:: We Dundee

We Back Dundee as a City of Culture

2791

PEOPLE AND GROWING

Jute, jam and journalism – what I had been taught prior to becoming a student in the late 1960s – were replaced by the SNO, Scottish Country Dancing and Scotch when I left, graduating in 1973. Dundee was the first place in Scotland I ever visited and I still remember the vivid impression it made on me over 40 years later!

<b>Q) What surprises you about the city?</b><br><hr><b>A)</b> The community spirit of Dundee echoes all over the city as friendly and familiar faces are met frequently in unexpected ways, supporting the locals' idea that "Dundee is a small world". The feeling that the people all have the same ties to each other and the place itself gives a unique character to the city. Even people who have not lived in Dundee for a particularly long time find deep attachments to the city and its people, proving that Dundee is more than a hometown - it's a home.

<b>Q) What surprises you about the city?</b><br><hr><b>A)</b> You can cycle from one end to the other along the coast using very little road..

<b>Q) What surprises you about the city?</b><br><hr><b>A)</b> No matter where one lives in Dundee, a view of the silvery Tay is very close. The river Tay is like a woman - ever interesting, ever questioning, ever fascinating. To see the seals on the sandbanks, when the tide is low, and to watch the bottle-nose dolphins leap and play, early on a summer's evening is an unforgettable joy.

<b>Q) What surprises you about the city?</b><br><hr><b>A)</b> Dundee is a very clean city with no rubbish lying around. You can be sure that wherever in Dundee you choose to go for a walk whether it be in town or surrounding areas they are always clean and well cared for

<b>Q) What surprises you about the city?</b><br><hr><b>A)</b> Verdant Works is a hidden gem. The volunteers are fantastic and have a welath of knowledge.

<b>Q) What surprises you about the city?</b><br><hr><b>A)</b> How much there is to see and do in Dundee. Many people including it's own citizens have a bad habit of talking Dundee down but it has superb visitor attractions eg the McManus Galleries, Discovery, Verdant works etc. Some of the architecture both old and modern is very atrractive. There is a great beach at Broughty Ferry, a cycle route round the city and many parks, golf courses etc within easy reach of the city centre. The counrtyside around Dundee provides plenty of walks for the able and less able. All in all it is a great place to live.

<b>Q) What surprises you about the city?</b><br><hr><b>A)</b> Moved from Dundee 15 years ago. However, i will always be a West end Lad. Magdalen Green, the Band Stand, the views across the Tay and McIntosh Patrick.

<b>Q) What surprises you about the city?</b><br><hr><b>A)</b> I'm not a Dundonian I'm from over the bridge in Fife but I've visited Dundee many many times since I was a child. It was always where we chose to go 'on a proper shopping day out'. Over the years I've seen so many changes to this wonderful place. I loved it when I was a kid but I remember it looking quite dated, its now having an overhaul and being sympathetic to some important features unique to the city, it really is starting to look the part. Dundee definately deserves its place as a city of culture.

<b>Q) What surprises you about the city?</b><br><hr><b>A)</b> Balgay Park Cemetery

<b>Q) What surprises you about the city?</b><br><hr><b>A)</b> University of Dundee, people around me and beautiful views

<b>Q) What surprises you about the city?</b><br><hr><b>A)</b> The University's Saturday Evening Lecture Series - where town and gown meet, with no pretensions!

<b>Q) What surprises you about the city?</b><br><hr><b>A)</b> Spex pistols.

<b>Q) What surprises you about the city?</b><br><hr><b>A)</b> My grandfather was walking home from the Kirk holding his father's hand on the night the Tay Bridge came down celebrated by the most awful doggerel ever penned by the 'poet' McGonigall. I went to Queens College in 1959 and took a degree in Chemistry and Physics and returned two years ago for a reunion and was amazed at the transformation of the city from the rundown images I remember in the sixties to the lively and fascinating modern Dundee with Scott's ship and so many other attractions artistic, cultural and physical.

<b>Q) What surprises you about the city?</b><br><hr><b>A)</b> Dundonians are all braw! They have made me feel very welcome and I am proud to call it home.
The waterfront never fails to take my breath away and the sight of the seals on the sands means it is going to be a good day!

<b>Q) What surprises you about the city?</b><br><hr><b>A)</b> The Mills observatory

<b>Q) What surprises you about the city?</b><br><hr><b>A)</b> having lived in the city off and on for sixty years, the Dundee of today is evolving into a modern 21st century city. Twenty years ago, that seemed unbelievable....

<b>Q) What surprises you about the city?</b><br><hr><b>A)</b> Dundee has lots of hidden gems as well as a great and growing music scene.

<b>Q) What surprises you about the city?</b><br><hr><b>A)</b> I have worked in Dundee for the last 17 years and in that time it never ceases to amaze me how much it has really flourished creatively to being the innovative and forward thinking city that it is today.

A great deal of commitment, effort and time has been given by the people and employers within the city to create this vibrancy and it certainly deserves to be credited as a City of Culture.

<b>Q) What surprises you about the city?</b><br><hr><b>A)</b> Its constantly changing and for the better.

There is always plenty to do throughout the city and surrounding area's whether its entertainment in the city centre and the Caird hall, or taking in the sights and sounds of the surrounding countryside at Camperdown park, templeton woods and the sidlaws. Dundee has an amazing back drop which should flourish and be appreciated over the coming years.

<b>Q) What surprises you about the city?</b><br><hr><b>A)</b> Magdalen Green holds some of the fondest memories from childhood, messing around on the bandstand with my grandparents, playing football with my parents. When the carnival would come, I'd make my uncle come on all the scary rides with me (while my mum watched on in horror). Off to the west side, in a more overgrown area, my friends and I had a rope swing, which I consistently fall off (with enduring rope burns). Sometimes on a nice spring day like today, I'd like to go back to Dundee and magdalen green and give that rope swing another go.

