The restoration of Hermitage Park gets underway

Work has now started on restoring Hermitage Park in Helensburgh to its former glory.  Gillespies is delivering the £3.3m new-look for the park which will introduce new playgrounds, a fountain plaza and multi-use events space, and a new pavilion designed by Hoskins Architects.

The 4.7 hectare park has a number of unique features, including the relics of the mill around which the original town developed. The original gardens from a large villa originally sited within the park, now demolished, will be restored along with a stunning A-listed war memorial, together with its formal reflecting pool.

The pavilion – which sits at the heart of the reconfigured park - provides a space for social gatherings and events, allowing the natural and contemplative areas of the park to remain.

The cost of the project is being met by the Heritage Lottery Fund, which provided a grant of £2.3 million, along with contributions from Sustrans, the MoD's Armed Forces Covenant, the War Memorial Trust and the Friends of Hermitage Park Association along with £280,000 from Argyll and Bute Council's reserves.

The garden is expected to officially open in summer 2018, but visitors are encouraged to use the park throughout the works. 

Image copyright of Gillespies