Restoration - Week 6

Sub-zero temperatures again early this week, but pressed on with the heavy work and this week have cleared another 20 terrace steps of the main section of the SW Corner Terracing. Taxing work but

has made a big improvement to this part of the ground. A couple of large branches down due to the high winds of Storm Emma and we cut them away this week and removed to another wooded section of the terracing. Ultimately we will go back and chop everything down into small logs but for now

its only manageable clearing the area of fallen trees and branches one at a time. We added 160 buckets of cleared muck and moss to the new earth embankment we have created and it is already beginning to take shape. As the snow thaws it is even clearer why this 'mound' is necessary to draw more water away from the old stand imprint as this is one of the worst areas of Cathkin for holding

excess rainwater and it has again begun to pool at the North side of the pitch, creating another bog. The new earth 'terrace' will hopefully soon start to divert this water course and create a natural barrier to allow the playing area and running track to finally dry out this summer properly.

We have had some really positive meetings this week with various bodies about our planned Heritage tours and are putting the final touches to our proposal and have a few projects now on the table to generate much-needed income to finance more work down at the ground. Chatted to a few more locals and 'Groundhoppers' this month and all seem to be very happy with the work done so far!

However with the thaw also came the reveal of lots more bottles and rubbish collecting on the old terraces on the NW corner and will clear this up next week as the weather improves and another 6 bags of rubbish cleared this last week. Thanks to GCC for picking up the bags! And huge thanks

to those who have come by and photographed & commented on the work as it progressed last month on social media as this has really spurred us on to get this SE section completed as soon as we can. Lots to do but delighted with how Cathkin Park seems to be re-emerging from the undergrowth once again...!