Kathryn Hill from the Midsteeple Project spoke to members of Dumfries Rotary Club

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Kathryn Hill, interim executive director of the Midsteeple Project was the latest speaker at Dumfries Rotary Club.

She began by saying how pleased she was to finally meet club president Ann Hill, as so many people had asked her since she returned to Dumfries from Canada to join the Midsteeple Project if she was related to her.

Kathryn explained where the Project had come from – founded in 2018 with one property, the old Baker’s Oven which was used as a pop-up shop but has now been redeveloped into flats, offices and retail space.

Kathryn described their long term ambition, which they hope will be achieved within a 15 year time scale. This is to help repopulate the town centre by providing high quality affordable housing on the upper floors of their properties while providing a mixed and vibrant local economy on the lower levels with all this being led by local people who are invested in the scheme with people not being at the mercy of absentee landlords.

Kathryn explained that the next stage of the project is the development of flats in Bank Street and that the Project are heartened by the interest businesses in the town are taking in the work and while it is nice to have all the spaces open that they have at present, the next challenge is to restore these buildings to their former glory on the outside which, while being supported by Historic Scotland, will still require a considerable fundraising effort from the Project.

Another exciting thing they are being involved in is a feasibility study, led by the council regarding the creation of an Independent Heat Network in the High Street.

Kathryn impressed the club with her enthusiasm for the Project and the range of things they are involved in.

The vote of thanks was given by Rotarian Maureen McKerrow.

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