2006 Breakdown of Events

A breakdown of the year's events along with a table of related documents for this year.

2006

January

• CVDG continue to work towards a launch date in March. Trail map revisions are moving on and Rena Tarwinska would "like to get the lflt to the printers mid-Feb - the club are keen to open the trails early March."

February

• North Lanarkshire Council write to FCS to clarify the future direction of trail projects following Rena's suggestion that all trail development stops until the TRC report is published.
• CVDG again request sight of the FCS national strategy which has been circulating internally within FCS since December. To date we haven't seen a copy.

March

• CVDG spend considerable time organising an opening ceremony to launch the trail. The official opening was to be carried out by the Minister for Tourism, Culture and Sport, Patricia Ferguson MSP. Also invited were Cathie Craigie MSP, Mark Ruskell MSP, Dennis Canavan MSP, representatives from partner organisations, the local community and other guests.
• FCS take a strangely muted approach to the news and the reasons are now clear:
  "You guys have worked very hard to get these trails made & have also as a community group invited the Minister & dignitaries."
  "So it is appropriate that for this, an event celebrating local success with a Minister other than the Forestry Minister, that FCS is a backdrop, rather than a high profile partner on the day"
• FC request CVDG sign permission based on the agreement signed in December 2005. CVDG are busy with the launch so table for a meeting in April.
• Sadly, information recently obtained under FOI legislation reveals that FCS attempted to derail the event by briefing the Minister against attending. Their briefing contained a mix of lies, gross distortions of the true situation and crude scare tactics. The briefing was provided as close to the event as possible which gave the Minister no option to attend.
• CVDG understands that the FCS press office began telling invited guests that the entire event had been cancelled - before CVDG were even informed that the Minister would not be attending.
• Fortunately, the local MSP Cathie Craigie, a long time supporter of the project, stepped in and performed the opening ceremony in front of around 100 invited guests and many riders who came along to be the first to ride the trails officially.
• No explanation or apology has ever been offered by FCS for their actions.

April

• CVDG learn from Rena Tarwinska that FCS have "had a bit of a rethink, and are looking at the idea of a concordat between the various partners looking to develop CV" We now believe that this was invented solely to substantiate claims made to force Patricia Ferguson to cancel her visit.
• Michael Wall hopes CVDG "see this concordat proposal as a positive move on behalf of FCS"
• CVDG again request sight of the FCS National Strategy. We are advised that the draft strategy "will be available by October 2006".

May

• Cathie Craigie raises a Parliamentary Question about Carron Valley
• CVDG comment on the new concordat
• Community Woodlands Association publishes a report evaluating partnerships with the Forestry Commission

June

• FCS, CVDG, Stirling Council and North Lanarkshire Council, Scottish Water and Clanranald Trust for Scotland negotiate and sign a concordat to form the Carron Valley Partnership (CVP)
• Rena Tarwinska submits a 4-page "Recreation Strategy for 2006 - 2009" to the new partnership.
• NLC submits a response on the draft TRC report.
• Michael Wall feels "the time may be ripe to start thinking of a business opportunity"

July

• CTC respond to the "consultation" held by FCS regaring the draft national Strategy

August

• CVDG receives the results of a branding workshop held some six months earlier. In a flash of brilliance an "irresistible primarily(sic) name" for the destination is coined - Carron Valley
• CVDG plan phase two of the trail network, adding the additions to Pipedream to bring riders up from the dam head to the top of Cannonball Run sections.
• Rena Tarwinska hints the "draft strategy will appear on the website late Sept"
• CVDG nominated to receive the Special Achievement award at the prestigious Stirling Provost's Civic Awards.
• CVDG hosts its first "demo day" for mountain bikers with MacDonald Cycles and Kona.

September

• Rena Tarwinksa advises "The Leader+ assessors determined that the case for a catering outlet was sufficiently strong already, that no feasibility study was required."
• Michael Wall and Rena Tarwinksa "accept need for distinct ID for mtb trails" following CVDG feedback on branding.
• The second round of the Scottish Adventure Racing Series was held at Carron Valley and utilised the bike trails, the reservoir and the surrounding area for the event.

October

• CVDG submit project plan including mountain bike and other recreational trails to CVP. Plan backed by Central Scotland Forest Trust (CSFT) and they become the seventh member of CVP.
• CVDG arrange to present the plan to Alan Stevenson and Michael Wall following a letter from Patricia Ferguson after her visit to Carron Valley.

November

• CVP submit project plan to Michael Wall and Alan Stevenson. Both agree to back plan and submit to Forestry Enterprise Scotland (FES) management board for approval. Michael states "We still have the FES project control process to go through (internally with our management board) so I am keen to keep moving given the response that Alan gave."
• Later, Michael Wall confirms backing, but unilaterally withdraws 60% of the proposed red trail "We are serious about developing a project plan, funding and project management to deliver the proposals, albeit with reduced red route" "I regret that you do not accept my judgement but I do regard it as correct in the circumstances" and refuses to discuss further.
• CVDG complete the construction of a further 2km of purpose built singletrack trails within the terms of the original agreement.. This phase costs around £50,000k bringing total investment now around £125,000 (total FCS contribution £6,000).
• CVDG meet with FCS fundraising officer Nicky Whitaker - her support was not forthcoming
• FCS confirm Jeremy Thompson is due to start in the new year and be given projects to develop and manage, "including CVP and recreation development of CV"

December

• CVDG complete phase two of the trails.
• Alan Stevenson promises CVDG "you will have a consistent position from all of our local and head office support staff"
• FCS inform CVP that it needs to convert the project plan to a Project Initiation Document (PID) - a requirement not mentioned during concordat negotiations.
• FCS undertake to submit PID to FES management board in January.