Moffat Baths Hall

During the renovation work of removing the paint from the sandstone, the Trust were delighted to find a section of carved sandstone that reads "BATHS".  We assume that originally there was stone carved to read "BATHS HALL" or might even have had the word "Moffat" at the beginning.  This carved stone would have been installed at the time of the hall being built in 1827.  A Community questionnaire is available, one of the questions being asked is for your view of whether the hall should continue to be called the "Town Hall" or changed. 

It is quite remarkable how, during the period when the small section of scaffolding was removed to allow the Gala stage to be put in place, there were many folk surprised at how attractive the hall looked without a coat of paint and we hope to be able to keep it as the natural sandstone.  In this blogger's view (not necessarily representative) a natural sandstone building would have a much greater "presence" in the Town Centre.

The original "BATHS" carved sandstone

Partial removal of the scaffolding with the Gala stage in place

The 2013 Moffat Run

Always a highlight of gala week in Moffat, -the 2013 Moffat Run from the Ram to Ericstane and back took place this this Tuesday evening.

Despite the weather being far too hot for sane runners, there were healthy numbers from running clubs across Dumfries & Galloway, Lanarkshire, the Borders and Strathclyde, as well as brave locals, including two game ladies celebrating their 40th and a "scrum" from the Rugby Club raising money for charity.

I was hosting a friend from Cumbria-representing St Bees Tri-ers and we trotted across to the Town Hall to register his entry for this year-(I pulled the excuse of a bad back!).

The Town Hall is very much the support centre for the race and as well as registration and toilets inside, the stage erected out front for gala week is used for the announcements, prize giving and general urging on of competitors:

Come in No 22 your time is up!

The sun may have deterred some runners, but not the spectators and several hundred had gathered to watch first the junior races and then the main event;

The first runners amazingly completed the 15K run in around the hour point and were happy to sit and eat their medicinal chips and shade their eyes from the psychedelic orange t shirts given to each runner in their goody bag, while their friends completed the race over the next 3/4 hour.

 

 

 

See you all next year!!!!!

A mini-unveiling in readiness for the MOFFAT GALA stage

WOW !!  Along the 10-year road to work starting on the Town Hall, it has oft been said that the building was "an old lady in need of a facelift".  Well, with MOFFAT GALA starting on Saturday, a section has been unveiled to facilitate the action that takes place on the stage.  What do we see?  We see a section of the facelift work, and how fantastic it looks!  

It's much easier with the paint removed to see the wonderful carvings in the sandstone and the colour of that against the grey stone makes it stand out even more.  

Here are some photographs to be going on with, but enjoy what you see during all the coming week's MOFFAT GALA celebrations as we look forward to a full unveiling in the Autumn.

Library Refurbishment Complete

We are very pleased to report that the refurbishment works to the library roof, both inside and outside are now complete.  Here's a photograph taken from inside the library showing the smart paintwork, as well as the new roof lights that have brought in much new daylight.

All works are currently on schedule - keep a watch on this page to see the next piece of completed refurbishment soon.

Jane McCulloch

Further to our announcement last week regarding Jane joining us as Community Liaison and Marketing Officer, here is a photograph of her.

Jane has "hit the ground running" and will be making contact with community groups in the coming weeks.

TRUST WELCOMES NEW APPOINTMENT

The Trust is delighted to announce that it has appointed Jane McCulloch to the short term post of Community Liaison and Marketing Officer.  Jane's role, which has been established with support from Dumfries and Galloway LEADER and Dumfries and Galloway Council Area Committee funding is aimed at engaging with the Community in Moffat as to how we can encourage further use and development of the Town Hall.  Jane started with the Trust yesterday, 19th June, and her contract runs until the end of December.

Jane has lived in Moffat for nearly 30 years, and has a wide experience of working with the Community in Moffat.  She comes to us from the Royal Voluntary Service where she has worked as Project Manager.

Jane will be making contact with Groups and Individuals in and around Moffat over the next weeks and months.  Two of her first tasks will be to establish a User Group for the Hall, and to forward the plans for the refurbishment of the kitchen which is due to take place in August/September of this year.

“We are delighted to welcome Jane as a member of the Team at this exciting time as the Hall starts its life, refurbished, as a centre for the Community of Moffat.

Dr Peter Beck-Samuels

Chairman

Here are the results of the Library having been closed for a few days the other week - it has now been replastered as can be seen in the photographs below.

     _