Speaker Liliane McGeoch

Rotary club of Stirling meeting of 25th October 2019.

President Sandy Farquharson welcomed Rotarian David Crosbie from Crieff.
Last week's Gavel competition was won by Calendar. The event was well organised by Colin Bayes, but our performance on the night left something to be desired.  We have received a letter from the Arion bus group thanking us for continuing to fund and run this important service taking the handicapped to swimming at the Peak.

Our speaker, one of our own members, retired architect Liliane McGeoch spoke about urban design, "the art of making places for people". Until recently very few town planning departments had input from a trained architect. Over the years the rise in car ownership has overwhelmed the old car centric planning assumptions. Change had become essential, and with the arrival of the" Manual for Streets," planning priorities have changed. Urban areas were drowning in the consequences of too many cars.
Previously cars and lorries were at the top of the list, whereas now people and cyclists are the priority when any new, and many old, street layouts are proposed. The priorities of the Manual for Streets must be observed. New designs must function well for everybody, be safe and allow ease of movement. The physical environment must also be attractive encouraging people to use the streets.  This has involved greater use of trees, and decluttering with removal of unneeded signs and barriers. Although most of us will never have heard of the Manual for Streets, we will have been aware of changes in road design locally, limiting cars, but making streets safer, more pedestrian friendly, more usable, and more attractive.   For more information

Next week 1st November Speaker's host Sandy Leven, visitor's host Alister Morrison.

Ian Richardson