An old lorry container which raised eyebrows when it appeared in a scenic city park now has a new look
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There was an outcry recently over the appearance of a rear section of a Graham’s Dairy lorry in Fraser Park, with some people even thinking it had been fly tipped.
It was revealed, however, that the container set up beside the practice nets, was to be a temporary greenkeeping store for Highland Cricket Club (HCC), which is based at the park.
And now, as promised, it has been clad in rustic pine planks more in keeping with the park’s leafy surrounds and in line with planning permission granted by Highland Council.
The stopgap store was urgently needed to store HCC’s grass mower as it is illegal to keep petrol-driven machinery in the clubhouse.
Club chairman John Paul said: “The wood cladding is still very fresh and bright, but it will weather down in time. There has not been any social media agitation this time and the planning permission stipulated cladding. It is temporary till 2025.”
Fiona MacBeth chairwoman of Crown and City Centre Community Council, still has some misgivings though.
“It’s not great, is it?” she said. “I personally still think it is not an appropriate structure for the surroundings and it is in the wrong place, but it has been given planning approval by Highland Council so there it is.”
HCC is working closely with park owners Highland Council and High Life Highland on various improvements and has secured £7900 grant funding for an artificial wicket to open the park to more cricket.
Mr Paul said: “We want to develop the ground as a local community facility, perhaps with the return of evening cricket and bringing up junior coaches to encourage more young people to become involved in the sport.
“The artificial wicket will make all that possible as it is low maintenance. The council cut the outfield grass, but we still have to trim the square round the wicket, and occasionally cut a grass wicket for some games.”
