Holm Plantation - Christmas Carol Concert 2011 4
11 December 2011
Friends of the Plantation held a John Dolan Memorial Christmas Carol Concert
on 11 December 2011. Peter McNamara, Chair of Friends of the Plantation, welcomed
and thanked the large gathering; Kilbirnie Salvation Army Band and the Auchenharvie
Academy Junior Singers, both
shown above, provided
the music; and Ciaran Sinclair played the bagpipes.
A profile
of John Dolan (1922-2007),
former President of Friends of the Plantation and a major force in the renovation
of the Holm Plantation.can be seen on the website
of the Church of Saint Peter in Chains.
The Holm Plantation was previously known as Holm Wood but is referred to most
commonly as 'The Plantation'. Holm means low flat land near a river or burn
and a plantation is a group of cultivated trees or plants. In 1805, Holm Wood
was gifted by the Earls of Eglinton to the residents of Ardrossan and Saltcoats
as a place of relaxation and enjoyment. Prior to that, it was a dark forest.
In November 2002, a group called Friends of the Plantation was founded with
the mission of 'restoring and maintaining this area of natural beauty for the
benefit and enjoyment of the entire community and visitors to North Ayrshire'.
In mid 2004, Friends of the Plantation secured £10000 from Landfill Tax
Credits to fund regeneration of the Plantation. Other involved parties include
North Ayrshire Council, Strathclyde Police and the Scottish Executive. Improvements
included drainage, landscaping, lighting, closed circuit television and signs.
In October 2005, construction work started on three pods each fifteen metres
in diameter. These have been planted with shrubs and bushes to form a past garden,
a present garden and a future garden.