Transcript East Kilbride

East Kilbride ja Skotlanti
23.2.2009
East Kilbride
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East Kilbride is a large suburban town in the South
Lanarkshire council area of Scotland. It is Scotland's first
new town, and lies on high ground on the south side of
the Cathkin Braes, about 8 miles (13 km) southeast of
Glasgow city centre. The Rotten Calder river flows along
the east side of the settlement, northwards toward the
River Clyde. The town is also known as the Polo Mint city
due to its many roundabouts.
East Kilbride does not lie within the Greater Glasgow
urban area, although it does lie within the Greater
Glasgow metropolitan area,and it is the second biggest
town in Scotland behind Paisley.
East Kilbride-History
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The earliest evidence of habitation in the area dates back to ancient graves found near the
Kype Water to the south of the district. Roman coins and footwear have also been found in
the area.
East Kilbride takes its name from an Irish saint, St Bride (or Brigit) who founded a monastery
for nuns and monks in Kildare, Ireland in the 6th century. Irish monks introduced her cult to
Scotland. Kil, from the Gaelic cill, means church or burial place.
The area of East Kilbride is home to a river valley which, apart from the Avon Gorge, is
unique in the way it was formed. A river usually starts off narrow, fast-flowing, with steep cliffs,
and in the hills. This is the youth of the river. Later once the river reaches flat land it begins to
widen and meander and flow slower. This is the river's middle age. Calderglen is interesting in
that it flows fast, has steep cliffs and is fairly narrow (youth stage) but also meanders. The
Rotten Calder therefore has its river youth after its middle age, as the river source is on
flatter land and is meandering and slow flowing.
Calderglen was in the past celebrated as a picturesque wooded valley. It was the home of a
noble family known as the Maxwells of Calderwood who resided in Calderwood Castle. The
remnants of Calderwood Castle were demolished in 1951.
The original parish church was located on the site of a pre-Christian sacred well, which is
possibly the origin of the association with St. Brigit, since the well was dedicated to the Celtic
goddess whose traditions the reverence of St. Brigit has continued. Over the centuries the
church has been destroyed and rebuilt several times. As a result its current location has
moved from its original site by about 50 m. The original site, and site of the sacred well,
ironically lies under a property that was until recently an off-sales/liquor store.[citation needed]
East Kilbride-History
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The presence of the oystercatcher bird in the coat of arms could arises because this bird was
considered sacred to both St. Brigit and her pre-Christian antecedent or because it was part
of the Lindsey family crest - which had local connections
East Kilbride grew from a small village of around 900 inhabitants in 1930 to become eventually
a large burgh. Behind this growth lay the rapid industrialisation of the nineteenth century
which left much of the working population throughout Scotland's central belt from Glasgow
to Edinburgh living in the housing stock built at the end of that century but accommodating
far more people. The Great War postponed any better housing as did the Treaty of Versailles
and the period of post war settlement it created. In turn this was followed by the Great
Depression. After the Second World War, Glasgow, already suffering from chronic shortages of
housing, had to deal with bomb damage from the war.
From this unlikely backdrop a new dawn emerged which would bring East Kilbride to its
unlikely success. In 1946 the Greater Glasgow Regional Plan allocated sites where overspill
satellite "new towns" could be constructed to help alleviate the housing shortage.[4] Glasgow
would also undertake the development of its peripheral housing estates. East Kilbride was the
first of five new towns in Scotland to be designated, in 1947, followed by Glenrothes (1948),
Cumbernauld (1956), Livingston (1962) and Irvine (1964).[5]
The town has been subdivided into residential precincts, each with its own local shops,
primary schools and community facilities. The housing precincts surround the town centre,
which is bound by a ringroad. Industrial estates are concentrated at sites to the north, west
and south, on the outskirts of the town.
Economy
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The town is occupied by a large shopping centre comprising 6 linked
malls, developed in phases. The malls are known by local residents as
"The Town Centre".
The six malls are The Plaza (development started in 1972), Princes
Mall (1984), Olympia (1988), Southgate (1989), Princes Square
(1997) and Centre West (2003). The shopping centre has come
under recent criticism for losing major retail chains in light of rising
rental prices. This coupled with the Centre West expansion and
decreasing shopper numbers has allowed swathes of properties
within the centre to remain closed for months at a time, notably on
the first floor of Centre West and the Plaza.
A £400m redevelopment of East Kilbride town centre has been
given the go-ahead by South Lanarkshire Council. The plan would
demolish some existing buildings to create a new civic centre, a
state-of-the-art health centre, a library and shopping facilities.[6][7]
Economy
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East Kilbride ice rink
It would also see a "landmark" arts and culture complex with a 1,000-seat
theatre, a 500-seat conference centre, a museum and a new town square.
Parking spaces in the town centre would increase from 3,000 to 8,700
spaces. The first stage of the plan could start in 2006, with completion of
the major elements in 2012/2013. It is hoped the project, the various
phases of which will require full planning permission, will create up to 3,000
temporary jobs over the 10-year construction programme and 2,000
permanent jobs.
The new civic and health facilities would be created at the site currently
occupied by Plaza Tower, which would be demolished, with the theatre and
arts facilities being created at the adjoining Olympia Centre.
The current civic centre and the adjoining Hunter Health Centre would be
demolished to make way for the first phase of development, which would
include a major food retail store.
Landmarks
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Landmarks
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Dollan Baths
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Dollan Baths
One of the most significant buildings of an earlier phase of
development was Dollan Baths leisure complex (opened 1968) which
has Grade A listed status. The Dollan Baths are the subject of a local
Urban Myth, which told that the pool was built 5cm short of
Olympic size. In actual fact, the pool is the standard 50m long, but is
only 6 lanes wide, rather than the Olympic standard of 10 lanes
wide.
Hunter House Museum
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Contains exhibits relating to medical pioneers, William and John
Hunter, who were born in the area.
(Hunter House Museum)
Skotlanti
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Skotlanti (gaelin kielellä Alba, engl. Scotland) on maa Ison-Britannian saaren
pohjoisosassa ja osa Yhdistynyttä kuningaskuntaa. Se käsittää suunnilleen
kolmanneksen saaren pinta-alasta.
Viralliset kielet englanti, gaeli, skotti
Pääkaupunki Edinburgh, jossa n. 470 000 asukasta
Suurin kaupunki Glasgow, jossa n. 581 000 asukasta, suur- Glasgowssa
n.1,8milj. Asukasta
Pinta-ala
- 78 782 km², josta vettä 1,9%
Väkiluku (2001)
– yhteensä 5 062 011
– väestötiheys 64 / km²
Internet opas Skotlantiin