Is it safe? Will seagulls nest on it? Your UTG halo questions answered

By Craig Munro

August 14 2022, 6:00 am

People are asking questions about the new city-centre feature.

It’s only natural to have a few questions when something as odd-looking as the Union Terrace Gardens ‘halo’ lands in your city centre.

And so you did.

The comments section of our stories about the new arrival have been filled with people curious about different aspects of the new light – in between the jokes about aliens arriving to take away councillors.

We’ve tried to answer a few of the biggest ones here, so you know exactly what is going on by the time the gardens eventually open.

Of course, if you have any more burning questions you would like answered, we would love you to put them in the comments at the bottom of this article.

Is the light actually finished?

This is a fair question to ask, having seen the images that are included in the planning document.

A few of them appear to show layers of lights hanging off the bottom of the main ring, as if a beam was coming down to abduct whoever is sitting below the ‘UTG UFO’.

An artist’s impression of the new ‘halo’ lighting feature at UTG.

But despite that, it appears that there is no more to add to the feature.

We’ve been told by a council spokesman that it is “now complete” – so what you see now is the finished article.

Why did it go up at this stage in the process?

You might have thought the monumental light would be the final cherry on top of the Union Terrace Gateau, and the contractors would wait until the end of the project to hoist it up.

But no, there are still at least a couple of weeks left until the place starts to open back up to visitors.

There is no specific reason why it went up at this point, we were told. This was simply where it came in the contractors’ programme of works.

Is the Union Terrace Gardens halo safe?

The ring in the middle of the feature is seven metres wide, and is suspended by a number of cables connected to the three 20m tall columns around it.

It looks almost weightless… or precarious, depending on who you ask.

One of the commenters on our original story said a similar feature in her town had collapsed one winter after too much snow gathered on top, though we’ve been unable to verify that such an incident has happened anywhere.

😮 Amazing drone footage shows birds eye view of new Union Terrace Garden 'halo' light.

Full story 👉 https://t.co/MZ7HFHnME3

📹 Paul Glendell pic.twitter.com/jUgLQpTnwa

— The Press & Journal (@pressjournal) August 7, 2022

It’s a frightening prospect…

Thankfully, a council spokeswoman reassured us the light had followed “the relevant design and safety codes, in which the loadings are taken into account at the point of design”.

What if seagulls try nesting on it?

You may have noticed more gull-related content than usual on the P&J website in recent weeks, thanks to our Spotlight on Seagulls project.

So we are minutely familiar with the dangers they can pose to their human neighbours, from snatching sandwiches to causing destruction with their droppings.

Having gulls skulking overhead as you enjoy a nice picnic in the revamped UTG is quite a scary prospect – there’s no way of knowing when one might strike.

A gull at Aberdeen Beach. Picture by Scott Baxter

Thankfully, the designers of the halo seem to have taken those fears into account: its smooth surfaces should discourage all types of bird from building their nests on the structure, according to the council.

They may still be likely to perch on the light, but that’s unavoidable. If it’s in Aberdeen, there’s going to be seagulls.

Is the light not just a massive waste of energy?

As energy prices shoot higher and higher, it is little wonder some people thought this was not the time for the council to be installing such an enormous light.

And what’s more, the plan is for the halo to stay illuminated all night in an effort to stave off antisocial behaviour.

A commenter on one of our stories wondered if there would be “more streets in Aberdeen in blackout to pay for lighting up the gardens”.

Council plans show how the halo light feature, hung above the Union Terrace Gardens lawn, could look. — Council plans show how the gardens could look when lit up at night.

However, the council said: “The light consists of LED tape and downlights, which both have low energy consumption.”

The same goes for the smaller lamps that will be dotted around the park once it opens.

And if you’re worried that keeping the lights on round the clock will have an impact on nocturnal creatures and people trying to sleep nearby, the original planning document says: “Low level lighting will be used to mitigate the impact of lighting on wildlife.”