On a bitingly cold night 12 months ago, the gates of Union Terrace Gardens swung open for the first time in years.
A £30 million revamp of the sunken Victorian park in Aberdeen was finally completed on December 22 2022.
In the extra months it took to complete, the Empire State Building could have been built.
The delays and added costs caused by a handful of events – Brexit, bad weather, Covid and the war in Ukraine to name some of the excuses – hiked the price by £5m.
And there was no grass on the lawn when UTG reopened.
The plans had been protested from the start, due to the initial £25m cost.
There was also the long-running controversy around the gardens’ future after Sir Ian Wood’s earlier proposals were thrown out.
They had been backed in a local referendum.
As the project rolled on, the city waited impatiently and passed judgment as the muddy lawn awaited them below.
So have opinions changed any, now the public have had a year to explore?
‘Long overdue refurbishment’ of Union Terrace Gardens
The P&J visited UTG at Tuesday lunchtime to scope out public feeling.
But this reporter lost patience with so few seeming willing to speak, and the putrid cannabis cloud from those at the bottom of its bowl.
While the sun chasers made a long overdue return in the summer, it seems more of a through route for most in the winter.
So, we asked our Facebook followers for their views instead.
Scores of people told us what they liked about it, others were less impressed and many told us what more they would like to see.
Here’s how it looked six months after reopening.
Year One: ‘A huge improvement’
A year on from the opening, which the council was determined to make happen before Christmas, there is a lot of pride.
Alan Murray Edgar was born across the road at 31 Union Terrace more than 60 years ago.
“These were MY gardens and I’m so happy to see how they have turned out,” he glowed.
Ray Brown said they were a “stunning, huge improvement”.
Meanwhile others like Rhoda Howie remarked how wonderful it was to see “so many folk enjoying the peace” down in UTG.
Others also praised the multi-million-pound project, but worried the gardens now show up their surroundings.
Christopher Thorpe told us: “The gardens look incredible: grandiose, smooth lines, open, accessible.
“And that’s just as well in terms of offsetting Union Street in its current state.”
“They smarten up an otherwise dreary city centre,” added Linda Mitchell, who described the new-look Union Terrace Gardens as a “beautiful, thoughtfully planned, space”.
“It’s a long overdue refurbishment, well done Aberdeen City Council,” Kate Hague wrote.
The changing of the seasons: First 12 months of UTG
The gardening in UTG proved controversial as soon as work started.
Mature trees on the steep banks up to Union Terrace were lopped down to make way for the overhaul.
On top of that, new trees and shrubbery put in place has looked tired at times.
But Kathy Rennie said things will get better with time.
“Looks good it will look better as the shrubs and trees grow,” she posted.
Another reader, Alistair Scott, added: “Much improved and will only improve further as the planting matures. It’s great to see many more children and families enjoy it too.
“The winter lighting is also a terrific improvement. UTG is much more welcoming than it was!”
Others remain unconvinced…
Ray Cheyne posted that he preferred what was there before in Union Terrace Gardens.
He added: “Lighting, maintenance, a ramp access and the availability of public conveniences would have produced similar improvements for less money and less destruction of healthy mature trees.”
New toilets have been installed in the arches near the Burns statue and pavilion.
But the ornate original toilets at the Union Street/Union Terrace corner have been restored as part of the pavilion above them – with no public access.
The Union Terrace Gardens has often been described as a “vanity project” of the Labour/Conservative and Independent city councillors of the time.
And some of you still believe that to be the case – or question the value of the Balfour Beatty-led work.
“It’s nice but stupidly expensive for what it actually is,” Claire Tawse remarked.
Graham Goodbrand added: “It’s certainly not money well spent.”
Like fashion and music, Union Terrace Gardens ‘was better in the 80s’
Meanwhile, others yearn for the busy gardens they enjoyed in decades gone by.
“The gardens were much better in the 80s and 90s,” moaned Kim Stewart.
