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Save Doonies Farm


Lemonade

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It's a shame to see Doonies go. I have lots of good childhood memories from there and it's a shame for the future generations that wont get to experience Doonies. Aberdeen City Council is a joke. They close down lots of well used amenities and then they'll whine even more about kids hanging about on the streets. What are they supposed to do when there is naff all for them to do?! Also, with the rates of childhood obesity rising, we need the swimming pools, sports centres, etc now more than ever.

As for no one paying attention to online petitions, why would people bother if they didn't have any affect? Even if they just bring more attention to the subject, surely it's a good thing.

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It's a shame to see Doonies go. I have lots of good childhood memories from there and it's a shame for the future generations that wont get to experience Doonies. Aberdeen City Council is a joke. They close down lots of well used amenities and then they'll whine even more about kids hanging about on the streets. What are they supposed to do when there is naff all for them to do?! Also, with the rates of childhood obesity rising, we need the swimming pools, sports centres, etc now more than ever.

As for no one paying attention to online petitions, why would people bother if they didn't have any affect? Even if they just bring more attention to the subject, surely it's a good thing.

Good points and all quite true, anyone whos grown up in an outlying town from aberdeen ought to know what its like to be a teenager in a place with no amenities where there is bugger all to do with yourself outside the house. It really pisses me off a lot how the councils etc moan about vandalism, drinking and so on, a lot of the blame rests on their shoulders for the failure to see that something as simple as a skatepark can potentially provide a more constructive focus for young people.

Whatever happened to youth clubs? The council just don't give a damn about anything, the people making the decisions about funding and coming up with ideas etc are all braindead out of touch fuckwits and it's people like them that mean aberdeen will always be a miserable backwater which is horrible to live in.

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To be fair, the kids causing trouble hanging out on the streets aren;t going to be feeding animals at a farm. Where's the street cred in that?!

I can see where you are coming from but, these days, a lot of kids hang about on the streets causing trouble simply because they are bored and don't have anything else to do.

As Stripey mentioned, there used to be plenty of Youth Clubs, etc for kids but these days they seem to be few and far between.

Instead of wasting millions of pounds renting and refurbishing Marischal College, the Council could save Doonies and the animals there. Along with funding youth clubs and sports centres for kids. Therefore, reducing the problem of kids hanging about on the streets and help to reduce the rates of childhood obesity.

The Council seems to be only looking out for themselves, not for the people of Aberdeen. It's a disgrace.

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Good points and all quite true, anyone whos grown up in an outlying town from aberdeen ought to know what its like to be a teenager in a place with no amenities where there is bugger all to do with yourself outside the house. It really pisses me off a lot how the councils etc moan about vandalism, drinking and so on, a lot of the blame rests on their shoulders for the failure to see that something as simple as a skatepark can potentially provide a more constructive focus for young people.

Whatever happened to youth clubs? The council just don't give a damn about anything, the people making the decisions about funding and coming up with ideas etc are all braindead out of touch fuckwits and it's people like them that mean aberdeen will always be a miserable backwater which is horrible to live in.

It might be a touch cynical to say this on here, but I'd rather have youth clubs/etc set up, rather than a brand new building for 'the arts' in Union Terrace Gardens. How many youth clubs could be established (and sustained) for the cost of that one building? Fair enough, the money from ACC is a loan and not a grant - but does anyone believe that the loan will be paid back on commercial terms, particularly if the alternative is closure?

Unfortunately, there's probably no pork associated with small, local, community projects and so councils generally won't be interested.

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I went to Doonies Farm on Saturday, it was loadsa fun. I signed a petition there as well. The woman I was talking to told me they have just submitted new plans to do the place up as well, have more animals and build a cafe, shop and visitor centre which would be cool actually actually as there isn't really a whole lot to do there.... it takes an hour tops to see all the animals! Also got persuaded somehow to go to the protest march on Saturday morning dressed as a sheep..... how do I get myself into these ridiculous situations. The staff all seem really really determined to save the place.

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*sigh*

Dear KittyCat

Marischal College is funded from the Council's capital budget.

Services and places such as Doonies etc. are funded by the revenue budget.

The Council cannot simply take 27million from the capital budget to fill the gaps in revenue.

I have to say I occasionally attend Council meetings in my spare time, because I am a geek, and I went along to the budget meeting.

Nobody put forward a realisitc alternative to the budget savings which were proposed, unless anyone else out there has something to contribute then I fail to see the point in condemning those who are taking tough decisions on this.

I cannot understand why some folk find it so difficult to understand that in order to save a service you need to cut funding from another one.

I wonder how many of the thousands of people who have signed petitions actually visited the Bon Accord Baths, not many I will bet. Or saw how dilapidated the ice rink had become? I see it finally broke down the other week, I am amazed it lasted this long. I last visited Doonies a few months ago and it was distinctly underwhelming.

That said, I have no problem with Doonies being rescued, but it is the only city farm in the UK which relies solely on a council to fund it.

As for the tented village outside Marischal College, I suppose it is all fair and well to make a democratic protest, but am I the only one who thinks Cyrenians are going to be doing themselves no favours when the budget process comes around again in 12 months time?

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No offence, as much as Doonies is probably fantastic and who doesn't love feeding little lambs, I am a tad more concerned about the closing of 3 Cyrenians projects! where are the people who rely on them for 'home' supposed to go. Friend of mine who works for the Cyrenians says that they are trying to rehouse many of the people who use the projects but likelihood is slim.

Council need to start prioritising!

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Apparently, a friend of mine who works for the Council says they have been offered the chance to refer folk to the Council's homelessness unit but have turned it down.

There's some discussion over this in the Politics forum.

From my reading of the situation, there isn't any extra money being given to Doonies, and it will only be saved if funding from other sources can be found.

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I can't remember if I said this already but sorry if I did, I was speaking to the bosses of Doonies a couple weeks ago and if it stays open they are planning on building a cafe, gift shop, visitors centre etc to take in more cash and make it self sustaining. Would be nice to see it given a chance.

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Can someone please explain why the council has to pay for a farm anyway? Surely, the kids that go there should be tuaght about self-sufficiency, etc. Not "When you're older, try and get 900,000 off the council." There are more important causes than rare animals which I have no doubt could be homed somewhere else in a project like this elsewhere in the UK.

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  • 10 months later...

Looks like the end of the road for Doonie's:

END OF THE LINE FOR LOCAL FARM

The recession has claimed one of Aberdeen's best family days out. Staff at Doonies Farm have admitted they will have to close. It's near Cove, and includes some of the country's rarest and most endangered breeds. The Friends of Doonies had been confident of getting sponsorship from local firms, but the credit crunch has had a knock on effect.

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I can't remember if I said this already but sorry if I did, I was speaking to the bosses of Doonies a couple weeks ago and if it stays open they are planning on building a cafe, gift shop, visitors centre etc to take in more cash and make it self sustaining. Would be nice to see it given a chance.

Why didn't you just read the rest of the thread you dick?

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