Is it worth spending £1m to upgrade an old skating pond?

The local council in Argyll and Bute may face costs exceeding 1 million to revamp a former skating pond, according to a recent report. Officials have endorsed a hybrid redevelopment plan for Helensburgh's skating pond, aiming to offer both environmental benefits and a high-quality natural space for visitors.

The council, however, has yet to identify a source for the roughly 1 million needed to complete the project. Initially built as a skating pond, the area later hosted community events but has since become overgrown, with wooden seating deteriorating.

Updates on the project were shared in August, with a landscape architect warning that "doing nothing is not an option." The council's Helensburgh and Lomond area committee will review the report at a meeting on 9 December.

The options considered include improvements to drainage, removal of silt and invasive plants, planting schemes, as well as upgrades to roads and fencing. Executive director Kirsty Flanagan stated that the estimated capital costs of around 1 million cover preliminary work, contingency, design development, additional surveys, statutory approvals, and project management.

Efforts are ongoing to secure external funding for the project, with approximately 75,000 already obtained. Flanagan noted that some improvements, such as access enhancements at a section of the pond outside council ownership, might be postponed, delivered in-kind, or excluded from the project due to permissions and liability concerns.

Current maintenance for the pond costs around 5,000 per year for grass cutting and edging. Additional costs for pond and tree upkeep, estimated at roughly 4,000 annually, are also anticipated.

Author: Zoe Harrison