Union Terrace Gardens Vote

[Tyrant]

I don't think we need one but was just giving examples of buildings that would be more important than revamping a park.

[Superstar Tradesman]

Take yer sensible and rational thoughts away from this UTG debate, Tom!

 

If rational thought and sensibility are what you are after then agreeing with Tom's post that is in part based upon discoveries of ancient relics, old foundations and underground streams then you have the 1950's city you deserve.

 

As for worrying about Duthie Park losing a few parkies and becoming overgrown.  Newsflash from two years ago:

 

http://www.thebestof.co.uk/local/aberdeen/blog/duthie-park-restoration-springs-to-life/article019483.htm

 

But Tom wasn't to know that as he's too busy doom mongering about folk being unable to pay mortgages.  None of which probably live in Aberdeen as they're all coining it in.

 

Hey-ho.  Tell me more about non-existant hospitals we should build or where we should use money that doesn't exist.  I'm quite enjoying these fairytales now.

[tom_widdows]

 

If rational thought and sensibility are what you are after then agreeing with Tom's post that is in part based upon discoveries of ancient relics, old foundations and underground streams then you have the 1950's city you deserve.

 

 

Presume you've never been involved in a large construction project in a historical area (or any area for that matter?)

 

Not a question of rational or sensible thoughts. Its pointing out that all the plans etc have been done based on non intrusive surveys so in an ancient city you never know what the former occupants decided to build on top off and its nieve to assume everything is fine and it will run like clockwork. Plus a development like this is about as likely to be delivered on time and on budget as a certain Tram network and given its location could cause almost as much disruption.

[glasgow sheep]

The only thing that can be said about Scottish Futures Trust (which is what you are talking about) is that it surely can't be such a monumental fuck up and waste of money as the scheme it is replacing, PFI, which was sold to us in a similar manner but has resulted in Private companies making millions while the NHS etc struggle to pay the bills to these companies, cutting services etc as a result.  All at a much, much higher rate than if it had been done through any traditional funding model (but then it is all off book debt to the Government so they are quite happy)

[Kowalski]

http://www.transformaberdeen.co.uk/

 

Transform Aberdeen is an organisation made up of ordinary citizens who have come together with one objective in mind - to campaign for the immediate adoption of programmes to regenerate the city centre. The failure to take forward the City Garden Project, which would have been the catalyst for wider developments in different parts of the city centre, has provoked a reaction from people from all walks of life and all ages across Aberdeen.

Furthermore, the decision taken by the current City Administration to overturn the outcome of a properly constituted referendum has added to the sense of disillusionment with local politics and given rise to the conviction that unless ordinary citizens take action, a great, unique opportunity will have been lost.

Transform Aberdeen has been born out of the frustration at the lack of progress in addressing the serious deficiencies in our urban landscape. Its members are not politically motivated, nor is there any material or commercial advantage sought by those involved, other than those benefits that accrue to us as citizens whose lives would be immeasurably enriched by living in a vibrant, successful, modern city.

The people in Transform Aberdeen passionately believe that the city of Aberdeen - buoyed by the Oil and Gas Industry, the burgeoning biomedical industry, two high quality universities, a fast growing airport and the prospect at long last of a massive transformation in the transport infrastructure through the AWPR - could become one of Europe's most successful provincial cities.

[maverick sheep]

"it's members are not politically motivated"

 

 

[Kowalski]

Plans for an arts centre in Aberdeen, which were torpedoed three years ago by a rival project, could be resurrected.

BBC Scotland has learned the Peacock Visual Arts scheme is to be "revisited" by the local authority.

The bulk of the £13m funding had been in place for the centre in Union Terrace Gardens.

However, it was abandoned in favour of businessman Sir Ian Wood's £140m City Garden Project, which was then rejected by the council last year.

Now Aberdeen City Council's deputy leader Marie Boulton has said the earlier Peacock proposals could be back on the table in "some shape or form".

The scheme already had planning permission when Sir Ian intervened with his own vision and an offer of £50m towards the cost.

In a letter to Councillor Boulton, Sir Ian said he was "extremely dismayed at the lack of progress over the last 10 months".

Councillor Boulton said that was not true and firm plans should be presented to the council in October.

[tom_widdows]

Abandoned for a project which didnt even apply for outline planning permission so they lost their funding and will now need to seek it out in the middle of a recession.

 

 

That council is a fucking joke

[mizer]

ABERDEEN’S Union Terrace Gardens could become home to a train station as part of a £100 million-plus regeneration plan, the Evening Express can reveal today.

The city council is considering new proposals that include covering the adjacent road and railway to link with Belmont Street.

The Victorian park would be preserved but it would become home to an art centre with escalators or lifts to improve access from street level.

Today depute council leader Marie Boulton stressed the proposals were at an early stage but said she was confident they would prove “transformational”.

[Kowalski]

I'm not sure I understand that, we've already got a train station, are they planning on extending it!?  Sounds like any decision about city centre transformation should be taken out of the hands of these clowns running the council.

[Tyrant]

Seems odd. I'm all for the re-expansion of rail in the NE east but the only place we don't need a new station is next to the current one. 

[tom_widdows]

oooh is this the early stages of the fabled 'cross rail' dream they were playing with about 12years ago?

 

Of are the locals so lazy they cant be arsed walking up bridge street?

[bloo_toon_red]

The right time to have moved the station was in 2000, BEFORE they did the Union Square project.  It would've been a massive success and a real boost to Union Street.  More myopia from Barney and his cronies.

 

[mizer]

 

 

 

Pics fae the EE, basically build a tunnel over the road and train track.

 

[tom_widdows]

Soooo basically they've dusted off a plan from about 20 years ago but have now added in shifting the railway station.

I can only presume moving the railway station would allow them to build that shopping mall the city is in desperate need of

[manc_don]

New design unveiled today:

 

http://www.bdonline.co.uk/news/aberdeen-unveils-latest-union-terrace-gardens-plans/5085261.article

 

 

[RicoS321]

Aye, eminently sensible, relatively inexpensive, unlikely to go over budget and won't cause significant disruption to the area, whilst retaining the best parts of the park.

 

But junkies, we need shops, car parks min and but £50M min! means that it'll never go ahead.

[Edinburghdon]

New design unveiled today:

 

http://www.bdonline.co.uk/news/aberdeen-unveils-latest-union-terrace-gardens-plans/5085261.article

 

 

 

It was shown in the local papers last week, looks good. Much better than the previous proposals.