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| Union Terrace Gardens: vote against City Gardens 'a fudge and a failure' | Union Terrace Gardens: vote against City Gardens 'a fudge and a failure' |
| (7 months later) | |
| The debate over the City Gardens project raged on for just over three years. After a consultation exercise, a positive vote of confidence by the previous SNP/Liberal Democrat administration of Aberdeen City council and a city-wide public referendum which showed 54% of Aberdonians backed the City Gardens, 22 councillors voted it down and the tax incremental financing (TIF) application to pay for it, in favour of alternative projects and a new TIF application – which doesn't yet exist. | The debate over the City Gardens project raged on for just over three years. After a consultation exercise, a positive vote of confidence by the previous SNP/Liberal Democrat administration of Aberdeen City council and a city-wide public referendum which showed 54% of Aberdonians backed the City Gardens, 22 councillors voted it down and the tax incremental financing (TIF) application to pay for it, in favour of alternative projects and a new TIF application – which doesn't yet exist. |
| In short, a great project that was financially competent and had been prepared over a three year period, was fudged by proposal that took its creator, Independent Alliance councillor Marie Boulton, a couple of weeks to prepare. | In short, a great project that was financially competent and had been prepared over a three year period, was fudged by proposal that took its creator, Independent Alliance councillor Marie Boulton, a couple of weeks to prepare. |
| Seventeen Labour councillors, an ex-Liberal Democrat turned independent councillor, an anti-development independent councillor, Marie Boulton and two Liberal Democrat councillors ignored the wishes of the public and businesses - large and small - to maintain the status quo and reject Sir Ian Woods' £50m donation to the city. | Seventeen Labour councillors, an ex-Liberal Democrat turned independent councillor, an anti-development independent councillor, Marie Boulton and two Liberal Democrat councillors ignored the wishes of the public and businesses - large and small - to maintain the status quo and reject Sir Ian Woods' £50m donation to the city. |
| It was a battle between our group – largely made up of individuals from the business community, young people and residents worried about the stagnation in development projects in the city, and a group of individuals who prefer the nostalgic setting of Union Terrace Gardens as they are. | It was a battle between our group – largely made up of individuals from the business community, young people and residents worried about the stagnation in development projects in the city, and a group of individuals who prefer the nostalgic setting of Union Terrace Gardens as they are. |
| There was mud slinging and threats and it quickly became one of the most engaging debates in the city's history. There are a variety of reasons in my opinion that Labour and co. made the wrong decision to vote down the City Gardens project and maintain the status quo. | There was mud slinging and threats and it quickly became one of the most engaging debates in the city's history. There are a variety of reasons in my opinion that Labour and co. made the wrong decision to vote down the City Gardens project and maintain the status quo. |
| Firstly, Union Terrace Gardens is seen by many in Aberdeen, including myself, as an inaccessible eyesore. It is a park that can only be fully enjoyed when it is sunny in summer, however the rest of the year it is a desolate space occupied by drunks and the city's worryingly large homeless community. The managing director of oil firm TAQA Bratani, Leo Koot, put it perfectly when he stated that Union Terrace Gardens is simply a "dark hole". | Firstly, Union Terrace Gardens is seen by many in Aberdeen, including myself, as an inaccessible eyesore. It is a park that can only be fully enjoyed when it is sunny in summer, however the rest of the year it is a desolate space occupied by drunks and the city's worryingly large homeless community. The managing director of oil firm TAQA Bratani, Leo Koot, put it perfectly when he stated that Union Terrace Gardens is simply a "dark hole". |
| If you have mobility issues, you can't access the park from any of the surrounding roads, instead having to take a 10 minute detour down an alleyway and through the His Majesty's Theatre car park. Raising the gardens to street levels would sort of many of these problems giving it better accessibility to people with mobility problems. The Granite Web design by architects Diller Scofidio and Renfro Keppie Designs was intended to connect the surrounding streets together better whilst maintaining Aberdeen's granite tradition. | If you have mobility issues, you can't access the park from any of the surrounding roads, instead having to take a 10 minute detour down an alleyway and through the His Majesty's Theatre car park. Raising the gardens to street levels would sort of many of these problems giving it better accessibility to people with mobility problems. The Granite Web design by architects Diller Scofidio and Renfro Keppie Designs was intended to connect the surrounding streets together better whilst maintaining Aberdeen's granite tradition. |
