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Snow gate camera set up at Braemar
Members of the public can now use their smart phones or home computers to see if the snowgate on the A93 in Braemar is shut and thus plan journeys more effectively.
The webcam, the initiative of Braemar Community Council, has taken five years to grow from an idea to a working tool.
Aberdeenshire Councillor Geva Blackett said: “I got fed up not knowing if the gate was open and often got caught and realised that many businesses and tourists were also suffering.
“With technology advancing rapidly I decided, as a then member of the Braemar Community Council, to do something about it. A webcam was the obvious solution.”
John Macpherson, chair of Braemar Community Council said: “Thanks to Aberdeenshire Council, funding was found from Planning Gain to buy the equipment and pay for the installation of a broadband line.
“The community council own the webcam and are responsible for maintenance and all future payments but we are extremely grateful to thecCouncil for their help.
“Braemar provides access to Scotland’s premier ski area at Glenshee and skiers no longer need to sit waiting for the gates to open. They can nip into the village, have a coffee and monitor the gates on their phone.”
The remote Braemar community depends on tourism and the webcam provides a win-win solution for residents, tourists and A93 road users alike.
The community council are indebted to Gordon Mcknight of Deeside Computers for having given freely of his expertise to enable this to actually happen, without him they acknowledge they would still have been floundering
Les Allan, manager of Aberdeenshire Council’s Marr Area, said: “This project has been a fantastic partnership effort between the community and the council and demonstrates what can be achieved when we work together.
“The roads team at Aberdeenshire Council have worked with Braemar Community Council and the IT specialist to come up with innovative technical solutions to help with this project which is going to be of benefit to people living and working locally.”
Links to the webcam for phones can be found on: http://www.braemarscotland.co.uk/cam/phone.htm and on http://www.braemarscotland.co.uk/cam/cam.htm for PCs.
The link can also be found on Aberdeenshire Council website: www.aberdeenshire.gov.uk/webcams/braemar.asp
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Weather for Banchory
Monday 20 May 2013
Today
Light rain
Temperature: 8 C to 19 C
Wind Speed: 14 mph
Wind direction: North west
Tomorrow
Cloudy
Temperature: 6 C to 14 C
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