Gone ta ta's.

[lobeydosser]

For well over 100 years the Old School has stood in the centre of our village.

This pic shows the children playing on the street outside and was dated 1907.

The school closed in 1967 when a new one opened and then the old school became the village community centre.

I attended many really good dances there and also attended my first AA Meeting there back in the 1980's.

Still sober today, it was really sad to see the place fall into disrepair due to lack of council funding and finally to watch it all being demolished over the last couple of days.

Aye, all gone, but not forgotten.

[gill2009]

So so sad lobeydosser...I know living in a rural area, that these occurrences are happening only too frequently.

I remember when our Primary School closed...although there were only four children - two of which were mine...it wasn't demolished thank goodness...& is now used as a church 'extension'.

[Roofer]

So what is going to happen to the demolished site ? Were all the village residents informed of what is going to be built once the site is cleared.

Around my neck of the woods it normally turns out to be a 'car wash' centre until the planning goes through. It does look very rural and it's such a shame to demolish the original structure.

At least you have the old pictures and memories.

[lobeydosser]

We think that it will be a new Co-op. Whether it will be an expansion of the one next door or a stand alone one we are not sure. Whatever is built there, it will not have the influence on the village that the old school had. Such is modernisation!

I am amazed at the number of residents still living in the village who attended the old school.

By the time the villagers were told of its future use, the council had stopped repairing it and it was already in such a state that only a huge amount of money could have brought it back to a fit state for use.

In actual fact, our view from our front window has considerably improved since it was demolished, so I shouldn't be complaining. Hopefully whatever goes up will not alter our new improved outlook.

[lobeydosser]

Well some good has come out of pulling down the old school.

The school blocked our view somewhat and now that it is away and the frame of the new co-op has gone up, we can now see the extent of new building.
Lower than the old school and set further back, the view from my chair in the lounge is now one of hills and mountains.

I have a good view of the upper Peninsula that our village is on and the tops of the hills behind Ardentinny on the far side of Loch Long.
And, today, the snow covered mountain of Beinne Reithe situated between Loch Goil and Loch Long, glinting gold in the afternoon sun.

Okay, I'm sorry to see the old school demolished as it has been part of the village for a very long time, but, for me, it has opened up a vista that is second to none.

[Get Off My Cloud]

Every cloud and all that.

[chykensa]

I know how you feel lobeydosser; recently we lost a couple of old (early 1800s) terraced cottages which had originally been built to house local tin and copper miners and their families. They too had fallen into disrepair, and despite attempts to sell them to developers, they were knocked down about 8 months ago.
A local property developer bought the land, and we all feared the worst, but the two new houses he has built are very much in character in the village, finished in granite and slate, and almost look better than the original buildings.
The best news is that both have been sold to local young families who are now moved in and enjoying village life; they are no more than two minutes walk from the school, shop, playing fields and pub (when the kids are old enough!), so hopefully these new dwellings will serve their intended purpose for many years to come, and will be an inspiration to others wishing to modernise sympathetically.
Next time I walk past and think about it, I'll take some photos to share.

[lobeydosser]

Thanks Get Off My Cloud and chykensa, On the up side, I have a great view. On the downside, I climbed these hills about 40 years ago, never thinking that one day I would have a view of them, but today would need a bleedin' helicopter to get up them now!!!!

[chykensa]

I'm off with my best mate to do a gruelling 7-mile cast path walk tomorrow - 7 miles doesn't sound much but the up and down route is tough! We're taking two cars, parking one at each end so we can walk one-way; I think the return journey would kill us both! Looking forward to it though, see the sea and have man's gossip and a couple of flasked coffee stops - perfect!!
I know what you mean though lobeydosser, there are times when I wish I could do what I used to do, but that was tobacco fuelled, so maybe I am not so badly off fitness-wise as I think!
Get up into them thar hills, boy!

[lobeydosser]

Och I would need to wind up my mechanical knees to get them up any hills these days.
Or squirt some WD40 into them.

Nope, tomorrows task is painting old half whisky barrels to get them ready for planting some Rhubarb.
Then I have to turn the compost heap before checking the seedlings in the greenhouse.

Any seedlings that are coming up in the raised beds are all under fleece, so despite the bad frost tonight, they should be okay.