Celebrating over £7million of investment in Helensburgh town centre

Summer festival Saturday 20th and Sunday 21st June

People in Helensburgh are invited to join local councillors and the regeneration project team for the official opening of the newly transformed town centre on Saturday 20th June in Colquhoun Square at 12noon.

The public realm project has been delivered well within budget and has seen Colquhoun Square, adjacent streets and the esplanade transformed, offering a whole new experience for both residents and visitors.

The newly widened pavements bring with them better access to local shops and create a better, more cohesive link between the front and the town centre. New street furniture and artwork installations make sitting out a more enjoyable experience, generating a continental-style pavement café culture.

Local businesses are already seeing the benefits of the scheme, with the council receiving lots of positive feedback on the high quality of the finish and the access improvements.

Councillor Gary Mulvaney, chair of the local area committee, welcomed the completion of the work, saying: ‘’I’m delighted with the quality of the work – the town centre looks fantastic. I hope people will turn out in force for the official opening and the summer festival. This weekend should give a real snapshot of the type of events that are now possible thanks to the fantastic new infrastructure provided by the council.

‘’Our role is an enabling one, creating the right environment for economic growth. With more people coming to Helensburgh, be it for a day trip or for the weekend or to live, this will bring with it a whole range of new employment opportunities for local people.

“We appreciate the patience that the people of Helensburgh have shown while these works have been going on. Public realm work is, by its very nature, disruptive but we have made every effort to keep people informed along the way and, despite delays, the project has been completed will within budget. We are now really starting to see the benefits that it will bring.

‘’The council would like to thank those who have worked with us on the project: Austin Smith Lord, the architects; O’Connor, Sutton and Cronin, the engineering consultants; Transport Planning, traffic management consultants; WAVEparticle, the artwork design and production firm and MacLay Civil Engineering, the main contractor.

‘’The project has seen a significant investment which will, I am sure, provide real, long lasting and tangible benefits to local people and businesses. We are already seeing significant private sector investment in the town and are hoping to use this project as a springboard to further growth.

‘’Please come along and join us for what I’m sure will be a great weekend.’’

Launch of Scotland’s first Outdoor Museum also on Saturday 20th June in Colquhoun Square

Developed and delivered by art organisation WAVEparticle on behalf of the council

The Outdoor Museum displays a collection of treasured objects brought forward by local residents and organisations in the town. Among these reproductions sit a series of historic artefacts encapsulated in acrylic and three specially commissioned artworks by Lesley Carruthers, Kate Ive and Chris Coleman-Smith.

WAVEparticle Lead Artist, Peter McCaughey, said: ‘’We imagined Scotland’s first Outdoor Museum as a place where local treasures could be permanently on display alongside objects of national significance and newly commissioned artworks, reflecting both the big history of the town and the smaller stories that make up our world. We envisaged this museum with a collection open to the elements, where the wind and rain and sun and touch of hand make their own contribution to the collection as it grows over the years.                                                                              

‘’Thanks to everyone who has contributed, including: The Crichton Family, Michael and Anna Curley, Margery Osborne, Iain Baird, Helensburgh Lions Club, Hermitage Academy, Helensburgh Scouts and Helensburgh Heritage Trust and all those who took the time to nominate an object or story, all of which are being archived on the Outdoor Museum website.’’

*****ENDS*****