Project Galleries
Even before Brighter Bridge of Weir was launched, our founding members used to organise 'village clean-ups', which took place before the June Gala Day and involved litter-picking, weeding, and generally tidying up before the summer event began. Our Group's first permanent project was setting up the village's main thoroughfares with free-standing street planters and tubs, barrier- and post-baskets, and then filling them with compost and plants. Some of those are pictured above.
After that was done, we turned our attention to some of the neglected areas in the village centre. These are the results so far. You can scroll down the page to see them all, just click on the main picture at each to see a brief slideshow.
Torr Road Garden
Major civil engineering works had closed Torr Road for over a year. When the road did re-open, the surrounding area looked very unappealing. So this became our second project. We prepared about 135 square metres (162 sq. yds.) of ground and planted it with hundreds of bulbs, flowers and shrubs.
Woodland Garden I
This area on Main Street, opposite Livery Walk, was once where the old Hope Hall was sited. Vacant for many years the area, about 555 square metres (665 Sq. yds.), was unsightly and overgrown. We decided to change that and began a crowdfunder, which raised almost £900.
(Major alterations were recently made to this area by the landowner, and we have had to re-arrange things somewhat. We'll update this page soon.)
Houston Road
When the Scottish government introduced a plastic bag tax, the proceeds were earmarked for community benefit. So Keep Scotland Beautiful and Tesco gave us some funding and we used it to brighten up the entrance to Bridge of Weir at Houston Road.
Neva Place
When plans for the local Council to adopt this stretch of Main Street came to nothing, Brighter Bridge of Weir stepped in. New business owners took over a corner property and created a monoblock terrace at the front. We set out planters and a small garden area at the front, and put down red gravel chips on the 'mudflats'.
Locher Road
Following our work at the village limits on Houston Road, Bridge of Weir Leather offered us funds to do similar work at the eastern entrance (opposite Burndale Workshop).
Livery Walk
In 2009 Renfrewshire Council had the approach to the shopping area landscaped. It included a garden area initially maintained by the Council, but funding cuts led to neglect, so Brighter Bridge of Weir stepped in to smarten it up.
The Bridge
The trustees of The Bridge, our community-led post office and stationery shop, asked us if we could do something with the garden area in front of the building. We jumped at the chance.
Heritage Garden
The planning for this project began way back in early 2018. The authors of a book entitled 'Supreme Sacrifice: A small village and the Great War', asked for ideas to mark the centenary of the end of WW1. Our submission was chosen and we were awarded £1000 from the book's royalties to spend.
Our initial plan for a modest feature was dealt a blow when we couldn't get guaranteed permission from the landlords. Renfrewshire Council stepped in and offered us a nearby site, which was much bigger. Then the members of Bridge of Weir and district branch of The Royal British Legion (Scotland) gave us more funding to help fill the space. Everything went back to the drawing board and the project became a celebration of the history of the village and there are many local residents and businesses to thank for that (there is an information panel at the site which lists most). Local landscaper Dougie Adamson was contracted to do the work, which began in early 2020 and was projected to take up to 6 weeks. And then along came the covid pandemic...
The project was formally opened in May 2021.
The Gable
This corner at Livery Walk was once home to a couple of trees. They were cut down due to disease and the area was left untended. Sometimes referred to as Poo Corner because of its 'convenience' to the occasional passing dog, we decided to give it a makeover, aided by local landscapers and Ian Beaton, with two or three tons of gravel and his trusty forklift.