Boddam and District Community Association

Boddam and District Community Association Members :

 

Boddam and District Community Council (2000 - 2007) are now Boddam and District Community Association.

BODDAM AND DISTRICT COMMUNITY COUNCIL NEWS

In September 2000, a small group of people met in the recently refurbished Community Hut in Harbour Street, Boddam with a view to re-establishing Boddam and District Community Council. A meeting was held and this was also attended by Councillor Sam Coull and Area Manager - North, Mr. Chris White.

The newly elected chairperson brought to the attention of all at the meeting that seven projects could be started on immediately. Mr. Chris White suggested there should be a cycle path from Boddam to Peterhead.

The group suffered a slight set back as forming a community council takes time. Councillor Sam Coull came to the rescue by managing to secure cash for administrative purposes, and the group continued to move forward.

The first project to be undertaken was to improve the seated area at the junction of Manse Terrace/Gordon Street. Before the Community Council was formed Councillor Sam Coull had permission from Mrs. Lee Gordon of Boddam Estates to improve this area. He arranged for Aberdeenshire Council to clear the area, install a bench and improve the area of ground. 

Both Councillor Coull and the Community Council were unhappy with the job and undertook to improve on it. A quote was received from St. Fergus Builders to lock block the area. This work was carried out in the summer of 2001 and the seat and lock blocks now enhance the area. Mrs. Lee Gordon arranged to have a plaque on the seat which reads: "In memory of Peter Gordon who loved Boddam, 1940 to 1994 ".

 

Just along the road in Manse Terrace stands the war memorial. An earlier Community Council in the 1970s had installed railings around the base of the memorial to hold the poppy wreaths. Through time and bad weather conditions, these railings were in this new century looking pretty rusty. Boddam Community Council brought this to the notice of the Royal British Legion in Peterhead who decided to renew the railings if Boddam Community Council gave a donation. One hundred pounds was put towards their renewal.

 

 

By this time in March 2001 Boddam and District Community Council were an accepted body.

A seat at the top end of Rocksley Drive was moved to the other side of the road whilst new houses are being built. This seat will be put back in its place when the houses are completed.

Boddam's biggest project to date was thought out by the Community Council and the Councillor. A clock to be situated on top of the Library building in Queens Road. The idea of this setting was because Boddam Library is owned by Aberdeenshire Council and secondly it was thought to be good to have it in the centre of the village.

Funding was secured, the clock was ordered and a building warrant received. The clock has a white face, black Roman numerals, fleur de lille hands, a traditional church bell sound, ringing on the hour from 7.00 a.m. to 11 p.m. and it is lit up at night. The village clock now gives Boddam a centre. Friday, 21st December 2001 a buffet and music was held in Boddam Library to mark the installation of Boddam's village clock. The invited group all went out into the crisp cold icy evening to witness the clock striking 8 p.m.

Also in 2001,  Boddam and District Community Council presented Christmas lights for the Christmas tree, which is donated by RAF Buchan, and every year stands proudly outside Skerry Hall Sheltered Housing. This gesture was repeated in 2002. Unfortunately, someone does not like the idea, as both years the lights have been vandalised during the night. Maybe Boddam will be lucky third time around !

Late in 2001, Aberdeenshire Council's Head of Leisure and Recreation was invited to be the Community Council's guest. A list of areas and streets were given to him with a request for flowers to be planted. This project was named "Brightening Up Boddam". Seventy five bags of daffodils were planted in areas throughout the village. In the spring of 2002 these daffidols gave Boddam a glorious splash of yellow. As spring is almost here again the daffodil plants are all looking healthy and we are expecting the show to be even better this year.

Also in the Community Council's short time they organised a trip to The Factory Skatepark in Dundee. The Community Council provided the cost for the first trip, i.e. coach transport, entry to skate park, a meal and crisps and juice for the journey. This was a great success and the eighteen young people wanted another trip. They earned the next outing by a sponsored silence and a buttery morning both organised by the Community Council, and funding from Aberdeenshire Council for transport. The money left over went towards the Russell Street play area. Donations for the play area have been received from Mr. and Mrs. Lillie and Lodge Dundonnie, as well as grants from Golden Eye and Aberdeenshire Council Area Initiative. Further funding should be received so that this project can be completed in the near future.

September 2001 and April 2002 saw the Community Council organising two Tidy Up Days. Around sixty people turned up for the first one and around fifty for the second. Councillor Coull, who took part in both tidy up days, highlighted this at Aberdeenshire Council' s Area Committee meeting and Boddam was rewarded with a summer street orderly. They have also been promised a street orderly for Summer 2003. Both these events turned out to be a social gathering finishing at RAF Buchan's sports field/pavilion where everyone enjoyed light refreshments and prizes for finding hidden bottles.

