An Aberdeen charity will bestow one of the city’s “treasured green spaces” with a donation of £8,000 before dissolving this year.
The final act of generosity from the Aberdeen Greenspace Trust will end its near-20-year commitment to improving the city’s parks and paths.
Supported by Aberdeen City Council, The Forestry Commission Scotland and Scottish Natural Heritage the charity will now plough the four-figure sum into Walker Dam – building a new bridge over the pond and erecting benches, bins and a community notice board among other measures.
The trust was establish in 1998 and over the years has financially supported many environmental schemes as well as delivering projects through its volunteer group.
In recent years members have carried out improvement work to paths in Hazlehead and Mastrick, among others.
Hazlehead, Queens Cross and Ashley councillor Martin Greig, a director and trustee of the charity, said the Walker Dam improvements were “long awaited”.
He said: “The Walker Dam area is a very popular green corridor in the city between Hazlehead Park and Johnstone Gardens.
“There are pleasant paths through the area and the pond is an important natural constituency that has been home to various species of aquatic birds.
“Residents enjoy walking through the area and have asked for additional features to be added to the routes around the pond.
“The new bridge will improve walking opportunities around this beautiful area while benches will also be introduced along with bins and a notice board to keep residents informed.
“The aim is to make a positive difference that will allow people to enjoy the natural spaces and wildlife that abound in Walker Dam.
“The adjacent area of the west end of the city has the fewest number of parks and play areas of anywhere in Aberdeen so hopefully the new measures will be a start to what we hope will become a green transport route through that part of the city.
“The trust is now winding up so it’s been really splendid to finish with such a long-awaited and deserving award.”
