Highland Council issues Whin Park reopening date after £500k upgrade work finally begins as it hopes to finish the play area by Easter
The £500,000 Whin Park upgrade work finally begins after more than a year in the planning with Highland Council targeting a completion date of Easter.
The work will concentrate on completely revamping the play area with a Loch Ness Monster, a wheelchair accessible Legend Seeker Playship, and an adventure mound with tube slide.
The council and Jupiter Play and Leisure Ltd released artists impressions of what the new play equipment will look like, that, weather dependent, will be completely open to the public by this Easter.
During the work the park will remain open but the main play area and a section of the car park in front of the shop will be closed, this also includes the main entrance ramped area to the park.
The path network from the Ness Islands and the path at the side of the public toilets will also remain open enabling the public to view the works’ progress during this exciting period for this landmark location.
Funding for the contract has been awarded by the Scottish Government Play Area Fund (£234,988) which was allocated to the redevelopment of the park by Members of the Inverness, Central, Ness-side, Millburn, and Inverness West Wards.
In 2023, Inverness city committee members agreed £150,000 Inverness Common Good Funding; and in 2024 a further £100,000 from the Community Regeneration Fund was awarded to the redevelopment.
Leader of Inverness, Councillor Ian Brown said: “I am very pleased to announce that works have started on the installation of new play equipment at the flagship Whin Park play area in Inverness.”
And the chairman of the communities and place committee, Cllr Graham MacKenzie added: “Play Works Ltd, the contractor for Jupiter Play and Leisure Ltd are now on site to install the exciting new range of play equipment.”
Michael Hoenigmann, Managing Director of Jupiter Play & Leisure said: “We are delighted to have been chosen to design and build the new play area at Whin Park.
“This is an ambitious project which will be inclusive for all abilities while offering high play value and challenge. Its unique features including the Nessie Structure with Interactive Sona Arch will be hugely popular with families that visit the site.
He added: “We look forward to working closely with the team at Highland Council to deliver this prestigious project.”
