Talks on renaming Union Terrace Gardens in memory of the late Queen have been “kicked into the long grass,” it has been claimed.
A £30 million refurbishment of the city gardens is expected to be completed this month.
It has taken a year – and £1.5 million – more than first planned.
Conservative councillors revealed their intention to have Union Terrace Gardens (UTG) renamed to commemorate the life of the late monarch in September.
They also called for King Charles III to be invited to officially open the gardens next year.
This week, they were finally able to make the case for the Queen Elizabeth II Gardens.
But they were voted down – at least for now – by the SNP and Liberal Democrats running the local authority.
The delay – and suggestion some other big council money project could instead be named in her memory – was blasted by the Tories.
Queen renaming row: ‘It always has been Union Terrace Gardens, and always will be’
The administration opted to order a report on upcoming projects which might be “most appropriate” to be named after Queen Elizabeth II.
“I’m not against that being Union Terrace Gardens,” SNP communities convener Miranda Radley said.
“But I think we need to have a good understanding of the projects coming forward and see where that goes.”
Ms Radley’s openness to Union Terrace Gardens being the city landmark dedicated to Her Majesty’s memory was not echoed by her coalition colleagues though.
Council co-leader Alex Nicoll and the Liberal Democrats spoke out against UTG being renamed.
So too did SNP councillor Neil Copland, who told the chamber: “Don’t rename Union Terrace Gardens. It will always be Union Terrace Gardens, no matter what we want to call it.
“It always has been, and always will be for everyone – certainly of my age.”
The Hilton, Woodside and Stockethill member compared the proposed name change to efforts to rebrand Newcastle United’s St James’ Park stadium.
“It is an iconic football venue. It has always been St James’ Park,” he added – much to the perplexity of nearby colleagues.
“Newcastle United were bought by Mike Ashley and he renamed the stadium the Sports Direct Stadium.
“Everyone in Newcastle did not recognise that name.”
Claims: Renaming UTG for the Queen after reopening would be like changing a baby’s name
Talks this week are hoped to give the council a confirmed opening date for UTG.
Chief capital officer John Wilson is meeting with contractor Balfour Beatty to thrash out something more concrete than the “few weeks” the council promised a few weeks ago.
At the end of October, another milestone in the project was reached as the halo light feature was switched on.
However, reopening the gardens – to then consider changing the name afterwards – was an idea councillor Jennifer Stewart robustly derided.
She said: “If it opens as Union Terrace Gardens and then it gets renamed something else… I think it would be terrible.
“It would be like naming a baby Fred and then six weeks later, he’s Tom.”
Readers of The P&J had their say on the idea, some branding it a “brilliant idea” and others a “terrible insult” to the late monarch.
Conservatives ‘stunned’ at lack of consensus on Queen Elizabeth II Gardens plans
Thousands lined the streets of Aberdeen as the Queen’s cortege left Balmoral Castle.
Her son, Charles III, has already visited the Granite City since becoming king.
It was these close links, and the “exemplary” response to the monarch’s death, that drove the Conservatives to suggest the permanent tribute.
Group leader Ryan Houghton chose Union Terrace Gardens after council bosses said the move would “probably” be affordable within its £30m budget.
He hit out at the suggestion of choosing another project “two, three, four or five years” down the line.
Meanwhile his colleagues suggested the renaming was being “kicked into the long grass”.
As council bosses tussle with how to shave millions more off their budgets before the end of the financial year, he worried some projects might not ever come to fruition.
“The decision by the SNP and Lib Dems to block the proposal is incredibly disappointing,” he added.
“Aberdeen came together following the passing of our late Queen to pay its respects in a united way.
“It seems that sense of unity has ended as the SNP and Lib Dems can’t support an idea if it comes from outside the administration.”
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