Historic Ross town under spotlight
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A REGENERATION scheme aimed at highlighting the historical significance and breathing fresh life into a Ross-shire town will be launched this weekend.
Dingwall Conservation Week, which starts on Saturday, is a celebration of the special historic environment of Dingwall town centre.
The initiative will see the launch of The Dingwall Conservation Area Regeneration Scheme (CARS), funded by Historic Scotland, LEADER and Highland Council.
Dingwall CARS will run for five years until 2016 with the aim of regenerating Dingwall High Street through the reuse and repair of its traditional shop-fronts and historic buildings.
It will provide training in traditional building skills for local contractors, grant schemes for the repair of historic High Street properties "and will educate and engage with pupils and the public on the significance and care of the historic built environment".
Thomas Knowles, deputy head of investments with Historic Scotland said,“Dingwall CARS is part of the wider investment by Scottish Government of £16m directly into our conservation areas. As a partnership between central and local government we aim to get funding allocated directly to those areas which require it, and enable this through local decision making.
“There is huge support for this project, from councillors, the community council, shop owners and local residents and I am looking forward to us working together over the next five years.”
The launch week will see a series of public lectures and walks highlighting the rich built heritage of the Dingwall conservation area and a week long exhibition will be held in the Town Hall providing a chance to find out more about Dingwall CARS.
The exhibition will also include consultation information on the proposed extension to the conservation area boundary and an exhibition on the High Street ‘Then and Now’.
Chairman of Highland Council’s planning, environment and development committee, Councillor Ian Ross said, “Dingwall Conservation Week is a great way to celebrate the historic built environment of Dingwall’s Town Centre and to launch the new Dingwall Conservation Area Regeneration Scheme.
"The Dingwall CARS will provide grants for the repair of historic properties and shop-fronts along the High Street which will contribute to the Council’s continuing improvements in the town, building on the recent streetscape works. I hope as many people as possible take this opportunity to come along to take part in the special events and find out more about the project.”
The launch event will take place in Dingwall Town Hall at noon on Saturday to which everyone is invited.
Highlights during the week long celebrations include evening talks celebrating the town’s past and revealing more about St Clement's building and Cromartie car park and looking at Dingwall’s shop fronts, past, present and future.
Dingwall History Society will be leading an afternoon guided walk down the High Street to highlight aVictorian Shopping Street yet of Medieval Originand at the end of the week the winner of the CARS logo will be announced.
Anyone wishing to find out more about the CAR project is welcome to come along to any of the events or to contact Bryony Robinson, CARS Project Officer on 07557 480846 or e-mail bryony.robinson@highland.gov.uk
The full programme of events during the week is as follows:
