:: We Dundee

We Back Dundee as a City of Culture

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PEOPLE AND GROWING

At first it always feels like something might not be ‘right’ for Dundee but there’s such a diversity of people and interests that anything you want to create or do, you can find an audience for.

<b>Q) What surprises you about the city?</b><br><hr><b>A)</b> A small city with a big image: Universities, hospitals, museums, music, films, sport, hotels, restaurants, shopping, transport, bingo, discos, nightclubs, theatres, workshops, Dundee holds its own with other cities. But there are also beautiful flowerbeds and gardens, beaches and castles. Dolphins and seals swim before us and the Aurora Borealis lights the skies. Dundee has produced too many famous people to list here. Visitors are always surprised at the diversity of culture in this warm-hearted and generous city. I love it.

<b>Q) What surprises you about the city?</b><br><hr><b>A)</b> How friendly the people are.

<b>Q) What surprises you about the city?</b><br><hr><b>A)</b> The city of Dundee has to be one of the friendliest places I have been to. there is always a smile and a welcome and humour without the sarcastic aggressive tone that often goes with Scottish humour. Good luck Dundee URIT

<b>Q) What surprises you about the city?</b><br><hr><b>A)</b> the commitment of Dundee's volunteers.....most hours of the day and night there are a band of volunteers helping out those who need support. I am involved with the Dundee branch of Samaritans which has been on the go for over 50 years. There are many of us out there doing all sorts of things in our own time to lend a hand or an ear to another human being....so don't forget about them!

<b>Q) What surprises you about the city?</b><br><hr><b>A)</b> Every time I arrive back at the City i am always blown away by the approach and setting of the City on the Tay Estuary. Simply stunning!

<b>Q) What surprises you about the city?</b><br><hr><b>A)</b> The fantastic variety of interests and ideas our international students bring and their amazingly positive comments on how friendly they find Dundee as a place to study.

<b>Q) What surprises you about the city?</b><br><hr><b>A)</b> Dundee warms my heart. It is the city I fell in love in, made my best friends in and have grown up in.

<b>Q) What surprises you about the city?</b><br><hr><b>A)</b> the amazing speed at which it has developed into a cool city i.e. over the last 18 years since i went there to university

<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 history of dundee is quite cool,

<b>Q) What surprises you about the city?</b><br><hr><b>A)</b> The most amazing thing about Dundee is the scenery. It is absolutely spectacular. Especially on a beautiful summers day!

<b>Q) What surprises you about the city?</b><br><hr><b>A)</b> Schools orchestra concerts, nycos choir and youth musicals performed to very high standards...

<b>Q) What surprises you about the city?</b><br><hr><b>A)</b> How well Dundee is percieved and people love it after visiting. I have always known that Dundee was a great City and love showing visitors around our lovely City.

<b>Q) What surprises you about the city?</b><br><hr><b>A)</b> The 24-hour bakery - a place full of wonder, magic and mystery!

<b>Q) What surprises you about the city?</b><br><hr><b>A)</b> I live in the west end of the city, high up above Perth Road and just in front of Blackness Road. I have an uninterupted view of the River Tay. I waken each morning and the view never fails to amaze me. It is fantastic and the ever changing river provides a backdrop for all sorts of wildlife. I can look west towards Perth and see what sort of weather is coming my way and I look east and sometimes see the 'haar' rolling up the river.I am a very fortunate Dundonian.

<b>Q) What surprises you about the city?</b><br><hr><b>A)</b> It's WONDERFUL!

<b>Q) What surprises you about the city?</b><br><hr><b>A)</b> Art in such a small city, particularly visual art and theatre is of an amazingly high standard. There is a huge appetite for more and the City of Culture designation could really help this. It would tie in nicely with revamping the city centre which will make the city visually pleasing itself.

<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> Improvements in schemes

<b>Q) What surprises you about the city?</b><br><hr><b>A)</b> Douglas Sports Centre gives the local community access to excellent facilities on their doorstep providing opportunities to be active in their community.

