Vote for the project you want

We need you to choose which project you would like us to pursue

It's time to choose

In the middle of last year, the Win Furt trustees drew up a short list of possible path routes in our area. This was based on suggestions from local people, either at the Win Furt launch sessions or from other conversations with people about what they would like to see happen.

Since then, we have been talking to the relevant local landowners to see what they think about the ideas. They have the ultimate say on whether anything can happen so their agreement is vital. Most of the landowners understand the problems that we are trying to tackle and most were agreeable to the idea of a path on their land. In a few cases, though, there were issues that meant that we have had to cross an idea off the list.

In some cases, a path meant that the landowner’s park would be cut in two by the path and this would cause too many problems for them. In other cases, the ground was simply too challenging to be able to find a suitable, accessible route. In other cases, the land is going through a change of ownership and we took a decision to leave things until that process is settled.

When Win Furt was set up, the intention was to try to start two projects, one on the Whiteness and Weisdale side and one on the Tingwall side. That is still the plan and we have reached a point where we need you to choose what you would like us to try to progress.

Whiteness and Weisdale

On the Whiteness and Weisdale side, there are four options that we would like people to choose from. They are:

A. a path round Hellister Loch

B. a path from the Weisdale shop north to the Swedish houses

C. a path from Weisdale Kirk north to Bonhoga (or further)

D. a path from Olligarth (near the Whiteness shop) north to Whiteness and Weisdale hall

We would now like you to choose which of the options you would like us to pursue. We will then take the option that you pick and move to more detailed discussions with the landowner(s) and potential funders, with a view to producing a costed design.

We would like you to rank the four options, i.e. first choice, second choice etc.. You don’t have rank all four of them if you don’t want to. Voting is open to anybody of secondary school age or above that lives in the Tingwall, Whiteness and Weisdale Community Council area. To allow us to manage the voting process, we will need to record your name and address when you vote but this information will not be published anywhere. You can vote online using the voting form or you can come to a drop-in session at Whiteness and Weisdale Hall on Saturday 27th January and vote there or you can write to us at Win Furt, Doonesbo, Gott, ZE2 9SF. Voting closes on 29th February.

Tingwall

On the Tingwall side, it has been more of a challenge to find possible routes. Issues over land ownership and concerns from landowners mean that we have only one proposal on the Tingwall side and that is a path between the bus stop by the Strand Loch and the corner of the Laxfirth road. Our intention is to move to the next stage (design, costing etc.) with that proposal. Separate to that, however, ZetTrans have commissioned a study to look at a path between Scalloway and Tingwall so that may produce an additional route.

Come and talk to us

We are sure that there are questions that you might want to ask and so we are having a drop-in session at Whiteness and Weisdale hall on the morning of Saturday 27th January if you would like to talk to us. In the meantime, please feel free to email us at winfurt@outlook.com if you have any comments or questions.