Weekend to remember

July 18th, 2011

 

The ships have sailed, the red arrows flown off and the bandstand packed up but one or two grumbles still remain.

 

Thankfully, for thousands of others, whether it be local people who took a walk along, or visitors who travelled in by train, the Tall Ships was an astounding success.

 

The sight of so many families, many of which who had got together especially for the day, enjoying themselves in this often-hidden spot of Inverclyde was a sight to behold.

 

Whether it be singing along to Lulu, boarding one of those magnificent ships or gazing in amazement at the aero-acrobatics of the Red Arrows, there were plenty of memorable moments.

 

Of course it was too busy, and the trains were full, and you couldn’t get a seat, and the beer was expensive, and all the rest of it.

 

With more than 700,000 visitors to the Tall Ships, the organisers were in many ways victims of their own success.

 

But what price an occasion that brought together so many families and friends and allowed us to showcase the wonderful natural beauty we have here in Inverclyde.

 

It has also got us talking about this great public space we have on the waterfront and the potential we have to do something with it.

 

For years, it has been a relic of our industrial decline but for many people it was their first opportunity to experience an area of the town that has been shut off for too long.

 

We have a long road before people are living there, working there and spending their leisure time there.

 

But the Tall Ships was an excellent opportunity to showcase what we have to offer, not just on our waterfront but across Inverclyde as a whole.

 

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