New Highland Games Museum among proposals for £6.7m restoration of Northern Meeting Park in Inverness after being declared 'at risk' due to poor condition
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A £6.7 million vision has been unveiled for the potential restoration of a historic Inverness landmark in a new report – which also says the site is currently not fit for use.
The Northern Meeting Park was built in 1864 as the world’s first Highland Games stadium but public access remains limited most of the year round.
A new report states the site fails to meet current standards in many respects and is not fit for use, while the risk of damage from fire is a major concern along with a serious outbreak of dry and wet rot in the park’s historic pavilion.
The study sets out regeneration proposals to bring the park out of the shadows, including the creation of a Highland Games Museum with a shop and café, living heritage activities and outdoor theatre performances plus improvements to enable better access for early years groups, older people and people with disabilities.
The technical report, by Arc Architects, was commissioned by Inverness City Heritage Trust and forms part of an ongoing public consultation into how the park – owned by Highland Council and managed by High Life Highland – could be restored as a thriving part of the city’s infrastructure.
It proposes a two-phased approach starting on site later this year for completion in summer 2024 and estimates the total project cost at £6,719,157.
The report states: “The site is currently at risk because of its poor condition, with facilities and operation well below acceptable public standards, an established major outbreak of rot, history of vandalism and ongoing risk of loss to fire.
“Nonetheless, the Northern Meeting Park remains in active use and has an engaged network of stakeholders. Highland Council has committed to restore and upgrade the site as part of a civic cultural renewal and low carbon strategy, funded by the Levelling Up programme and other initiatives.”
It says the historic pavilion should be comprehensively repaired, with inappropriate modern interventions reversed, lost historic features reinstated and improvements to bring the building up to a high standard as a community sports facility focusing on cricket, primary schools, older people and people with disabilities.
It also says the pavilion’s exterior and historic stand seating should be restored to its original quality and decorative scheme, including the reinstatement of full height screens to protect the stand from weather.
These, it suggests, could even be developed to act as screens for projected performances.
And it recommends a review by Historic Environment Scotland for an upgrade of the pavilion’s current B-listed status to category A.
The report also calls for the development of a brand new additional pavilion to the west of the current structure, with a dedicated entrance off Ardross Street.
“The pavilion should be two-storey with entrance, shop and café at ground floor, opening onto a terrace in the park and with a paid-entry Highland Games Museum on the first floor,” it states.
“The museum should support living heritage activities in the park associated with Highland Games for educational and tourist benefit.
“Having the museum open throughout the year will provide key income to the park, while providing toilet and refreshment facilities for other park users, and a continual presence for security.”
The new pavilion could also host a low carbon energy hub, the report suggests.
Tom Morton, director of Arc Architects, said: “The Northern Meeting Park is a real hidden treasure in Inverness, an unusual and very special part of the city’s heritage.
“Although it needs a lot of love to bring it back to a condition to be proud of, to be used by the community and shared with visitors, I am sure it has a thriving future ahead as part of the city’s emerging low carbon cultural quarter.
“The council has committed substantial funding to the Northern Meeting Park project and is working with its diverse and committed stakeholders to guide its delivery over the next few years.”
Public invited to have say on future use of historic park
