THE South Kessock Community Project, which has been based in Craigton Avenue for the last four years, officially ended at the end of February when funding ran out for the award-winning Urban Aid scheme.

eady Keith Bootle, who was in the driving seat, has gone. Cheryl Macintosh, funded by Highland Council, is to stay on another month to wind things up.

However, although the future of the various aspects of the project has not been entirely worked out, it seems likely that much will continue, given sufficient backing from the local community in the eight streets.

The Project has much to be proud of. There is no doubt an improvement in the appearance of the streets – wooden fencing, in many places torn down by vandals or for firewood, has been 90% replaced by tidy green wire fencing. Play areas have been created, and the majority observe the 20mph zone.

We tried to make the area look better. If you are living in squalor it is discouraging. We hoped to encourage good tenants by providing a high level of service.” “Highland Council are likely to keep the facility open on a temporary basis,” says Cheryl, “as a community resource.” As to the longer term, much will depend on how much tenants’ groups are willing to participate.

The project saw two estate operatives keep the area in good condition – picking up litter, putting rubbish out, repairing fences etc – one funded by Urban Aid the other by Highland Council. The Council is likely to maintain this level of service.

“The medical side is also to stay open,” said Cheryl, “and the multi-agency meetings every other week – between housing, social work, police and cleansing department etc – will continue to take place here.”

Everyone is keen to see the young people’s projects continue, the Dolphin Magazine, for instance, and these are likely to be taken over by the Social Inclusion Programme. Whether the South Kessock Sharks Hockey Club will keep going is another matter. Set up last year, Cheryl found herself coaching up to 30 children at times. “It will all depend on whether the new SIP’s Youth Development Officer or someone else is able to take it on,” she says.