Inverness park rescue package moves a step closer

A council committee will vote tomorrow on whether to invest £10,000 in a feasibility study for the city’s flagship Whin Park.

The park is arguably the jewel in Highland’s crown as far as play parks go.

This summer it attracted around 7 000 visitors every single month, with Highland Council referring to it as a “key destination park”.

However, recent years have seen the park fall into disrepair, with much of the play equipment condemned.

Work is currently ongoing to tidy the popular boating pond and now the council wants to commission a feasibility study to help return the whole park to its former glory.

The £10,000 study to be discussed by the Inverness area committee would be half funded from the Inverness Common Good Fund, with the remaining £5000 paid from existing ward funds.

If agreed, the feasibility study will produce plans for:

• A newly refurbished toilet block

• Improvements to the shop area for an enhanced visitor experience

• Improved pathways

• Improved drainage system to alleviate historical flooding issues

• New way-finding signage

• Covered outdoor area for users

• Additional parking and appropriate co-ordination with the Riverside Way project plans

• Improvements to the railway area, not including the track (which is operated by Highland Hospice)

The study will also provide outline costs for the refurbishment and identify potential funding avenues.

Highland Council hopes to undertake the feasibility study in the spring of next year, with the redevelopment work complete by June 2024.

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