She was backed by David Kennedy, added: “It looks good when all is said and done – but it remains to be seen if it’s a crowd puller.
“Come spring and summer next year that will give a better indication. That said, sadly it will never replicate the popularity of the 60s, 70s and 80s.”
What do you think of the new-look Union Terrace Gardens? Let us know in the comments below.
More constructive feedback could recapture the feeling of the ‘trainy park’
While others also yearn for the past popularity of the gardens, they at least suggested what might improve it further.
Jackie Hickman told us: “It’s lovely. I grew up going to the trainy park to play and listen to the Scottish music.
“It’s a vast improvement. I wish they would put pop-up shops in the arches.”
Her calls for better use of the arches, which were reinforced and improved during the £30m work, was echoed by others.
Meanwhile others called for the Christmas market to return festive cheer to UTG and for concerts to be held there as is seen in Princes Street Gardens in Edinburgh.
UTG ‘not so scary at night’ nowadays
Union Terrace Gardens was underused and a dark, often dangerous, place after dark before the work.
But many praised the work done to improve safety, which has left them feeling safer using it as a through route in the evening… or even stopping to play.
Karolina Tycia Krzyzanowska told us: “UTG probably has the only playpark that is lit up at dark and kids can play after 4pm.”
The huge play equipment cost more than £400,000.
Fiona Main agreed it was “not so scary at night” after the many lights, including the hanging halo light, were installed.
Meanwhile the Sherrits enjoyed seeing people there after the panto finished at His Majesty’s Theatre.
Suzy told us: “It was lovely to see it all lit up and it being used.”
Meanwhile Martin added: “We walked through after the panto to find busy space being enjoyed by lots of people taking photos with the Aberdeen sign.”
However, despite the million spent to make UTG feel safer, Les Giles “still walks around it to get to Schoolhill”.
In the early days of reopening, The P&J witnessed antisocial behaviour in the gardens as youths fought under the lights.
Coffee house boss: Union Terrace Gardens ‘loved by more than most’
Three business premises were built into the gardens, in golden tram-shaped buildings.
John Wigglesworth was the first to take the leap, opening up Common Sense Coffee House and Bar even before the £30m work was completed.
His company Celera Support also runs Books and Beans in Belmont Street.
And John admits it was a risk to open shop as the gardens opening date was pushed further and further back.
Difficulty increased as his staff tussled with unexpected design issues in the Rosemount pavilion.
However, he told us: “We wanted to do our bit, and create a positive story about the city centre and Union Terrace Gardens so our team put in an amazing effort and made it work.
“During this time there is no doubt Common Sense being open started to change perceptions about to the project to positive ones and led to interest in the other pavilions.
“Then summer came, the gardens opened and once the grass went down, people really took to it.
“Over the summer there were always people sitting on the zig zag in the sun as well as the suntrap that is our terrace. Now it is loved by more than most.”
They have run markets on their terrace as well as facilitating cultural events like the Memory Tree launch.
‘A new generation are falling in love with Union Terrace Gardens’
The delay laden revamp took so long, Labour and Conservatives had fallen out of power at the Town House.
SNP and Lib Dem councillors, who had fought the £25m plans for being too expensive, were left to unveil the new-look gardens they had protested.
But the council’s city centre spokesman, Michael Hutchison, wants to put the argument to bed now it’s built.
He told The P&J: “After about a decade of controversy and construction, it’s nice to see people being able to just visit and enjoy Union Terrace Gardens again.
“It’s a unique part of what our city centre has to offer. And it’s something we should be talking up if we want to bring people into Union Street.
“Union Terrace Gardens has been a wonderful green space in the heart of our city for generations. So it’s been great to see a new generation falling in love with it since it reopened.
The SNP councillor for George Street and Harbour added: “The new, Scottish government-funded, playpark seems to be an especially popular addition.
“At least it is for my daughter, who wants to go down and play there every time we walk past.”
Not got your fill? Have a look at our advent calendar, which counted down the days until Union Terrace Gardens reopened last December.
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