the beach cleaned, a path made along the line of the old fence and building a cairn. In July ’05 we were successful with our funding application to CERS. We also got funding from Scottish Natural Heritage, Whelk Leader + and Lochaber Enterprise.
In October ’05 Caol Regeneration Company Ltd. was set up. We held a Public Meeting in December to officially launch the company. The Steering Group members are now Directors on the Board to manage the company and the Office Bearers have been elected.
In February ’06 A.A. Young won the contract to clean the beach and make the path and already it is attracting a lot of walkers both residents and visitors.
New Projects
1. Thomas Telford Watersport Centre- We are in the early stages of exploring the creation of a watersport centre with Marina and Mooring facilities in Corpach.
2. We intend to play a leading part in the future structure of administration and services of Caol Community Centre
Progress...
Contractors started clearing the shore in early February 2006 and finished by the end of that month.
Since then we have cleared the shore at least once every year.
Path
The old dilapidated fence was removed and a path was made extending the whole length of the development site
Cairn
The foundation of the cairn was marked and dug in early March but all subsequent work had to be postponed due to the freezing conditions.
The cairn with its illumination and water feature was completed in March 2007 and was officially ‘switched on’ by princess Royal in April that year
Landscape
The shopping Square was enhanced by addition of stone seats, paths and flower planters.
Access
The pavements all round the square were elevated and ramped to allow access for prams. push chairs and wheel chairs to all shops.
CCTV
The main shopping areas of Kilmallie Road and Glenloy Street have been covered by our cameras since 2009.
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