Jim Morrison, former depute director of leisure and recreation at Aberdeen City Council, gives his take on the Union Terrace Gardens debate
I have to acknowledge Sir Ian Wood’s extremely generous offer to help fund a development at Aberdeen’s Union Terrace Gardens. The problem is that the funds are available only providing it is his project that goes ahead. This smacks of “it’s my ball, so we’ll play by my rules” and is like a red rag to a bull with stubborn Aberdonians. I would hope he might show magnanimity and contribute to whatever development the citizens of Aberdeen agree is best. After all, he has not done badly out of the city.
I have not always been in favour of changing Union Terrace Gardens. Throughout my time with Aberdeen City Council, this matter was discussed almost as much as a new ring road and a second bridge across the Don, with similar results.
As his depute, I had the opportunity to discuss this issue many times with David Welch. David thought the gardens were a unique space, but he was nothing if not politically astute and knew that they might not be sustainable without some form of redevelopment. However, this is not something we should charge into. The examples of misconceived attempts to “improve” this type of perceived problem abound.
Take the “improvements” to the Castlegate. Pedestrianisation has done absolutely nothing to attract the citizens there, apart for the occasional market taking place.
It is also not so long ago that Glasgow City Council decided to “modernise” George Square, sweeping away its previous leafy oasis used by many office workers to enjoy their lunch-time snacks and replacing it with an expanse of pink-coloured tarmac. For most of the time, it is ignored by the average Glaswegian.
What about Edinburgh’s Princes Street Gardens? It is well populated through the day, but little frequented at night unless something is on. But it provides a distinctive setting for Edinburgh Castle. Should they fill it in and replace it with a concrete forecourt?
Nobody wants to sit on a concrete slab and the most-used open spaces will always be grassed, with flower-beds and trees. So, is the answer to the current problems to raise Union Terrace Gardens to street level, but make it more park-like? I’m afraid not. For an example, look to street-level Central Park in New York – well-used through the day, but given a wide berth at night.
Aberdeen’s night-time problems are nothing to do with geographical features, but attributable to social and cultural tendencies. Union Terrace Gardens have been around for hundreds of years and, although occasionally occupied by a few “undesirables”, have never posed a serious threat to the inhabitants. It is the type of people who are frequenting the city centre on a Saturday night that pose the problem, not the gardens.
If you look at the successful city squares which families would happily traverse at night-time, they always have lots of things going on. Take the Tivoli Gardens in Copenhagen as a prime example. Initially a large, ordinary city-centre park, it was filled up with amusements and restaurants and festooned with fairy-lights to provide a glittering weekend focus for its citizens. A bit “over the top” for some tastes, perhaps, but it works.
What Union Terrace Gardens need more than any other thing is a constant presence. While lots of people are around, the dangers are more containable. It follows that there has to be something in the gardens to draw the people in, be it an arts centre, cafes, some form of entertainment venue, dancing, or the like – anything but more shops. The gardens should be well lit at all times and open. Creating an area that closes at 6pm is not the answer.
It also has to be done sympathetically with the existing surroundings – no easy task. If it can be achieved, I think it is irrelevant if the gardens are sunken, at street-level or anywhere in-between, although I am not convinced that a full elevation to street level can be justified, either economically or environmentally.
I would like to see everything contained within the existing balustrade to retain some of the original character. Remember, the view from Union Bridge across the gardens to HM Theatre, St Mark’s church, and the public library is synonymous with Aberdeen and has appeared on postcards for generations.
No other view identifies the city in the same way. If we are to change it, careful thought has to go into the panorama which will replace it.
So, Aberdeen City Council, please knock some heads together. Stop this polarisation of ideas and try to get some really constructive negotiations going before everybody’s position becomes too entrenched.