On this page:

• CONTACT THE DALE

• ANNOUNCEMENTS

• CELEBRATIONS and THANKS

• EVENTS and MEETINGS CALENDAR

• LOCAL AREA ISSUES

If you lived in Armadale in the past and would like to share your memories of those days, or if you would like to contact old friends and neighbours, why not e-mail Rosie ?

Charles Flynn, Robert Friel, Tommy Sneddon, Tom Graham, Mary Stewart

If any of the above would like to be in contact with Tom who left Armadale for Toronto in February 1957, please e-mail Rosie
 

Did you know or go to school with Nan Allan?  She has written to say that she lived in Armadale until 1957 when her family moved to Toronto Canada. 'My Dad, Andrew Allan, is 88 years old and still lives in Toronto. My Mom was May McIntyre who sadly died in Toronto in 1990. My grandparents, Agnes (Knox) and Tom McIntyre also moved to Toronto. I'd love to hear from any classmates from the time I was in Armadale. I have such wonderful memories of my childhood and all the great times. My name is now Nan McCormack.' If you would like to be put in touch with Nan, please let me know. Rosie

Nan Allan is kneeling on the floor, second from the right. Her cousin, Norma Blain, is kneeling and is the first one on the left. She lives in London, Ontario, near Toronto. Nan thinks the first person standing (at the front) on the right is Margaret Pow. The girl in the back row in the middle (under the letter R) is Mary Anne Love.  Who else is in this picture of the Gala Day Fairies 195? ?

(This photo appears on the cover of Picturing The Past, vol 5, A photographic look at old Armadale, produced by The History of Armadale Association, available locally from the Library, the Wool Shop and the Post Office, £3  INDEX 5

or from Betty Hunter, Secretary of The History of Armadale Association) 

More Gala Day names

KIDZZ IN THE DALE

Our newest page is being developed at present.  If you know of any websites that might be of interest to pre-school and primary children or secondary teenagers, please e-mail Rosie

We have been told by bethere that ultra-fast broadband, (reportedly up to 24 meg) is now available in Armadale.

MAYFIELD RESEARCH PROJECT

We are currently researching families who resided in the Mayfield Area over the last few decades, their experiences of living in the area, sense of community, standards of housing etc.

If you stayed in the Mayfield area and are willing to share your experiences with those undertaking the research, which should be sometime during the summer period, we would be grateful if you could contact either:

Anne Coia - Armadale Community Education Centre, North Street, Armadale EH48 2LG Tel. No. 01501 678512 - email address anne.coia@westlothian.gov.uk

 or

Catherine Duffin -Bathgate Community Education Centre, Marjoribanks Street, Bathgate EH48 1AH Tel. No. 01506 775154 - email catherine.duffin@westlothian.gov.uk

ARMADALE PRIMARY SCHOOL DUXES

Armadale Primary School is holding an event during the Autumn 2008 term to celebrate duxes of the school.

The school dux board that covered the years 1934-71 was found in the 'dungeon' of the school and Mrs. Phillips has agreed to try to have it smartened up and once again put on display in the school.

If you or a member of your family was a dux of the school, please contact Stuart Borrowman on 01506 777019 stuart.borrowman@westlothian.go.uk or Betty Hunter at the library betty.hunter@wled.org.uk

See the Armadale Primary School page for a list of Dux Winners (updated 24 May 2008), courtesy of Stuart Borrowman.

For more information, ring 01506 776800 or visit the Council website

William Drummond, coach, and members of Armadale Sports Club have been  waiting for connection of water and electricity to a Drove Road portable cabin, obtained to provide changing facilities, since September 2006.  At a recent meeting, Councillor Hutton stated that she would contact Scottish Power to ensure that power would be connected as soon as possible.

Football organisers and players have been frustrated by the lack of sufficient parks in Armadale (currently only two) for the teams to play all their matches.  At present the Club is one of the most successful in Scotland with 260 young people in 17 teams, and 26 signings to top club in recent years.

We understand that, under the Open Space Strategy, £570,000 will be spent over the next three years to provide six new pitches and as well as upgraded facilities.

We are delighted to hear that improvements are coming to Armadale and we look forward to recording those changes on this website.

Enquiries to Club Secretary, Frank Curle: 01506 844 145 fj.curletiscali.co.uk or to Club President, Joseph McIndoe at Barbauchlaw Mill: 01501 730 988.  More information about the Club

Details of special Armadale Homecoming 2009 events  to come!

2008 

Year of the Printed Word

2008: Anniversary of 500 years of printing in Scotland

International Year of the Potato

International Year of Planet Earth

Links have also been included to events of national or international interest.  If you know of an event that would interest our readers, please e-mail Rosie

December 2007 to October 2008 Bathgate Station to Newbridge Junction: Renewal of all existing signalling infrastructure. Works are likely to cause construction noise and construction traffic. The works will take place at all locations along the route where signals are being renewed.

