Dingwall prepares for Christmas

Issued in partnership with Dingwall Community Council

The Highland Council, Ark Estates and Dingwall Community Council are working together to replace the catenary wiring  which carry the town’s Christmas decorations over Dingwall High Street. 

A detailed specialist inspection report commissioned by the Council found all the existing catenaries to be unsafe. The project to replace them will be phased and the first phase this year will concentrate on the pedestrian area of the High Street, with the East end of the High Street completed next year. 

Following a productive meeting, held last week, it was agreed that as part of a ‘working together’ approach, Dingwall Community Council will contact property owners on the High Street asking for permission to use their premises to attach new fittings and cables. It is hoped that everyone’s permission can be in place, by the end of this week. 

Ark Estates have very kindly offered assistance, with the supply of labour and machinery to fit the new wiring to the High Street premises. The Highland Council’s Street Lighting Department shall be supplying the cables and fittings for the project. 

Jack Shepherd, Chair of the Community Council said: “We have approximately six weeks to try and achieve this. In the time we have left, this is no small undertaking, but with the co-operation of the property owners on the High Street, The Highland Council, Ark Estates and Dingwall Community Council, we hope that this can be achieved.” 

He added: “We thank everyone in advance for their patience, this has taken some time to organise, and we hope that we can have the first phase completed for the Christmas lights switch on in early December.” 

Willie Gray from Ark Estates said: “We are delighted to do our bit and be working in partnership with the Community groups and the Council other local contractors in Dingwall to improve the High Street for the festive season.” 

Councillor Margaret Paterson said: “”This is good news for the town and I know everybody will be working hard to get the first phase completed for the Christmas lights switch on.  I would like to especially thank the Community Council who will be taking the time to contact property owners face to face to get their approval and to Ark Estates for their generous offer of labour and machinery to carry out the work.”