| Also, the the City Gardens project would be a job creator. In a report conducted by PricewaterhouseCoopers it was estimated that over 6,500 jobs could be created by it. Not only would this have included construction jobs between the start of building up until the estimated date of completion in 2017 but also jobs from business who choose to relocate to what could have been a more upbeat and colourful city centre. | Also, the the City Gardens project would be a job creator. In a report conducted by PricewaterhouseCoopers it was estimated that over 6,500 jobs could be created by it. Not only would this have included construction jobs between the start of building up until the estimated date of completion in 2017 but also jobs from business who choose to relocate to what could have been a more upbeat and colourful city centre. |
| Many business leaders see quality of life and surrounding for their employees as being important in modern day business – the City Garden project would deliver just that. | Many business leaders see quality of life and surrounding for their employees as being important in modern day business – the City Garden project would deliver just that. |
| Finally and in my view most importantly, Labour and others should not have voted this project down because 86,000 Aberdeen residents, 54% of the total electoral role, came out to vote in a public referendum and of that, 45,301 people voted in favour of the project against 41,175 who voted the other way. | Finally and in my view most importantly, Labour and others should not have voted this project down because 86,000 Aberdeen residents, 54% of the total electoral role, came out to vote in a public referendum and of that, 45,301 people voted in favour of the project against 41,175 who voted the other way. |
| More people voted in this referendum than in the council elections and in all three of the Scottish Parliamentary constituencies in the city of Aberdeen put together, (total Scottish Parliamentary turnout for Aberdeen Donside, Aberdeen Central and Aberdeen South and North Kincardine constituencies in the 2011 Scottish Parliamentary elections totaled 80,509 votes). | More people voted in this referendum than in the council elections and in all three of the Scottish Parliamentary constituencies in the city of Aberdeen put together, (total Scottish Parliamentary turnout for Aberdeen Donside, Aberdeen Central and Aberdeen South and North Kincardine constituencies in the 2011 Scottish Parliamentary elections totaled 80,509 votes). |
| Despite this, Labour continue to deride the referendum as "non-binding" and "flawed". But try as they might, they can't deny that it was undemocratic in any way, shape or form. The SNP in fact received more total votes in the council election in Aberdeen City than Labour did. However, Labour councillors were elected for various other reasons other than their Union Terrace Gardens pledge. | Despite this, Labour continue to deride the referendum as "non-binding" and "flawed". But try as they might, they can't deny that it was undemocratic in any way, shape or form. The SNP in fact received more total votes in the council election in Aberdeen City than Labour did. However, Labour councillors were elected for various other reasons other than their Union Terrace Gardens pledge. |
| On Wednesday 22nd, Labour and others bludgeoned democracy by ignoring the wishes of the people. They failed to take hold of a once in a lifetime offer from Sir Ian Wood and others and have signalled to the rest of the world that Aberdeen is a city closed for business. Sir Ian Wood summarised the affair with haunting words, stating that: | On Wednesday 22nd, Labour and others bludgeoned democracy by ignoring the wishes of the people. They failed to take hold of a once in a lifetime offer from Sir Ian Wood and others and have signalled to the rest of the world that Aberdeen is a city closed for business. Sir Ian Wood summarised the affair with haunting words, stating that: |
| The key losers are Aberdeen's present and future citizens, and I honestly believe future generations looking back on Aberdeen's oil era will wonder why on earth, after years of under-investment in our city centre – parts of which are clearly in decline – our city council failed to grasp the opportunity to do something transformational and enhance their legacy. | The key losers are Aberdeen's present and future citizens, and I honestly believe future generations looking back on Aberdeen's oil era will wonder why on earth, after years of under-investment in our city centre – parts of which are clearly in decline – our city council failed to grasp the opportunity to do something transformational and enhance their legacy. |
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