• Interested in outdoor events in West Lothian?  Why not check the Outdoor Diary?
• Did you visit Bathgate and West Lothian Highland Games 2008 recently?  Our photos HERE
• For Councillor's surgeries, please consult their pages: Councillor Isabel Hutton;  Councillor Jim Dixon; Councillor Stuart Borrowman

Please remember that many organisations are in recess during the summer months - check before travelling!

5 July to 20 July:  Bathgate Station to Newbridge Junction: 2 week closure of the Bathgate branch line to conduct renewal/upgrade of:  track, signals and stations.  All passenger services along the route will be replaced by buses by First ScotRail. For information on services: www.firstgroup.com/scotrail

Works are likely to cause construction noise and construction traffic. The works will take place at all locations along the route where track, signals and stations are being renewed/upgraded.

11 October to 19 October: Bathgate Station to Newbridge Junction: 9 day closure of the Bathgate branch line to undertake remodelling of Newbridge Junction and to conduct renewal/upgrade of: track, signals and stations. All passenger services along the route will be replaced by buses by First ScotRail. For information on services: www.firstgroup.com/scotrail

Works are likely to cause construction noise and construction traffic. The works will take place at all locations along the route where track, signals and stations are being renewed/upgraded.

Armadale Primary School opened a new nursery classroom, which is designed to provide more much-needed places at the popular school.  The classroom, which cost £250,000 to create in a former storage area, will provide a new learning environment.

At the Armadale Community Education Association AGM on the 28 May, it was announced that Armadale is to have a new library at Armadale Community Centre.  Community consultations have now closed.

April 2007: West Lothian was placed 7th out 408 local authority areas in a national survey, conducted by Reader's Digest,  in which researchers tried to identify the best places in Britain to bring up a family.  West Lothian scored well for hospitals and schools and was the best of the top ten areas for affordable housing.

The Airdrie-Bathgate Rail Link

Current Developments of 2006 - 2010 Airdrie-Bathgate Railway Plans

For a copy of the newsletter, please visit www.airdriebathgateraillink.co.uk or email: info@airdriebathgateraillink.co.uk

National Helpline for enquiries (open 24 hours a day, every day of the year): 08457 114141

Up-to-date passenger information about possible disruption caused by work on the Rail Link: 08457 484950

September 2007: Armadale, Bathgate, Broxburn/Uphall, Linlithgow, Whitburn are to receive a share of £250,000 for improvement projects.  Each town will receive £25,000 and the rest of the money will be allocated subject to the assessed priorities of the towns, communicated by their councils, based on the recommendations of Local Area Committees (of elected members) and local groups, who in turn will be expected to reflect local views.

2008 update: Armadale, Bathgate, Broxburn/Uphall, Linlithgow and Whitburn will share a budget fund of £526,000 for 2008/9.  This is the first stage of a ten-year funding programme where £5 million pounds will be invested in the improvement of traditional town centres in West lothian.

Initial improvements being funded in Armadale will include improvements to the appearance of West Main Street and improvements to South Street car park.

Armadale and Blackridge Local Area Committee

2006 Armadale Town Centre Residents' Survey  (first 200 responses)

Interested in becoming involved in the development of your local services?  Want to have your say about what goes on in your community?

• Community Council: 01506 777239 or e-mail: lorraine.mcgrortywestlothian.gov.uk

• West Lothian Citizens' Panel (representative sample of West Lothian residents): 01506  774035 or e-mail: susan.mckillopwestlothian.co.uk

• West Lothian Public Partnership Forum (planning and development of local health services): 01506 775539 Monday - Friday 2.00pm - 5.00pm.

• Locality Planning (influencing and developing services in local area|): 01506 777320 or e-mail: margaret.graham2westlothian.gov.uk

More information about the West Lothian Community Planning Partnership:

01506 774035 or e-mail: susan.mckillopwestlothian.co.uk

Evidence on the Armadale Core Development Area expansion proposals were expected to be considered towards the end of October 2006. 

Spring 2007 Update: EMA architects, Edinburgh have been appointed by the landowners and developers of the Core Development Areas, one behind Birkdale Park  and the other south of Old Golf Course Road and Morgan Way.  It is understood that the Development Areas will cover the area from the Caradale site to the area beyond the new Armadale station.

Planning Inquiry Reports 2006

CDA001a re Omission of Residential Development Allocation on Land at Bridgecastle Golf Course, Armadale

CDA001C re Omission of Land at Colinshiel and Standhill, Armadale

CDA002A re Armadale CDA

CDA002a  re Armadale CDA: Allocation of Land for Mixed Use at Lower Bathville Tarrareoch

It has been announced recently by Margaret Hodge, Government Minister for Industry and the Region, that West Lothian and the west side of Edinburgh have lost their Assisted Area status. 

As a result the area will be removed from the status map for 2007 - 2013, thereby preventing it from receiving any more Regional Selective Assistance grants. 

Supporters of the bid to retain Assisted Area status were disappointed by the decision, but determination was expressed that the area would continue to use the strengths of its local economy, as well as its advantages of location and transport links, to build a successful future.

Although the area will no longer be eligible for RSA grants from 2007, small and medium-sized businesses in the area will be eligible for Regional Development Agency grants.