Regeneration of Helensburgh’s Hermitage Park gets underway
February 15 2017
A £3.3m restoration and redevelopment of the town centre resource will introduce new playgrounds and fountains, overseen by the Friends of Hermitage Park Association.
Work will include the demolition of a toilet block to be replaced by a Hoskins Architects designed pavilion. A Japanese garden and wishing well will be fully restored as part of the work which will also include conservation of an A-listed war memorial.
Lucy Casot, head of the Heritage Lottery Fund in Scotland, said: “What better way for Helensburgh to start the Year of History, Heritage and Archaeology, than with this exciting milestone. As a key partner in this celebratory year, we are delighted to see work begin on the park’s transformation. Thanks to players of the National Lottery, Hermitage Park has a bright future, encouraging people back through its gates to take pride in the history of their green space and use the new up-to-date facilities. We look forward to seeing it develop."
Gillespies and landscape contractor Hawthorn Heights will deliver the scheme, which is expected to officially open in summer 2018 although visitors will continue to be welcome throughout the works.
Image copyright of Hoskins Architects
4 Comments
#1 Posted by Graeme McCormick on 15 Feb 2017 at 22:55 PM
Great pity the Argyll and Bute Council didn't support the proposed Housing Expo as a fitting memorial to Gareth. The proposed site still lies empty and forlorn
#2 Posted by Fergus Murray on 16 Feb 2017 at 14:20 PM
We did support the concept of an expo but the former Hermitage site was in the process of being sold to a private developer (still underway) albeit the site does have 51 affordable homes on it. An expo needs Government support and we would welcome a discussion on this at any time particularly if it focussed on affordable housing. The expo discussion predated the tragic and untimely death of Gareth and was never considered as a memorial.
#3 Posted by Sandra Board on 18 Feb 2017 at 20:51 PM
Broken hearted, I have fed the birds and the squirrels in this park for the last three years and their habitat has been totally destroyed with no thought of them at all, have read so much negative feed back from other long term park users that I am physically too scared to go and look, heart broken does not cover it!!!!!!
#4 Posted by Jon Simmons on 21 Feb 2017 at 08:23 AM
Sandra - Surprised to hear your comments. This is the first negative response from any park user, despite extensive consultation. The park and it's habitats will be regenerated by these proposals. We have worked closely with ecologists and arborists to make sure we are doing the right thing. The project has just started on site, are you sure we are talking about the same park? If so, please come back when we have completed and judge it then.
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