<b>Q) What surprises you about the city?</b><br><hr><b>A)</b> Dundee has gone through an incredible creative regeneration. With the imminent arrival of V&A, the refurbishment of McManus and a flourishing dance community, the city has an abundance of creativity. It's already a City of Discovery. A city ready and well poised to further discover it's creative future. Bring on the City of Culture!

<b>Q) What surprises you about the city?</b><br><hr><b>A)</b> Its approachability;
-the folks that inhabit it have warm, open & unaffected persona's
-its the perfect size...big enough to have everything, small enough to be touchable
-its architecture spans the great & noble, the honest & solid, the shiny & new, all softened by an accessible layer of lush green
-accessible yet edgy design & art scene
-beauty and serene calm of its water is enjoyed by us all; its not exclusive nor for the priveledged...it reflects the persona of our city.
I am proud to witness Dundee begin to realise its full potential.

<b>Q) What surprises you about the city?</b><br><hr><b>A)</b> You can live in the city with all its benefits and just a couple of minutes by car you can enjoy a nice round of golf, a day on the beach or just relax in one of the cafés in and around Dundee.

<b>Q) What surprises you about the city?</b><br><hr><b>A)</b> My memories of Dundee include a vibrant music scene with folksinging, pop, etc.. In addition the stage scene with theatre and variety shows giving an eclectic choice of venues. A compact town centre gives a village feeling to the town which enhances a feeling of togetherness.

<b>Q) What surprises you about the city?</b><br><hr><b>A)</b> The friendly people and all the talks at the science museum there seems to something going on every day!

<b>Q) What surprises you about the city?</b><br><hr><b>A)</b> I studied Fine Art at DJCA and my experience there, the aspiration and belief it had, and that living in the city provided, all instilled aspiration in me beyond measure. The dynamics of being a student in the city was way beyond the comparative scale of the city, the environment was rich in enquiry and expertise, pride in the city was palpable and the attitude positive and open towards everyone. I miss the obvious 'cultural highlights' but I miss the warmth of the people and old Dens Rd Market.

<b>Q) What surprises you about the city?</b><br><hr><b>A)</b> The forward thinking of the City Fathers in developing the waterfront.

<b>Q) What surprises you about the city?</b><br><hr><b>A)</b> The City of Dundee has the current 'Scottish Hairdresser of the year' Kay McIntyre who is now in the latest member of and the only Dundonian in the British Hairdressing 'Hall of Fame'
Its also the only hair salon to have won a Regeneration Award and Commendation by the British Civic Trust...Oh and you get a great hair cut too!

<b>Q) What surprises you about the city?</b><br><hr><b>A)</b> The diversity of people, individual style and unique village like feel.

<b>Q) What surprises you about the city?</b><br><hr><b>A)</b> The city's location on the North shore of the River Tay makes it a bright place to work and live all year round. It is unique in that the river is visible from most places in the city and not just from its shoreline. That's what makes Dundee special to me.

<b>Q) What surprises you about the city?</b><br><hr><b>A)</b> It actually is a surprisingly sunny city with sunny people and sometimes sunny, but always brilliant, inner-city walks.

<b>Q) What surprises you about the city?</b><br><hr><b>A)</b> Nothing surprises me...thrilled to find Dundee is finally getting the recognition it deserves. It's always been Glasgow or Edinburgh, then later Aberdeen, to get any accolades going, Am I biased? Of course a little bit, just a little, but if we are/were really familiar with Dundee's history being a city of culture isn't a revelation.

<b>Q) What surprises you about the city?</b><br><hr><b>A)</b> Scotland's Jute Museum at Verdant works.

<b>Q) What surprises you about the city?</b><br><hr><b>A)</b> I love when I travel along in Perth road with a double decker and I can see the beautiful river Tay with the clouds and the sun. My original hometown is a big,busy city so I could hardly experience the nature like this. Also I love the green grass.

<b>Q) What surprises you about the city?</b><br><hr><b>A)</b> The South facing slopes of the town and the winter sun. But especially the McManus and the DCA

<b>Q) What surprises you about the city?</b><br><hr><b>A)</b> The hidden work being done to support young people with no hidden agenda except to see the young people develop and reach their potential. The work being done at St Andrews church with the young mother, Hot Chocolate Trust are to name two. Working with these young people are people who believe in the young people of Dundee. The are attempting to play a part in changing the future of Dundee from 'the inside' believing that any sustainable change must be done now to affect the future, and must be done in people not wholly by policies and procedures.

<b>Q) What surprises you about the city?</b><br><hr><b>A)</b> its friendliness and fun

<b>Q) What surprises you about the city?</b><br><hr><b>A)</b> The variety of culture to be found in such a small geographic area.

<b>Q) What surprises you about the city?</b><br><hr><b>A)</b> I came here in 2002 to attend University with every intention of leaving after...11 years on I'm still here plus a husband, 2 kids and a small but growing business. The diversity and choice on offer is something I want my kids to experience, enjoying a sunny but cold stroll along the beach at New Year or participating in many activities on offer. Dundee has been good to us I don't think we would be in the position we are in if we were somewhere else. Thank you Dundee!

<b>Q) What surprises you about the city?</b><br><hr><b>A)</b> Broughty Ferry Beach - minutes from the City Centre

<b>Q) What surprises you about the city?</b><br><hr><b>A)</b> It is bloody windy!!

<b>Q) What surprises you about the city?</b><br><hr><b>A)</b> The incredible generosity of spirit in the people. Unseen at first, but just waiting to be uncovered.

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