Aberdeen City Garden Project facts for kids

The Aberdeen City Garden Project was a big plan to change Union Terrace Gardens in Aberdeen. It was going to cost a lot of money, about £140.5 million. A rich businessman named Sir Ian Wood offered to give £50 million towards it. He even promised an extra £35 million if the project cost more than expected.

The winning design was called 'The Granite Web'. It was created by Diller Scofidio and Renfro and Keppie Design. This design won a worldwide competition in 2011. People in Aberdeen voted on the project in early 2012. They approved the plan. However, the project was later stopped in August 2012 after a vote by the city council.

About Union Terrace Gardens

The Union Terrace Gardens are old gardens in Aberdeen. They first opened in 1879. These gardens are set lower than the streets around them. They cover about two and a half acres.

• To the north is His Majesty's Theatre.
• To the south is Union Street.
• To the west is Union Terrace.
• To the east is the railway line.

A group called Friends of Union Terrace Gardens did not want the gardens changed. They wanted them to stay mostly the same. They only wanted them cleaned up to look nicer for everyone.

The City Square Idea and First Talks

In 2008, Sir Ian Wood first shared his idea. He wanted to give £50 million to improve Union Terrace Gardens. In January 2010, some early drawings were made. These showed what the gardens could look like.

The city asked people what they thought about the plan. This was called a public consultation. It showed that 55% of people were against the plans at that time. People were worried about a few things:

• Too much concrete.
• How much it would cost.
• The need for a modern arts centre.
• The idea that it might become another shopping area.
• Losing green space.

After hearing these concerns, the project changed its name. It became 'The City Garden Project'. This new name helped show that it would be more about gardens and parks. It also aimed to address worries about concrete and losing green space.

The Design Competition

On April 18, 2011, a worldwide design competition began. Many designers could send in their ideas. The competition closed on June 13, 2011. A winner was supposed to be announced in December 2011. But it was delayed until January 2012.

Fifty-five different designs were sent in. Six of these were chosen to be shown to the public. The public exhibition took place at The Academy Shopping Centre. It ran from October 19 to November 2, 2011.

The six designs were:

• The Granite Web
• The Winter Garden
• Sculpted Landform & Connections
• The Flower of Scotland
• The Cultural Plaza
• Cultural Podium

People visiting the exhibition voted for their favorite designs. This helped choose two designs to go to the final judges.

The two designs chosen were:

• The Granite Web — by Diller Scofidio and Renfro (New York) and Keppie Design (Glasgow). This was the overall winner.
• The Winter Garden — by Foster & Partners (London) and Vladimir Djurovic Landscape Architecture (Beirut).

More than 15,000 people visited the exhibition. The winning design, 'The Granite Web', was announced on January 16, 2012.

The Public Vote

On December 14, 2011, Aberdeen City Council agreed to let people vote. This vote was about the future of Union Terrace Gardens. Anyone registered to vote in Aberdeen by January 10, 2012, could take part.

The vote happened from February 16 to March 1, 2012. About 165,000 voting packs were sent out. People could vote by mail, phone, or online. A special code was included in their voting packs.

During the voting period, there were some concerns. Some people supporting the project reported unfair treatment online. There were also claims that voting packs were stolen. The voting ended on March 1, 2012. The results were expected the next day.

Vote counting took place on March 2, 2012. Early signs from online and phone votes showed support for the project. Just after 1:05 PM, it was confirmed. The City Garden Project was supported by voters. There were 45,301 votes for it and 41,175 votes against it. This was a majority of 4,126 votes.

Vote Results

Here are the full results of the public vote:

The Granite Web Design

The winning 'Granite Web' design promised to make the gardens a "new green and vibrant heart" for Aberdeen. It aimed for accessible gardens and parks. It would also have space for cultural and fun activities.

The plan also wanted to connect different parts of the city. It would make the gardens easier to reach. This would happen by raising parts of them to street level. This would connect them with Union Street, Union Terrace, Rosemount Viaduct, and Belmont Street.

The garden design had 11 different sections. These included:

• A new outdoor performance space. It would have a grass lawn and seating for 5,000 people. This was called 'The Forum'.
• A tree-lined path.
• A lawn and flower garden.

There was also a cultural centre planned for the middle of the gardens. It was designed to look like a butterfly. Its roof would be covered in grass. This would be another place for people to visit and enjoy.

The Granite Web plans also included new art for Aberdeen. Two new sculptures were planned. They would be placed at two exits from the garden onto Union Terrace. One from the Flower Garden and one from The Forum.

The gardens also promised to plant 100 more trees. This would bring the total to 186 trees in the space. The plan aimed to increase green space by 95%. It would also increase accessible space by 250% and vegetation by 65%.

Project Cost and Funding

The project was expected to cost £140 million. Sir Ian Wood, the oil businessman, promised £50 million. In 2012, he promised another £35 million. This extra money would be used if the project went over budget.

By March 2012, 40% of the project's cost was promised. The rest of the money was planned to come from a special funding method. This was called Tax Incremental Financing (TIF). This TIF money was also meant to help other city improvement projects. This included upgrades to the Art Gallery. That project has since moved forward even though the City Garden Project was stopped.

Stopping the City Garden Project

After the local elections in 2012, a new Labour group took control of the city council. They decided to review the City Garden Project. The council then held another vote. This vote was about whether to stop the project.

On August 22, 2012, Aberdeen City Council voted. The vote was 22 to 20 in favor of stopping the project.

Later Ideas in 2013

After the project was stopped in 2012, Sir Ian Wood still wanted to help. He said he would still give £50 million for a new plan to improve Union Terrace Gardens. He also suggested that new plans should be ready by the end of that year.

On August 29, new ideas for the gardens were shown in the news. These designs were by city architect John Halliday. His plans involved partly raising the gardens. But some parts would stay sunken. The designs also included a link to Belmont Street. This would be done by covering the Denburn dual-carriageway and railway lines. A new arts centre and an entrance to the railway station were also part of the ideas.

The group 'Friends of Union Terrace Gardens' did not like these new plans either. They felt it would change the old Victorian green space too much. In December 2013, Aberdeen City Council turned down Sir Ian Wood's offer of £50 million. This was for city centre and Union Terrace Gardens development. On January 24, 2014, Sir Ian formally took back his offer.

John Halliday's plans from mid-August 2013 were worked on more. They were shown in the Press and Journal on January 27, 2014. These plans included adding a cover over a walking-only section of Union Street. This section would run from Bridge Street to Market Street. It would also cover an area in front of the public square in the mid-August plans.