Streetscape works take shape

This week sees completion of new Caithness slab footways on the south side of Dingwall High Street as the first phase of a £947,000 package of town centre improvements starts to take shape on the ground.

Throughout the project, the Council has been working closely with the Dingwall community through regular stakeholders’ meetings which are chaired by the Ward 9 Councillors.  The Stakeholders Group includes representatives of the Community Council, Dingwall Business Association, Dingwall in Bloom, Dingwall Farmers Market and Ross and Cromarty Disability Access Group.

Alison MacLeod of Off The Peg, commenting on behalf of Dingwall Business Association, said: "Shopkeepers have been getting a lot of positive feedback from the public who can now see how great the street is going to look when it is finished. The disruption during the works period has been kept to a minimum thanks to business owners and contractors working closely together."

Nigel Greenwood, Chairman of Dingwall Community Council, confirmed the general feeling that works were progressing well.

The Dingwall and Seaforth Councillors – Peter Cairns, David Chisholm, Angela MacLean and Margaret Paterson - are all delighted with progress so far and the positive way in which local people have embraced the project.  

Stakeholders’ meeting have proved to be an extremely effective means of communication and have played a key role in ensuring the smooth running of this project. The open dialogue has enabled issues arising to be dealt with rapidly and community representatives are full of praise for the manner in which the works have been implemented on the ground.

Partnership working with Dingwall in Bloom has enabled additional funding to be secured through the LEADER programme and new floral displays will include a colonnade of hanging baskets and gateway features.

Originally scheduled for completion by 4 December,, certain minor works are now likely to be carried out during one additional week, but disruption by this stage will be minimal. The Dingwall Christmas lights will be erected around December 7th. Council services at Ross House, including the Service Point, are now resumed in full following recent disruption due to a severed communications cable.

A second phase of streetscape works, to be completed in the spring, will complete the High Street upgrade as far as the junction with Tulloch Street.
Other details relating to the works are as follows: