Pat Hayden recalls the highs and lows of 22-year stint as community campaigner
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Community stalwart Pat Hayden is stepping down after 22 years. Val Sweeney finds out how she has been a voice for her neighbourhood...
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FROM giving her views on some of the biggest developments in Inverness to taking up complaints about litter and bus services, Pat Hayden has been an enthusiastic champion for her local community.
As chairwoman of the 11-strong Crown and City Centre Community Council, she has ensured the voices of local residents have been heard on the issues and concerns which matter to them.
But after 22 years on the voluntary organisation, which represents more than 6000 people, she has decided it is time to step down and has announced she will not be standing for re-election with community council elections due to take place across the Highlands.
"I don't think you should go on and on," she said. "I don't think it is healthy."
Mrs Hayden, who has been married to husband Alex for 52 years and has two sons, a daughter and three grandchildren, first joined what was then Crown Community Council in 1997.
"I had just sold my restaurant in Island Bank Road and a letter came round asking for people to put themselves forward as community councillors," recalled Mrs Hayden of Muirfield Park.
"I thought it was time to give something back to the community. It was the beginning of a long relationship – I just didn't realise how long!"
Three years later, she became chairman while in 2015, oversaw the community council – which serves a mainly affluent part of the city – take the neighbouring city centre area under its wing.
Having consulted old minute books during her tenure, she reflected on the triumphs, disappointments and what she felt had been missed opportunities for the city.
She recalled, for example, a proposal many years ago to develop a cross-rail link from Millburn Road to the Longman area which would have enabled greater pedestrianisation in the city centre.
Although it had the support of the community council, it never came to fruition.
She also felt Highland Council had missed the chance many years ago to acquire the site now occupied by TK Maxx and create an integrated transport hub.
There has been frustration over a lack of visible action to tackle Viewhill House which has been an eyesore since being extensively damaged by fire in 2007 and likewise, over the former Eastgate Hostel which was a carbuncle for six years following a blaze in 2013.
But on a more positive note, she recalled the community council had given input on major projects such as the expansion of the Eastgate Shopping Centre and the recent transformation of the Midmills complex into an art hub and retirement homes plus various hotels springing up in the city centre as the the area experiences a boom in tourism.
On developments directly affecting the day-to-day lives of residents, she recalled Crown was chosen to pilot a scheme with the distribution of 300 compost bins in 2001, saw a 20mph speed limit introduced in the Hill district in 2003 and reported a problem with seagulls in 2004.
Other issues have included highlighting the dangers of cycling on pavements and she was delighted to have been involved in improvements for Walker Park as well as establishing a youth cafe which ran for many years.
"Some people, unfortunately, join a community council because they have a beef about something," she reflected.
"But the clue is in the name – community council. You want what is best for the community."
That philosophy has been reflected in her involvement in other voluntary organisations – at one time she chaired eight bodies and still remains chairwoman of the Inverness Airport Consultative Committee.
She paid tribute to the "high calibre" of fellow community councillors.
"We are in a position to tackle anything," she said.
But one disappointment is that there is no representative from the city centre.
"I don't know if there are that many people who live in the city centre long-term," she speculated. "But I am hoping with the new elections, someone might put themselves forward."
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