Kirk Surroundings After a year of upheaval caused by the work of pedestrianising the area around the Kirk, we are trying to get used to a new way of doing things. We were assured that there was no intention of curtailing the activities of the Kirk, but inevitably there were problems to be sorted out. Sundays are fine. There are parking spaces nearby for those with "disabled' cards, and other car drivers can drop off passengers before finding a parking place. The Speygate car park is nearest, but there we are competing with the congregations of St. Matthew's and St. John's Episcopal - as well as visitors staying in the Salutation Hotel and residents with parking permits However the walk from the car park to the Kirk is a chance to talk to one another. During the week, some of us have permits which allow access to the Kirk area, and there is one corner where we can park - and there are two spaces for the ministers' cars.  Official wedding cars can drive up to the Kirk door but who and what counts as official? We are fortunate in being given sympathetic consideration by the Community Police and Traffic teams. Visually, the most obvious features are the placing of carved granite heads to delineate the Kirk area - based on carvings within the Kirk; and night-time lighting. There are seating benches too, deliberately designed to remind us of coffins, since this was the site of the original graveyard, until it became too full and Greyfriars ground became the towns graveyard in 1580. We might suspect that bodies at that time were only wrapped in linen shrouds but never mind! The new, smooth granite paving slabs make walking and wheelchair access easier, but are also proving inviting to skate boarders In adjacent St. John Street: new copper sculptures have been placed. At first, it may be a puzzle to work out what they represent , but the theme is 'Regeneration", and when that is understood, it becomes easier to see seed pods and other appropriate symbols. This theme of "Regeneration" is not so different from the Church of Scotland's motto of "Semper Reforandum" (Always Reforming) and the symbol of the Burning Bush. Regeneration is on the agenda of the town centre churches, and the Kirk is playing a part in this - more. Back

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