Work on East Dunbartonshire’s first Climate Ready Park is due to get underway this month.
Woodhill and Etive Parks in Bishopbriggs are to benefit from a ground-breaking £950k green infrastructure project which will incorporate food-growing plus measures to improve biodiversity and protect against the effects of climate change.
Following a successful tender, P1 Solutions has now been appointed to carry out the improvements, using funding from existing capital budgets held by Roads & Neighbourhood Services.
A comprehensive raft of measures includes the re-shaping of areas of amenity grass to form gently sloped detention basin areas to temporarily hold surface water – including from the Bishopbriggs Burn - during extreme storm events. Roadside swales will be created on Menteith Avenue and Etive Crescent to manage surface water run-off from sloped open space areas to significantly minimise the impact of flooding in the vicinity.
Plans also include the creation of additional flower meadows and a dedicated food-growing space incorporating raised beds and decorative pergolas. Finally, materials from the excavated basins will stay on site and be used to create a bike track.
Cllr Paul Ferretti, Convener of the Place, Neighbourhood and Corporate Assets committee, welcomed the start of the works.
Cllr Ferretti, said, “I am pleased to see work getting underway on this long-awaited, ground-breaking project. These green infrastructure improvements will significantly enhance this green space in the heart of Bishopbriggs.
“The ambitious plans will promote sustainability through the creation of space for food-growing. The improvements will also enhance biodiversity in the area and improve resilience to protect against the effects of climate change into the future.”
The first phase will be the construction of the sustainable urban drainage pond. This is expected to be completed before winter 2024 and will be followed by a 12-month maintenance programme and Spring seeding.
In addition to this project, traffic calming measures have now been approved for Springfield Road and Menteith Avenue – which cut through the parks - to further enhance safety in the area.