Contractors P1 Solutions performed a ceremonial sod-cutting to mark the start of a multi-million-pound refurbishment of Edinburgh’s Saughton Park. The historic space will be renovated through a scheme of work that has been predicted to last a year. The sod-cutting ceremony was attended by individuals from P1 Solutions as well as staff from the park and representatives from the Heritage Lottery Fund. It is hoped that the work carried out at Saughton Park, the possibilities for more volunteers and the implementation of a new management plan with events and activities held at the upgraded park will help the site reach Green Flag status.
The work officially started this week on Saughton Park as a culmination of five years’ hard work raising the necessary funds to carry out the work and bring the historic Edinburgh location back to its former glory. The project is expected to cost £5.2 million. The Heritage Lottery Fund contributed significantly to the raising of this sum by contributing £3.8 million.
In 1908 Saughton Park underwent a massive transformation with the creation of the Scottish National Exhibition. When this project was completed it has been recorded that over 3.5 million people visited the park in order to enjoy the new attractions. Hopefully this refurbishment will have the same impact, generating crowds to see the improved Saughton Park. The upgrade work that has been planned over the next year will revive some of the key features in the 1908 Exhibition still present in the park. There will be improvement made to the bandstand, in the botanic Gardens and the winter garden.
The Stables in the part will receive a transformation, creating a new community venue as well as a base for the Royal Caledonian Horticultural Society, The Caley. There will also be a new cafe added to the site and better furniture, lighting and pathways added across the entire park.
