Most of you are probably aware that the Road to the Isles Facilities Group, a partnership between Mallaig, Morar and Arisaig Community Councils and Mallaig and Morar Community Centre Association have developed at projects at Traigh and in Mallaig. We were asked to talk about the project at Edinburgh Napier University in May 2019, and put together this presentation to give an overview of who we are and what we are trying to achieve. You can follow our progress on Facebook or get in touch with us by emailing roadtotheislesfacilitiesgroup@googlemail.com.
The Traigh toilet block has been up and running since September 2020, and the Mallaig opened on 1st July 2021. The Traigh toilets - two off-grid fully accessible toilets - operate on a donation basis. The Mallaig block consists of unisex toilets and a separate accessible toilet on the side of the building, each of which cost 30p; a shower costing £2; and a chemical waste point and fresh water supply for campervans and caravans which will cost £5. Each will operate using contactless technology (no cash option). The main building will be open from 7am until 9pm mid-April until mid-October, and from 9am until 6pm throughout the winter, while the accessible toilet is open 24/7.
We were successful in our application to The Highland Council's Nature Restoration Fund, and some pupils at Mallaig High School chose us as their Charity for the Youth Philanthropy Initiative, successfully arguing that we should receive £3,000. These funds have allowed us to purchase benches and landscape the area of ground adjacent to the Mallaig Toilet Block.
The Playpark project at Loch Nevis Crescent is now complete. A competition was held to create a logo for the renamed 'Island View Play Park', and the winner was unveiled at the official opening on 4th September 2022. You can follow progress, including occasional pleas for help with grass cutting etc. on the Facebook page.
We took ownership of the car park and toilets at Silver Sands (Tougal) in July 2023. Both the car park and the toilets have had a bit of a makeover, including solar panels to provide lighting within the toilets. The car park will be subject to parking charges and restrictions between April and October each year. These will be enforced by The Highland Council on our behalf, but as community owners, we are able to provide permits for local use of the car park. These permits will be available to anyone who has their permanent residence within the Mallaig, Morar and Arisaig Community Council Areas (PH39, PH40 and PH41 postcodes). They will be free to members of The Road to The Isles Facilities Group SCIO, and there will be a nominal charge of £3 per annum for non-members. Permits will be available from The Harbour Office in Mallaig, and non-members should bring proof of their address when applying for a permit.
We've also provided links to some older documentation, including our Constitution the report from the Survey we undertook in support of our funding applications, and the more detailed responses, and the Business Plan we produced in support of the project.