Coll Community Council Happenings 1990

Coll Airstrip
Loganair expressed an interest in providing a possible link-up air-service to Coll alongside Tiree, assuming a suitable air-strip was available. Under the Military Assisted Civilian Programme, this could be achieved. Major Vernon of the Royal Engineers, Scotland, arranged an inspection visit to find a suitable site on Coll. However, Operation Desert Storm intervened and this visit has been delayed for a while!!

Argyll & Bute District Council.
In May a delegation from Argyll & Bute District Council arrived on Coll to debate the heated subject of the possible rescinding of two Housing Action areas on Coll, namely, 'Arinagour' and 'Bousd'. Mr. D. Currie, Chairman, Housing Committee, Mr. D. MacDonald and Mr. I. MacDougall, Housing and Technical Services, listened to heated arguments both for and against the rescinding and tried, as best they could, to allay both fears and suspicions on both sides of the fence. A petition was sent by the resident population to Argyll & Bute District Council requesting to retain the Housing Action Areas and when it came to a full Council vote, they voted to retain and not to rescind!! Hooray!!

Crossapol Cemetary.
The work necessary at Crossapol was eventually put out to tender and completed finally making the cemetary stockproof.

Roadsigns.
Efforts to obtain 'children at play' signs were finally rewarded when signs arrived on the island - however, minus the poles necessary to erect them! We are presently awaiting delivery! In addition, 'Arinagour' name plates both in Gaelic and English and a basic signpost have also been promised, - one assumes so that all our visitors can find their way around without getting confused!

Roads.
Dare we mention it! Work was undertaken by Gardners, the contractors at the back end of the year. Serious traffic holdups were experienced whilst work was in progress, however, whether the roads are better, before or after Gardners, is subject to much debate. Several vehicle springs later, we are reliably informed that the contractors will have to return to put everything right that is wrong, in the near future!

Old Pier.
Several fund raising events were held during the year to raise money towards this work. Also Strathclyde Regional Council very kindly awarded us a grant of £3000 towards the scheme. More fund raising activities are planned for 1991 and the official lease document for the pier arrived after nearly two years! So more grant assistance may now be actively sought. Completion of this project Spring 1992!

Caledonian MacBrayne.
Good news from Cal. Mac.! An additional Sunday service is planned for the summer.

dep.  Mallaig       09.00                  arr.   Tiree         14.30
arr.  Tobermory   11.15                  dep.  Tiree         15.00 
dep. Tobermory   12.00                  arr.   Coll           16.00
arr.  Coll             13.20                  dep.  Coll           16.15
dep. Coll             13.30                  arr.   Tobermory 18.40
                                                  arr.  Mallaig        21.00        

This will make up, hopefully for the loss of Day Trippers experienced by the change in ferry schedules during the summer. Operating 13th. June - 25th. August.

The Linkspan work at Coll pier has been put out twice for tenders, the first tenders were too expensive and work is due to start around April 1st.! Completion within fourteen months! There is also a possibility of improvement to the waiting room and toilet 'facilities' at the pier store. Mr. Ken Duerden, Traffic Manager, and Mr. W. Kindness, Manager, Oban, arrived on Coll in April and discussed at length a possible overland route to Coll from Mull operating six days a week. Initial reaction was that this was a little impracticable as the 'Isle of Mull' would not cope with the extra traffic. Later Cal. Mac. denied any ideas in this direction so we are left - as is normal with Caledonian MacBrayne - feeling like mushrooms!