Reassurances have given over the £30 million refurbishment of Union Terrace Gardens after “serious concerns” over the standard of the work.
Council chiefs confirmed the Aberdeen city centre park could reopen in “a matter of weeks”.
It’s more than a year late and £1.5m over budget.
But on Wednesday night, Aberdeen Trades Union Congress (ATUC) hit out at the pointing on the granite walls of the Victorian gardens.
They also complained about a crack in one of the granite steps leading to Union Terrace from the new plaza in Rosemount Viaduct.
Members are understood to have been in a back-and-forth with local authority officers for months on some of the concerns.
‘Serious concerns’ about ‘alarming’ damage at Union Terrace Gardens
But they took the step of making those public on Wednesday night.
It was the eve of a meeting where the multi-million-pound project was to probed by councillors.
ATUC secretary John Singer said: “Delegates from various unions are alarmed to hear reports of poor quality construction and pointing work on the old granite surrounding the Union Terrace Gardens.
“We are also concerned about some damage to the old granite and the pointing work does not appear to be in keeping with the quality pointing work on other granite buildings around Aberdeen.
“Aberdeen TUC delegates have decided to call upon Aberdeen councillors to exercise their powers to hold the main contractor Balfour Beatty to account for the poor quality work and the damage to the old granite.
“City councillors need to seek answers to the question as to who was responsible for this poor quality work and what are the main contractor’s plans to repair it before any official opening.”
His comments were put to the council’s main contractor Balfour Beatty, who referred The P&J to the local authority for an answer.
The council’s capital committee was already due to be updated on UTG on Thursday afternoon.
Global supply issues caused by the pandemic and Russia’s invasion of Ukraine have been blamed.
Union Terrace Gardens damage: ‘Anything not right will be rectified’
Chief capital officer John Wilson faced a grilling from councillors on a number of major projects.
And the public concern over what they have seen at UTG was put to him by Conservative Michael Kusznir.
Mr Wilson said he was “very much aware of the issues”.
Work is being monitored by both the council and by third-party accredited conservation architects.
“And like any contract, if there is anything that is not right then it will be rectified,” he added.
“Snagging is continuous throughout the project. Snagging is happening just now as we head towards practical completion.
“Inevitably, there will still be snagging on any project for 12 months post practical completion – any project, not just UTG.”
Council co-leader refused recent trip to see UTG site in-person
Public concern over what they could see of the UTG building site comes only days after council co-leader Alex Nicoll refused an up-close visit.
In leaked emails to Mr Wilson, the SNP group leader claimed he didn’t “do” hard hats and high-viz jackets.
Last year, The P&J uncovered a stack of UTG granite and other masonry dumped in a private garden without permission.
Meanwhile next week councillors are expected to discuss renaming city centre green space in honour of the late monarch.
Conservative councillors have suggested the Queen Elizabeth II Gardens as a fitting tribute to the recently deceased ruler.
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