Overlooking the Isle of Arran and Ailsa Craig, Troon is situated on the north Ayrshire coast and is home to stunning, sandy beaches with amazing seaside views. The beach is ideal for walking, cycling and outdoor family activities. Troon is also home to 8 golf courses and even held The Open Championship last year. Due to this, there is a lot of tourism and green space. In Troon, the buildings range from very old to brand new, such as a new Marr College being built in 2017.

In Troon, there are cycle lanes all around the town, a train station, bus routes and many lovely places to go for walks such as Fullarton woods, the beach and along the golf courses.

Troon has 5 primary schools, one being a catholic primary school and has 1 secondary school which has recently been renovated and expanded this year. Troon also has a community centre which is used as a venue for scouts and brownies and many exercise classes. We also have a town library. We also have allotments at Fullarton woods where people grow fruit and vegetables. Troon also has 4 churches which run local kids clubs, brownies and scout groups. Troon also has 3 gyms, a swimming pool and astro turf pitches for sports such as rugby, hockey and football. Every year, Troon also holds an event called live@Troon in which artists and musicians come from all over the country to Troons own music festival.

Despite Troon being such a small town, there are many opportunities for work. We have retail shops, many cafes, charity shops and restaurants. Troon Harbour is now a fishing port, yachting marina, seasonal passenger ferry port and Ro-Ro ferry terminal for timber and containers. The shipbuilding industry at Troon Harbour ended in 2000.

Over the years, Troon has become a very urbanised town and is forever modernising to meet the demands of a growing population and growing tourism.  Fullarton Estate is one of Troon’s hidden gems. It offers something for everyone. Play areas, pony tracks, woodland walks, seating and picnic areas are hidden away in this Estate. The estate has a long and interesting past with links to King James 1st, Louis Napoleon and the poet Robert Burns.

I was quite surprised to find that Troons air pollution was measured at a 3 – low (Air Quality in Scotland, 2017). I assumed it would be lower as Troon has so much green space, has a beach and has so many outdoor recreational spaces. I think it must be low due to the growing population and need for public transport.

Thinking of a lesson I could do with a primary 5 class, I had a look at some Curriculum for Excellence Social Science learning outcomes. Having explored the ways journeys can be made, I can consider the advantages and disadvantages of different forms of transport, discussing their impact on the environment (SOC 2-09a). To do this, I would take the children outside of school and to the train station, which is beside a bus stop and cycle path. Another activity I could use would be having the kids stop at 3 different points and count the cars that went by. This would explain why pollution would be higher in the town and lower as you moved further out and from this the kids could discuss the advantages and disadvantages of cars in comparison to walking or cycling. Additionally, the kids could research why someone might use a certain type of transport and the benefits of each.

REFERENCES

Air Quality in Scotland, 2017. [Online] Available: www.scottishairquality.co.uk [Accessed: 24 September 2017]

Curriculum for Excellence: Social Studies Experiences and Outcomes [Online] Available:  https://www.education.gov.scot/Documents/social-studies-eo.pdf [Accessed 24 September 2017]