Friends of Union Terrace Gardens, Robin and Sara, ably supported by volunteering members, spent the week prior to Christmas running a stall in the Trinity Centre selling UTG themed gifts such as calendars, sweatshirts, t-shirts and bags.
The presence not only provided a real boost to both our membership and Gardens improvement funds, but provided us with a valuable insight into the general lack of awareness regarding the City Square Project and it’s impact on the Gardens.
Our own aims of improving accessibility for prams and wheelchairs, reopening the toilets and using the Gardens for city community events were universally supported – with most of those who were pro-City Square Project mistakenly believing that the current proposal was solely to deliver these improvements. They were surprised to hear about the Halliday Fraser Munro outline of car parking and bus station. One woman even thought that they would dig up the 200 year old trees and replant them in the new Square!
Said Robin ‘ What a fantastic experience it turned out to be! We met so many wonderful people who are appalled at the plans to develop the Gardens and were desperate to send a message to the Council that this must not progress. One man told us his Uncle had worked in the gardens for many years and had designed the original floral emblem – “he would be turning in his grave at these plans” he sighed.
‘ A big thank you must go to all those who supported this initiative and gave Sara and I a very real sense of people and community, just what Christmas is about.’
Friends of Union Terrace Gardens raised over £1300 from sales at the stall, and wish to thank the Aberdeen public for their generosity, goodwill and support.