Delays caused by the Covid-19 pandemic may mean that Helensburgh’s £2.3m Hermitage Park renovation project misses more key targets, a council director has said.
A report to an Argyll and Bute Council committee also does not commit to a date for announcing who has taken on the lease of the cafe at the park’s Passivhaus pavilion, more than a year after the terms were agreed – stating only that an announcement will be made ‘in due course.
An update on the council’s large scale projects has the park’s regeneration marked with an ‘amber’ status in terms of its delivery.
The project is earmarked for completion in December 2021, and the potential delays are being raised with the National Lottery Heritage Fund to seek a revised plan.
Many elements of the park have been progressing, with the Friends of Hermitage Park recently announcing a £500 grant to purchase games equipment from Localgiving and Postcode Community Trust. The park was also awarded Green Flag status in October.
The analysis of the park’s position features in a report, dated January, to go before the council’s environment, development and infrastructure committee at a virtual meeting on Thursday.
Executive director Kirsty Flanagan said: “The focus continues to be on delivering the activity plan and undertaking the planting and management and maintenance plan, all subject to Covid-19 restrictions.
“Ground preparation and the majority of planting took place over the autumn period, enhancing the entrance to the park and beyond.
“The heads of terms relating to the lease of the Pavilion café were agreed in December 2019 and have been subject to delay due to Covid-19 and snagging. It is hoped that a positive announcement will be made in due course.”
Work on the park’s regeneration started in early 2017. Plans for an opening ceremony to mark the completion of work have been put on ice on several occasions – firstly because of delays in completing work on the pavilion, and then as a result of the pandemic.
In her report, Ms Flanagan continues: “After a successful recruitment process the Hermitage Park manager, Charlie Cairns, began work in August 2020, eight months after the departure of the previous manager.
“Delivery of the five-year activity plan continues until December 2021, and there is a risk that the project will not achieve its targets due to delays and inability to deliver activities as a result of Covid-19 restrictions.
“This is being raised with NLHF to seek a solution, and a revised activity plan has been prepared, although it is likely that this will now require further amendments due to the changing circumstances.”
Ms Flanagan added: “The park has a key role to play in providing a green space for people’s well-being during lockdown, and the play park and plaza area has been, and continues to be, well used.”
I’m not surprised that the pavilion shows no sign of opening. Clearly the virus is something that precludes any activity at the moment as there presently no eating places open for sit in business.
When the virus passes there will be crowds in the swingpark agian, but only on days when the weather is decent. For most of the year the park is largely deserted with a few hardy souls and dog walkers in there. The amount of casual passing trade will be minimal for the majority of days throughout the year. In these circumstances the only way to make it a profitable business is to create a destination where people come for outstanding service. With all the other competition in Helensburgh that will be very difficult.
I with the Council and any businesses that take on the pavilion well but I fear they will have an uphill task. The situation in the new, huge, singing and dancing swimming pool falls into the same sort of area. Stuck at the end of the pier with much, much more room than the old one it may turn out to be another white elephant on the council’s books.