A century ago, Balloch was mired in a complex and bitter dispute that threatened the entire community with division and hatred, but resulted in an overwhelming and extraordinary consensus that cut across class and united the very richest with the very poorest. It resulted in 10,000 people protesting (and this in the days before mass media!) and directly led to the creation of Balloch Park. We are seeing history repeat itself right now as the same conditions that created so much anger and concern now erupt on the other side of the river Leven. Back then in the 1910s boathirers and the railways and torn allegiences had led to a situation where the dominating concern was this: access to Loch Lomond. Just as today, people were rightly angered that a few individuals seemed to be able to control the River Leven and the Loch. Ancient Rights of Way had been tampered with, greed and domination seemed to win over common access and sense. It was a confusing situation, first people sided with the small man, then they rounded on him for being as autocratic as the big man - no-one really knew who to side with, until the answer became apparent: there was one side you had to take - the interests of the common good. What started as an apparently petty local dispute ignited passions so great it attracted the attention of the City of Glasgow and many people concerned that Loch Lomond was being strangled by landowners, boathirers, the railways, in fact, men looking after their own interests and not seeing the bigger picture. Allied to this of course was a growing feeling in the population that revolution was in the air. The protests at Balloch were in a way an indication of people's dissatisfaction with the ruling classes, they were angry that Scotland's ancient rights and ways of life were being strangled by commerce, by landownership, by greed and petty self interest. Just as their own lives were strangled by the needs of industrialists and capitalists, they felt a stand had to be taken and therefore Balloch ignited passions that were profound, deep rooted, and potentially very dangerous indeed. So dangerous, it terrified the great and good to a remarkable degree, but it also ignited in them too a passion - a passion for doing The Right Thing. Therefore two men who were landowners locally and in Glasgow sought out the owners of Balloch Castle and its grounds, the Dennistoun-Browns and asked them if they would agree to sell their house and parklands to Glasgow Corporation so that the people would have access to Loch Lomond and kill off the threat of the rights of way being removed by commerce. It answered all their concerns, both immediate and historical! The two wealthy landowners primed the pot with money, and then Glasgow Corporation put in the rest and purchased the ancient medieval seat of the Stewarts and Ancient Earls for the common people. This defused not only the rights of way issue in Balloch (remnants of which STILL persist beneath the surface) but defused the spark of revolution that was in the air. Balloch then was transformed, from a retiring railway village into a major part of Glasgow's and Scotland's treasure chest. Now the combined force of the railways and a vast tract of public land began the democratisation of Balloch as The Peoples' Balloch and from then on, the village and the loch, were firmly rooted in the hearts of even the poorest in Glasgow's smokiest streets. Now we face the same battle but on the west bank of the River Leven. The ancient woods, the commoners bay, the riverside rights of ancient charters, the rights of way that modern feet have tred in recent decades, the right of the common man and woman to enjoy their own locality freely, the right to demand decent and honourable execution of statutes from government are all threatened in the name of Thatcherite policies of give to the rich to trickle down to the poor. Make no mistake, all of this can be laid squarely at the door of Scottish Enterprise who have came into Balloch with their insensitive big boots and created a new storm and a riven village. Just as in the protests of 100 years ago, people know immediately this is a moral and social outrage. It transcends rules, regulations, and talks of employment, it goes to the very heart of democracy, decency and freedom. And it strikes too at the works of 100 years ago that created the Balloch and commonwealth of the Loch that those 10,000 furious voices demanded. We need today's 10,000 voices. Within a day of campaigning, 1500 have spoken up. Be a continuing part of change, be the voice of justice. Be part of a tradition of telling 'Them' when they have to think again. This is the second Balloch Revolution. Let's ensure Balloch not only remains in the hands of its people, but that they are then assisted to create a Better Balloch for them and for Scotland. Thank you for your voice, but dont let your voice fall silent, the People of Balloch need you even more to help them create their own community and their own future - for all of us.