<b>Q) What surprises you about the city?</b><br><hr><b>A)</b> Dundee is the only city in the whole of the UK with Red Squirrels within the city boundaries. As an iconic species for Scotland this says a lot for Dundee and shows the depth of commitment from its Ranger Service and Parks Management. Camperdown Wildlife Centre is a very important conservation site for endangered species across Europe and the World, and plays an important role in educating our younger people and serves as a main centre of attraction.

<b>Q) What surprises you about the city?</b><br><hr><b>A)</b> I am surprised at how many things there are to do in Dundee. Every day there are many options for cultural activities. The people here are also very friendly.

<b>Q) What surprises you about the city?</b><br><hr><b>A)</b> The Waterfront developing into such a beautiful and state of the art area from what was such an industrial start. It proves with investment and creative thinking a 'sow's ear can be made from a silk purse'!

<b>Q) What surprises you about the city?</b><br><hr><b>A)</b> Aberdeen & Grampian Chamber of Commerce wish Dundee the best of luck in becoming the UK City of Culture.
The City of Dundee has our full support as the only Scottish representative.

<b>Q) What surprises you about the city?</b><br><hr><b>A)</b> I love the Darcy Thompson museum. The university has a wonderful collection of art as well. The breadth and volume of cultural events in the city is amazing. Dundee's siting is handsome being on the river and its parks are a wonderful asset - areas like Balgay and Magdalen Yard, Camperdown, etc.

<b>Q) What surprises you about the city?</b><br><hr><b>A)</b> From the view of the stunning sunrises over the Tay, to sunset sitting on Magdalen Green with friends, to drinking tea in one of the many cute coffee shops on the Perth Road, to the vibrant university student life, to the welcoming nature of the city. Dundee is home.

<b>Q) What surprises you about the city?</b><br><hr><b>A)</b> Not a 'hidden secret' but Dundee is the sunniest city in Scotland and with the Law and a walk along the riverside on a nice day it is beautiful!

<b>Q) What surprises you about the city?</b><br><hr><b>A)</b> The Discovery.
The McMannus.

<b>Q) What surprises you about the city?</b><br><hr><b>A)</b> The ever changing waterfront

<b>Q) What surprises you about the city?</b><br><hr><b>A)</b> Dundee is a great place to live and work, has great links to other cities and places throughout Scotland. Its also one of the sunniest cities in Scotland!!

<b>Q) What surprises you about the city?</b><br><hr><b>A)</b> no traffic jams, no pretension, no standing on ceremony, no bother, no fuss, no bad.

cheery, chatty, charming, chummy, chimneys,

Observatory, Discovery -,, at every corner, in every mind

a beach, a hill, a river, a heart, a history.

sharing caring unsparing

untroubled, unpredictable, unforgettable, unique

Dundee.

<b>Q) What surprises you about the city?</b><br><hr><b>A)</b> Its ability to adapt and reinvent itself in terms of hardship

<b>Q) What surprises you about the city?</b><br><hr><b>A)</b> If you see Dundee in sunshine, it is a lovely place. Yet seeing it when it rains and all is grey and the Tay river whirls with the wild currents, that is what summons the bitter-sweet nostalgia of the past, of the industrial times and streetcars passing through the city center.

<b>Q) What surprises you about the city?</b><br><hr><b>A)</b> Despite the temporary chaos, the city is being modernised and regenerated, and will soon be marvellous, centrally situated, excellent infrastructure.

<b>Q) What surprises you about the city?</b><br><hr><b>A)</b> The City has lovely walks down at riverside.

<b>Q) What surprises you about the city?</b><br><hr><b>A)</b> Nobody crowds you here, but nobody goes it alone.

<b>Q) What surprises you about the city?</b><br><hr><b>A)</b> The people are wonderful and the place is absolutely smashing

<b>Q) What surprises you about the city?</b><br><hr><b>A)</b> I like that Dundee has culture without pretentiousness;
that we have bands who play big festivals but still play in local pubs, and world class classical musicians playing in community centres and day centres for older people; and that I can be entertained on the way home from seeing Scottish Dance Theatre by a homeless guy dancing joyfully in the aisle of the bus while his mate plays a mouth organ.

<b>Q) What surprises you about the city?</b><br><hr><b>A)</b> Dundee is Scotland's best kept secret. A cosmopolitan city rich in tradition, culture and enterprise. A contemporary place to live and work. An innovation city with a real sense of purpose and ambition to realize it.

