Community spirit grows in Hamilton as residents battle the snow together

Dec 9 2010 by Chris Clements, Hamilton Advertiser

WHILE the winter conditions caused chaos, it brought out a streak of community spirit across Hamilton and the surrounding area.

Some residents banded together to clear their own streets as council grit lorries and snowploughs struggled to make their way across the county’s snowbound roads due to traffic congestion and abandoned vehicles.

Neighbours told the Advertiser this week that the adverse weather brought people closer together as they helped one another battle the conditions.

Jim McMahon said that his neighbours in the quiet cul-de-sac Kinneil Place in Earnock grouped together to clear the street. He said: “After the horrendous day on Monday, our cul-de-sac was covered in about a foot of snow and unable to be negotiated.

“As usual our little street is virtually never gritted so the chances of any of us getting up the street to our houses by car was impossible after the snowfall.

“A few of us were out clearing our drives. My neighbour Neil Morrice had cleared part of the street too and was beginning to clear a bit more and it just moved on from there.

“Gradually more of us became involved, male and female, and we ended up clearing all the snow from the sloping part of our street giving us access out and in the street.

“It was a fantastic effort from all who were involved, old and young.”

David Strang also contacted the Advertiser with a similar tale of growing community spirit.

He explained how residents cleared much of the snow from The Brambles housing estate – comprising Blair Atholl Gardens – in Burnbank on Tuesday night.

He said: “After the sudden snowfall on Monday and the fact that gritters where busy elsewhere, 20 or so residents of The Brambles in Burnbank took it upon themselves to clear the whole estate on Tuesday.

“It was a mammoth task but after about six hours of heavy work by both the men and women, the roads were cleared.”

He said: “A real sense of community grew with some of the residents having never spoken to one another before.”