The initial steps were taken during a CVS seminar chaired by Dave Park and held on April 22, 2013, at the Falkirk Wheel. It was then that an exploratory announcement was made regarding the assembly of a 2013 Formation Committee to form a Commemoration Association celebrating the life of Robert Dollar of Falkirk, Scotland. Representing this initial step were Dr. Eric Gilder and Mervyn Hagger who had previously sought the advice of Dave Park and CVS concerning a social enterprise of this nature. Because it will take members, money and physical effort to establish the Association (RDCA), a Formation Committee has been created with the intention of welcoming new members who can assist with the establishment of the RDCA. This web site has been created to centralize all of the information that is available for public distribution.

So far the skeleton 2013 Formation Committee has devised the initial concept for an Association which will promote two related activities. They will seek to create two halves of a related plan of action.

The first part of this plan involves an educational process, because it has been discovered by private surveys, that the average resident of Falkirk has limited, if any, knowledge of who Robert Dollar was, or why his legacy is important to all of the people of Falkirk. Serendipity played a part in propelling the 2013 Formation Committee forward when, due to the kind and cooperative staff of Falkirk Delivers, the premises now known as 'The Arts Place' (the former 'Littlewoods' store next door to 'The Works' bookshop on the High Street); was made available to the 2013 Formation Committee from Monday July 29, through Saturday, August 3, 2013.

Thanks again due to a wonderful news feature in The Falkirk Herald (see page nine) for the edition of Thursday, July 4, 2013; the 2013 Formation Committee received advance publicity for its use of 'The Arts Place'. Many ideas were entertained regarding the best use of this opportunity, and due to the short time frame, and because it immediately became obvious that cost would be a determining factor, simplicity was called for. To date the 2013 Formation Committee has been funding its activities out of the pockets of its start-up core, because it is a grass-roots operation.

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HERE'S WHERE WE ARE GOING

When the doors of 'The Arts Place' finally opened to sunshine on Tuesday, July 30 after a really heavy rain the day before, they promoted a Robert Dollar Walking Tour of Falkirk. It is hoped that these tours can begin in time for the 2014 tourist season. Hundreds of advance complimentary tickets were distributed free of charge thanks to underwriting sponsorship by: John O'Connor Funeral Directors; Thomas E. Docherty Solicitors; The Foot Store; Cake, Shake, Wrap n Roll, and Print Central.
These entertaining and informative guided tours will be both recreational and in keeping with podcast technology to make them free from the necessity of rigid scheduling. Naturally their expense will necessitate a fee during 2014 that will help to offset the cost of printed literature; audio pod accessibility, and other expenses involved in their production of these guided walks. But any person holding a complimentary ticket will be invited to participate free of charge. The Walking Tour will be administered by Yesterwalks, "offering choreographed rediscoveries of yesterday within walking distance of today." Further details can be obtained by going to the Registration page. (See link to the left).

In addition to the publication of a new book about the life of Robert Dollar that it is hoped will be available for the 2013 Christmas Season; Gardner Malloy who sculpted the magnificent quotations into the Faw Kirk paving stones, has said that he would like to create a full-size sandstone monument of Robert Dollar. But more than this, it is also hoped that in addition to the Yesterwalks activities, as a part of an overall plan of action; a long term strategy will be to work towards the establishment of the Robert Dollar Centre for international business and cultures at Arnotdale House.br>
We are of course mindful that sometime after the 1960s, those entrusted with the upkeep of Arnotdale House on behalf of the people of Falkirk, seem to have abandoned their fiduciary duty to look after that property. The proof of that statement is in the thousands of pounds worth of damage caused by neglect. The strange thing is that these people seem to have vanished into thin air. No one wants to claim responsibility for this destruction. Yet when the doors first opened the doors in 1926 to the Falkirk Museum at Arnotdale, there was an Arnotdale Foundation behind that venture, and behind it all was the money donated by Robert Dollar. What happened to the Arnotdale Foundation? Were they responsible for the current problem, or did others take control?

No one wants to claim responsibility for this tragic act of wanton abandonment, and yet from time-to-time there are noises made about trying lease it off to private interests. But Robert Dollar gave the Arnotdale Estate - which was rebranded as Dollar Park, to the people of Falkirk. He did not just give you the grass and the flowers - he gave you the buildings as well!

The sad fact is that it will take thousands of pounds to reopen that building to the people of Falkirk. Can you help us to get this gift back into use? We certainly plan to invite international business to help pay for the damage caused to date, even though it was not international business that caused the damage. For that act of destruction we probably have to 'thank' people who did not make their money the hard way in business. However, the money to repair Arnotdale House should not come out of taxes taken from the people. It seems that some governmental entity destroyed the building, and now governmental entities want to use your money to fix it. That is a scandal on top of a scandal. Robert Dollar made his money from international business, not from government funding. Robert Dollar would have liked this current approach because he believed in hard work and private enterprise. If we can restore Arnotdale House it can become a centre dedicated to promoting cultures as well as assisting in the growth of new businesses and fostering international trade - all in the name of Robert Dollar.

This is not the same old history site. This is a site dedicated to shaking things up to face the realities of today and the problems that were created yesterday. We learn from past mistakes in order to avoid repeating them tomorrow. At this time we again give thanks and credit to the local professionals and business people who have come on board to lend their support. We will welcome your participation.