Dee & Sally undertook a site visit to Cove Park on Thursday 12 August. Dee is familiar with this site, but Sally had never been. Because Dee & Sally are co-hosting the Scottish event of the network, we thought Sally should get a flavour and sense of the site.
Whilst we don’t want to pre-empt responses from those invited to the network event in February, we did want to share some initial relevant impressions to whet the appetite…
Sally: public transport – with such concerns about carbon emissions currently, using 4 forms of public transport to access the site made you aware of the contradictory impulses: time vs conservation. (It’ll be simpler in Feb.) The proximal sites of Faslane and Coulport belie the ‘idyllic’ setting. We didn’t see a passing (and surfaced) submarine, yet Dee and others at the site spoke of seeing them in the loch. A shock to the tranquility. The presence of artists – and the history of this site as a haven for creativity – was striking; we were envious of the opportunity these people had for 6 week or 3 month residencies. There was something here that resonated for the network weekend. There is much more to be said…
Dee: Cove Park at its best – sun shining, blue skies (it won’t be like this in February). Traces of its former life as a conservation park linger still (Highland Cattle… let me know if you’re afraid of them in advance of arrival.) The grass roofs propose eco-sensitivity and the recycled shipping containers which work as a summer concept, but are less convincing in the winter (do we plug in the electric heaters or wear a thousand layers?) A striking view might warm the cockles of your heart (no idea what cockles are) but does it warm the body too? This site is filled with productive contradictions. It’s isolated but the presence of police cars is pronounced; it’s beautiful but just out of view is a nuclear arsenal; it’s wild but it’s utterly managed…