There seems to be a bit of a “falling out” going on between Sir Ian Wood and Annie Lennox over the redevelopment of Union Terrace Gardens in Aberdeen. Sir Ian is keen to see the gardens raised up to street level and redeveloped into something more contemporary and relevant. Annie wants to ensure the Gardens remain green and no doubt regenerated in some way.
As a kid we occasionally went our holidays to the granite city – it was great. Beach, play parks, “the shows”, Hazelhead Park, the zoo, the circus and the odd bout of jaundice… ok maybe coming down with jaundice wasn’t such a great memory. Jaundice aside - I loved our holidays in Aberdeen.
There was one summer in particular that I remember Union Terrace Gardens – we must have had a flat nearby I guess. Playing oversize draughts on the terraces seemed completely magical – especially when you managed to crown a piece and got the bigger crowned piece to play with. No other place in Scotland had oversize draughts as far as I knew.
And no other place in Scotland entertained kids as well as the kids entertainers on the stage in Union Terrace Gardens. We ran to see the same act every morning in the gardens and laughed and shouted and cheered at the same jokes everyday. I can still see with my minds eye the ventriloquist fighting with his dummy as he tried to get it/him back into the suitcase at the end of the act – and I can still hear the distant voice asking to be let back out.
I did the Google thing to see what age Annie Lennox is – she’s a few years older than me, and I suspect that that explains her passion for protecting the Gardens. I’m sure she too has similar memories of the kids entertainment during the summer and the joy that that ventriloquist brought day in day out. Who knows, maybe we were sitting cross legged in the same row.
I was in Aberdeen a year back and had a quick look over into the gardens – no ventriloquist, no giant draughts, no kids. Shame. The memories are now just that and the Gardens a shadow of their former self.
The argument for redevelopment from Sir Ian is, I’m sure, very logical and has a solid business case. The counter argument from Annie Lennox no doubt passionate and emotional. What a pity we just can’t bring back the ventriloquist, his dummy and his suitcase – who would want anything else?
Who’ll win the argument? No idea – but I suspect getting a ventriloquists dummy back in the case will be much easier than resolving what to do with the gardens. The important thing (I guess) is at least there is a discussion about what to do with the space.
Story: http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/uk/scotland/article7026326.ece
Hi, the campaign to save Union Terrace Gardens is not just the preserve of those who have fond childhood memories of gardens past but also those who use them now on hot summers days for picnics with friends or to enjoy some peace and quiet away from the busy environment of Union Street.
The problem with Sir Ian Wood’s proposal is that it does not have a solid business case. It’s too vague and their promises of job creation and added economic value have no substance behind them. The public have repeatedly asked ACSEF and Sir Ian how their proposals will lead to jobs but they can’t provide any answers. Instead they repeat their prophecies of doom, Aberdeen will be a ghost town unless we build City Square. The Peacock proposal will create upto 72 jobs and create £5 million per year for the north-east economy, it’s almost fully funded and has full planning permission. Crucially, it also keeps the majority of the gardens intact.
http://www.comparethesquare.com/
Thanks for the pointer to the compare site.