Now into March 2002 and the big projects for the year were chosen. A refurbishment job on the play area in Russell Street and a Gateway at the south entrance to the village. These were chosen as lasting memories to mark the Queen's Golden Jubilee. An outdoor concert with three bands taking part was organised for Monday 3rd June Golden Jubilee Day. Grampian Thistle Pipe Band, The Buchaneers Jazz Band and a group called Thin Ice provided the music, and they were joined at the venue, Buchanness Car Park, by Russell Anderson of Aberdeen Football Club and Francis Bremner, Peterhead's local strong man. Mackies ice cream was on sale and also goodies from Zanres Burger van. Earlier in the day,  Ian Noble entertained the elderly at Skerry Hall, and in the late evening a bonfire and fireworks display was held at Boddam Harbour.

 

It is hoped the full funding will be received for the play area in Russell Street soon, and the Jubilee Gateway will be erected within the next few weeks. The contract has been let to Chap Construction, and the plaque is waiting ready in Bon Accord Granite.  It reads " THE JUBILEE GATEWAY TO CELEBRATE THE GOLDEN JUBILEE OF HER MAJESTY THE QUEEN 1952-2002 - BODDAM AND DISTRICT COMMUNITY COUNCIL ". When the gateway is in place an opening ceremony will be organised.

 

In October 2002 a heavy rainstorm flooded two houses at Stirling Village. They were getting back to normal when this was repeated in early December. Councillor Coull organised all services to try and establish the cause of flooding. It was found to be the Pleasure Park at Stirling Village which is now too high, after a contractor had dumped rubble and earth in an attempt to improve the park. It was over to Boddam Community Council to put to the village residents the findings of all the services. The field will be turned into a wetland area, and have walkways, frogs, bushes and something for everyone. The village has been promised the use of the RAF sports field for football and cricket, although there will be a kick around area at the wetland park. We are awaiting the plans for this large project.

Boddam Castle now has a notice board just off Rocksley Drive giving its history, another notice board will be placed near the Castle. Three busloads of visitors from America visited the castle in August on their way to Peterhead for the Keith Clan reunion. Plans and funding are being looked into for a path to the castle.

Late November 2002 saw Boddam and District Community Council entertaining the business people of Boddam at a buffet and music in Boddam Library. This was another great success.

Boddam Community Council have also produced two leaflets keeping the village and surrounding area up to date, so for a change this year we decided to produce a website.

Boddam and District Community Council and Councillor Coull intend continuing their quest to attract visitors to Boddam.

Boddam and District Community Council's projects for 2004 were designed to motivate people of all ages.

At the beginning of the year the Community Council decided to donate two shields. The first was presented to Boddam School at its Easter play. The school staff requested that the shield be used as a House Shield.

The Community Council also presented badges for the children. The first house to win the shield was Rocksley who gained the most points in all the children's activities.

The second shield has been handed over to Boddam Junior Yachting Association affectionately known as the "Boaties". The "Boaties" committee presented the winner of the shield at their annual party on 3rd January 2005.

The history of Boddam Junior Yachting Association goes back well over 150 years. It started as a superstition when models of the old fifie fishing boats were made and set off from the shore as a good luck sign. As time went past, the yachts were kept and instead of letting them go out to sea, they turned to the Den Dam and began racing them each New Year's Day.

The Den Dam is situated about two miles from Boddam at the top of Stirling Hill. Its location was not seen as a problem. On new year's day everyone would gather in the village and, with the local flute band leading the way, they would walk up the hill to the dam. Many times they would get there only to find it frozen over and they then would break the ice before sailing could begin.

In those days boats were raced only for the sons of the model owners. A club was soon formed and named The Boddam Boys Yachting Club. No prizes were given at this time. The practice of prize giving began around ten years later when it was decided to give prizes to the winner and runner-up of each race.

The races continued in this format until the end of the First World War. It was then that the first trophies came into use.

Some of the yachts sailing at the present day were in use more than 100 years ago. In the 1950s it was agreed to change the sailing date to August with the prize giving at the New Year.

Money was raised in those days with teams of teenage girls going around the village calling at every house collecting donations, and most gave what they could afford. Also some of the older men would go around the skippers of the local herring fleet and collect donations.

On 2nd January of each year, a party was held in the public hall to which all the children in the village were invited free of charge. At the party they were given lemonade and ice-cream, after which the boys who had boats entered for them received their gifts.

This continued until the 1960s when the name of the club was changed to the Boddam Junior Yachting Association, this allowed boats to be sailed for girls.

