Central Library to play host to Aberdeen Voices creative writing workshops News Image IFrampton Mon, 05/09/2022 – 10:14 am   Aberdeen City Libraries are taking part in Scotland’s Year of Stories 2022 this autumn with a free series of creative writing workshops, beginning next week, for adults exploring the wealth of traditional stories and folk tales from the North East.    From Cove to Bennachie and Durris to Burnhaven the North East teems with giants, selkies, faeries and other mysterious creatures. Led by local writer and storyteller Jackie Ross participants will explore these and similar well-known tales.   Across the six weeks, in English, Doric or their home language, participants will explore the creative techniques needed to write contemporary retellings or create new original works inspired by these treasured North East stories.    Participants will also gain the skills needed to present their work as part of a celebration event during Book Week Scotland.    Councillor Martin Greig, Aberdeen City Council’s Education Operational Delivery Convener, said “I hope that aspiring writers in the area will be encouraged to take part in the sessions. This will be a chance to explore creative energies together. It’s a time to let the literary imagination be fired up and become inspired by local myths and legends.”     Councillor Jessica Mennie, the committee’s Vice convener, said: “This a marvellous opportunity for budding local writers to come along to Aberdeen Central Library over the coming weeks to the free sessions which have a local theme and are sure to be great fun.”   Aberdeen Voices: Creative Writing workshops Aberdeen Central Library  Mondays, 6 – 7.30pm 12th, 19th 26th September, 3rd, 31st October and 7th November     The workshop is open to anyone aged 16+. Previous knowledge of creative writing and library membership is not required but booking is essential. To book, contact Aberdeen City Libraires on 01224 652500 or email LibraryEvents@Aberdeencity.gov.uk   Marie Christie, Head of Development at VisitScotland said: “We are delighted to be supporting Aberdeen City Libraries through the Year of Stories 2022 Community Stories Fund. Events play an important role in our communities as they sustain livelihoods and help to celebrate and promote our unique places, spaces and stories.   “By supporting events taking place within our communities, including the Aberdeen voices Creative Writing workshop, new opportunities with be provided for locals and visitors to come…

Two public consultations for the A93 and the A947 start today News Image A93 kaallan Fri, 22/07/2022 – 9:30 am
Two separate public consultations have started with potential options for improving transport connections on the A93 from Aberdeen to Banchory and the A947 from the A96 junction at Bucksburn to the Parkhill junction on the city bypass (AWPR). The studies, which focus on active travel and public transport connections, continue the ongoing work of Aberdeen City Council and partners to consider means of locking-in benefits of the city bypass on the principal transport corridors linking Aberdeenshire and Aberdeen. Both studies have put several options forward including new cycle routes, introducing priority for buses, speed reductions and supporting placemaking measures such as village greens, landmarks, and gateway signage to help create a greater community feeling within areas. The A93 consultation offers potential options which promote sustainable travel along the corridor whilst ensuring that there are no unintended routeing consequences on parallel routes. The key aims of the A93 study are to identify options that improve the quality of the pedestrian and cycling experience along the corridor and address the barriers which affect some groups moving around as a pedestrian or cyclist, improve the quality of bus travel on the corridor for all users, enhancing the travel experience both for current bus users and to attract new users by reducing bus journey times and improving journey time consistency, and improve integration between sustainable travel modes. The A947 study area, which includes both Riverview Drive and Victoria Street through Dyce, will place particular focus on how to improve conditions for pedestrians, wheelchair users, cyclists, horse riders, and public transport users of the route for both southbound movements towards the city centre and northbound movements into Aberdeenshire. It also has a focus on placemaking opportunities along Victoria Street. Both of the public consultations are available via Aberdeen City Council’s website at Aberdeen City Council – Citizen Space until Friday 19 August 2022. Public exhibitions are also being held as part of the consultations in Aberdeen, Peterculter, and Banchory for the A93 study and Dyce for the A947 study, as well as live question and answer sessions next month. For the A93 study, public exhibitions are being held in Great Western Hotel, Aberdeen, on Tuesday 26 July, Culter Village Hall on Wednesday 3 August, and Banchory West Church on Thursday 4 August,…