Royal rumble over plan to rename Lennoxtown park after Queen
A ROW has broken out after an SNP councillor questioned a scheme to honour The Queen’s Diamond Jubilee.
East Dunbartonshire Council is planning to designate the High Park, in Lennoxtown, a Queen Elizabeth II Field - part of a UK-wide initiative to mark the 2012 celebrations.
Queen Elizabeth II Fields, which will be marked with plaques, will not need to officially change their commonly-held names, but will qualify for exclusive improvement funds and extra protection.
Bearsden South councillor Graeme Douglas last week called for a public consultation before a final decision is made.
He argues that, since there has only ever been one Queen Elizabeth of Scotland, parks north of the border should recognise this.
Councillor Douglas said: “If we are proposing names it should be Queen Elizabeth Fields instead of Queen Elizabeth II Fields, which is factually inaccurate.”
He added: “We should be putting up signs which are factually correct. I know for a fact that if we tried to get Queen Elizabeth I used down south there would be a furore.”
But Campsie and Kirkintilloch North councillor Charles Kennedy hit back saying: “I take the point that there has only been one Queen Elizabeth of Scotland, but let’s not go down this stupid road again.”
He added: “This is wonderful news so let’s go forward with it.”
Fellow councillor John Dempsey also welcomed the plans.
He said: “A lot of time and money has been spent on improving the High Park in recent years by East Dunbartonshire Council.
“This gives access to potential improvement funding and so I see it as protecting our investment as much as anything.”
* Have you got a comment or a story? E-mail kirkyherald@jnscotland.co.uk
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Thursday 24 May 2012
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