Work is under way to spare awed crowds taking in the sights of Aberdeen’s Spectra festival from the muddy sludge of Union Terrace Gardens.
The award-winning light show will this year return to the sunken Victorian park for the first time for since 2018.
At the time, contractors Balfour Beatty were in a race against time to have the £30 million gardens opened by Christmas.
Now, a month after reopening, work has begun to save the light festival’s name being dragged through the mud.
The lower bowl of the rejuvenated park is expected to be closed from Wednesday January 25 to 5pm on Friday January 27 to allow works access.
Plan to save visitors from UTG mud
Councillors last year called for plans to save visitors to UTG from the mud underfoot during Spectra.
Running between February 9 and 12, it has been confirmed as the first major event to be held in the long-closed gardens.
The bulk of light installations are to draw visitors to the renewed UTG, including illuminated chime bars, a 3D clock and brightly lit-up plants, insects and wildlife sculptures.
But it is the otherworldly, 20ft-tall Luminosi Trees which will take centre spot on the main lawn area.
In December, Aberdeen Labour group leader Sandra Macdonald asked: “Hopefully it won’t just be earth?”
Boards will save Spectra-goers from muddy mess
Work is now under way to allow culture vultures to leave their wellies at home.
Boards have been laid in the lower bowl of the park, saving Spectra-tors from the frosty February dubs.
It comes after the reassurance from chief city growth officer Richard Sweetnam.
He told councillors: “Any activation of Union Terrace Gardens for Spectra would have some surfacing put down given the footfall we would expect.
“And then it would be removed before any grass planting.”
Bark has been used in previous years to cover the mud, when the grass was bare after winter.
GALLERY: Look back at Spectra-cular sights in Union Terrace Gardens as festival’s return confirmed
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