Work on new Parkrun route gets off the ground

A turf cutting ceremony was held yesterday (Wednesday 16th September) to mark the start of the construction of a parkrun track created as part of the ongoing Inverness West Link Stage 2 Works.

The work will consist of the creation of a 5km route on what was the previously Torvean Golf Course. This will form part of a new city park that will be available to the public following completion of the West Link early next year.

Further to a range of consultation, including a workshop with over 100 people at Canal Parks Pavillion in August 2018 and subsequent exhibition in January 2019, this route was identified and incorporated into the Torvean and Ness-side Development Brief, part of the Council’s Development Plan for the area. A promotional video is available from this link – https://www.highland.gov.uk/torvean

The construction of the circuit will be carried out by the Contractor for the West Link Stage 2 Project R J McLeod Ltd. 

Chair of The Highland Council’s Environment and Infrastructure Committee Cllr Trish Robertson is delighted to see work start.  She said “The construction of the parkrun forms part of the community benefits provision incorporated by the Council into the West Link project. 

“Feedback from the consultation on the local development brief was fully supportive of plans to make another public park in Inverness. The planned new park and the dedicated 5km circuit are very welcome new assets for the city and tie in with promoting the health benefits of becoming more active. People of all ages and ability will enjoy visiting the park.”

Parkrun is a positive, welcoming and inclusive experience where there is no time limit, and no one finishes last.

Inverness Parkrun Event Director Paul Crowe said: “Parkrun is a free, weekly timed event held in parks and open spaces. In its ten years in Inverness the numbers of people taking part has risen dramatically and each Saturday hundreds of people of all ages and abilities gather to run, jog and walk around a 5km route. The new Torvean park will be a lovely scenic venue and we are delighted to be part of this exciting development.”

The Parkrun route will become accessible on completion of the Inverness West Link 2 works in the Spring of 2021.