Celebrating street makeover

The Neighbourhood Street Design Project has been developed jointly by residents, Sustrans Scotland and Dumfries and Galloway Council since October 2012 with the aim of making the Dumfries neighbourhood a safer, more vibrant and attractive place to live.
Over the past five years this has seen the installation of innovative art work, traditional Victorian street lights, gateways and an injection of greenery in the form of trees and planters.
A change of road layout has also seen the addition of raised tables, wider pavements and street furniture, helping to make the streets safer and more attractive for people to travel on foot and by bike.
Leader of Dumfries and Galloway Council, Elaine Murray said: “It’s great to see the results of our investment and this partnership project between our council and Sustrans, but it’s the local residents that we need to thank for their input, patience and, most importantly, enthusiasm.
“The final look of the area has been very much down to community involvement and has been a fantastic and innovative approach to regeneration: where the local residents themselves have had a great deal of control over their living space.”
As part of the end of project celebrations, residents and businesses from the area got together on Sunday for a garden party that included lunch from local Indian restaurant Daksh, and music by Squeeze n’ Fiddle.
Community group DG1 Neighbours, added: “It’s great to see the positive changes that have taken place over the past few years in our neighbourhood and the celebration event helped to remind everyone of the transformation.
“Thanks to Sustrans Scotland and Dumfries and Galloway Council for their determination to see the project through to the end. More residents are taking pride in the neighbourhood and they are even starting to adopt the on-street planters.”