Barriers have been erected around Aberdeen’s Union Terrace Gardens and a carpet of gravel laid over the central grass area as its two-year renovation continues.
Work began recently on the massive £28.3 million overhaul of the Victorian park, with a suspended ‘halo’ lighting feature, shop and café spaces in the arches, water features and community gardens to be created.
The first part of the scheme will be erecting a permanent safety barrier at Union Terrace bridge. The entire project is due to be finished by 2021.
Midstocket and Rosemount SNP councillor Bill Cormie has long campaigned for the safety feature.
He said: “Constituents have come to me with concerns about the grass but I think we need to appreciate for the next two years it will be a building site, not a garden.
“I welcome the work on the safety barriers on the bridge.”
Council masterplan spokeswoman Marie Boulton said: “I think this project is long overdue and actually two years isn’t that long a time.
“If winter treats us well, I think people will be seeing some pretty significant changes pretty quickly.”
Council co-leader Douglas Lumsden added: “I think it is important as an administration we bring these sort of schemes to the city centre and I’m pleased to see the progress being made.
“Our aim with this is to make Aberdeen an even better place to live and work.”