The Association continues to sail yachts to the present day, ranging in size from 18 inches to 4 feet. It is a unique club and it is keeping alive a tradition and a link with the past. It is a reminder of our forefathers and how they cared for their community.

 

On the 15th March, the residents of Boddam enjoyed a "Healthy Eating Breakfast Buffet" held in Boddam Public Hall. This event proved so popular that a repeat event was organised in May.

Even more people turned up to the second breakfast buffet, including the Boddam Bulls and Boddam Bullets football teams. Plenty of leaflets on healthy eating were provided, newspapers were available for people to sit and read, and John H. Milne's fish van was outside the hall selling fish.

Prior to the summer break a walk was organised over the cycle path from Stirling Village to the Invernettie roundabout.

Around 70 people took part in this popular event. At the end everyone enjoyed light refreshments in Boddam public hall. It was good to see the cycle path from Stirling Village to Peterhead being used regularly.

After consultation with Boddam Harbour Trustees, two litter bins were provided, and the gazebo painted and re-roofed.

Roses and heather have been planted at Stirling Village and there is still more to be planted.

Stirling Village now proudly bears its full name on green signs erected at both sides of the village.

Boddam and District Community Council, along with Councillor Coull, met with Mr Frank Strang the new owner of the former RAF Buchan site. Mr Strang outlined his vision for the future of the site and he will announce his plans in due course. It looks as if residents who attended Boddam and District Community Council's public meeting on 4th November 2003 could get one of their wishes as Mr Strang plans to turn the former Games Hall into a Leisure Centre for widespread community use. We look forward to seeing all the other plans Mr Strang has in store and wish him and his team every success.

The first cadets are due to arrive sometime in April 2006. We have pleasure in welcoming 2 HLHRS CADET BN to their new Cadet Training Centre.

Early in 2005 a door-to-door survey was carried out by consultants who are based at Craibstone, Aberdeen . This was followed by a public meeting in Boddam Public Hall on 15th March 2005 . The findings of the consultation and the public meeting showed that the residents wanted to see improvements at the harbour area and at Boddam Castle .

Since March 2005 our consultants and an ecologist have looked at the harbour bank area. We have also met with Boddam Estates. Boddam Estates will have to give written permission before any work is carried out on the harbour bank. Our consultants have informed us that it is highly possible funding will be received to carry out this environmental project.

Quotes for the path and car park to Boddam Castle were ascertained. This enabled our consultants to apply for funding and we are pleased to tell you that cash has been received. The job has recently been carried out making a tremendous improvement to the area surrounding the castle and giving visitors easier access.  

The funding which they have been able to access for the castle path and car park and the money they hope to get for the harbour area can only be used for these specific projects and cannot be used for anything else in the village. 

The clock on library roof which was destroyed by fire in June 2005 has been replaced. The replacement cash came from Aberdeenshire Council's insurance. Once again, the clock gives Boddam a centre. The clock will ring on the hour from 8.00 a.m. until 10 p.m. and the sound can be monitored by the Environmental Department to ensure an acceptable level.

At the Community Council meeting on Friday 30th September 2005 a group of eight people visited the meeting with a request that the Community Hut in Harbour Street be used for pensioners to meet. A full discussion on the building took place that evening and responsibilities were outlined to the group by the Community Council. Chairperson Betty May recently received a letter from Mr Chris White, Area Manager, informing her that Boddam Community Council should look for another location for Community Council meetings. The reason for this is that the Disability Discrimination Act is now in place. Aberdeenshire Council have a duty to hold meetings in places with disabled access and with suitable toilet facilities. The Community Council comes under Aberdeenshire Council and the Hut is not equipped with the stipulated requirements. Boddam and District Community Council wish to advise the people of Boddam that all responsibility has been relinquished for Boddam Community Hut. 

Boddam Community Hut was officially handed over on Tuesday, 31st January, 2006, and the management, upkeep, payment of bills etc. now rests with a new committee whom we wish well. For all matters relating to the Community Hut please contact Mr Alexander Stephen, Harbour Street, or Mr Alister Thomson, Brae Street. The Community Council are now conducting their meetings in Boddam School and calling notices are being displayed in local shops. 

The Street Orderly finished work in September and hopes to be back in 2006. 

The website was updated in December, 2005. New businesses or alterations to existing businesses please contact Chairperson giving details. 

FS T. Skinner at RAF Buchan made the necessary arrangements for Remembrance Sunday. This will continue in future years. 

Electronic traffic calming signs should be erected soon at Station Road and Stirling Village.

Other projects are in the pipeline so watch this space.

Betty May

Chairperson.

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