<b>Q) What surprises you about the city?</b><br><hr><b>A)</b> Great buildings - Gardyne's Land - original elements 1560, now preserved as a backpackers' hostel. St David's Rooms, - original elements early 1600's. 2 cathedrals - St Paul's and St Andrew's.

<b>Q) What surprises you about the city?</b><br><hr><b>A)</b> Years ago, a guy who (asked to) push beside us in the queue at the Mardi Gras, bought us a drink as soon as we were all inside. He then quoted what has become one of my rules for life - "It's nice to be nice."

<b>Q) What surprises you about the city?</b><br><hr><b>A)</b> I think the judges would be surprised at the number of parks that are in Dundee City - Camperdown in particular is beautiful and has something for everyone. The McManus Gallery, Verdant Works, The Law and RSS Discovery are but a few attractions that are well worth a visit. Dundee City is not just grey buildings.

<b>Q) What surprises you about the city?</b><br><hr><b>A)</b> The return of its self-confidence and ambition - its always been there , but it's now being recognized. Go on Dundee!

<b>Q) What surprises you about the city?</b><br><hr><b>A)</b> Dundee has always been an outward looking city. We care about people and welcome everyone with open arms. My uncle fought in the Spanish civil war for people he had never met because, like many Dundee men, he felt he had to make a stand against evil.

I work all over the world. Everywhere I have ever been, the Scots are respected for their openness and friendliness, and I believe that Dundee personifies these virtues.

I am proud of my city and its culture. But I'm most proud to be one of its citizens.

<b>Q) What surprises you about the city?</b><br><hr><b>A)</b> What amazes me about Dundee is the friendliness of Dundonians. Just like Glasgow, is it to do with the industrial history of the city? Very sunny, enjoyed every day here as a student!

<b>Q) What surprises you about the city?</b><br><hr><b>A)</b> We moved to Dundee from just north of London and we were surprised by the strength of community. Everyone in our street got on and took the time for small kindnesses like helping out the old folk with shopping when the snow was bad. We have taken the attitude with us since we have moved abroad.

<b>Q) What surprises you about the city?</b><br><hr><b>A)</b> The scale and variety of world class activity that takes place in Dundee from cutting edge science to advanced digital media activity, from highbrow theatre and arts to community involvement in cultural activity. All that happening in a city where you can be on the beach in ten minutes, in the hills in twenty minutes and, if you must, skiing in around an hour.

I came for three years and now have clocked up a quarter of a century. Why live anywhere else?

<b>Q) What surprises you about the city?</b><br><hr><b>A)</b> I have lived out of this great City for 25 years, visit as often as I can, and now I'm heading home.

It's Dundee's time and I for one don't want to miss it. If any City deserves it's place in the world and recognition for it's contribution, for all manner of wonderful reasons, then here's my vote.

'Dundee is like a light across my heart' - Michael Marra.

This covers it for me.

Good luck Dundee. You deserve it.

<b>Q) What surprises you about the city?</b><br><hr><b>A)</b> Dundonians themselves. When in the city talking to peers often they overlook the vibrancy, riches and uniqueness of what the City has to offer.

The usp of the City and it's developing drivers is that: the City continually renews and evolves with the changing environ, no longer should the city be thought of as the City of Discovery and the 3 J's for Jute, Jam and Journalism, but that One City Many Discoveries, and the drive and development in sectors of bio medicines, digital media, renewables, developing culture - DCA, The McManus, Dundee Rep, the impending V&A Dundee.

With that said, take a Dundonian out of the City, and it is inspiring to hear how positive an ambassador they are for their beloved home City.

<b>Q) What surprises you about the city?</b><br><hr><b>A)</b> The high level of cultural events, and places to visit

<b>Q) What surprises you about the city?</b><br><hr><b>A)</b> great city for students

<b>Q) What surprises you about the city?</b><br><hr><b>A)</b> It always amazing how diverse Dundonians are, in their language, there fashion, their backgrounds, their views and there lifestyles. The rich tapestry of people in Dundee means there is a place for everyone to feel at home and that is something that always surprises me about the place.

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