Army upgrades Ullapool footbridges
A unit from the University of Aberdeen and Robert Gordon University OTC has been spending the past week undertaking major refurbishment works to a pair of footbridges which span the Ullapool River at Morefield in Ullapool.
The OTC unit completed the task which Highland Councillor Jean Urquhart had requested under the Military Aid to the Civil Community scheme. At a ceremony on Saturday 22nd July 1.30pm, Colonel Wilkinson of the Territorial Army will hand over the refurbished footbridges to The Highland Council and the local Ullapool community.
The refurbishment of the footbridges had been needed as the original bridge construction, built by the Army in 1993, was in need of major repair. The bridge refurbishment work, which has been co-ordinated by Highland Council’s TEC Services, is being funded by a combination of contributors including HIE Skye and Wester Ross, Rhiddoroch Estate and Loch Broom Community Council.
The project forms part of a larger footpath construction project which will eventually link improved and reconstructed paths on the approaches to the footbridges on both the Ullapool and Morefield sides of the Ullapool River.
Last year the Council’s Planning & Development Service undertook a major refurbishment of approximately 150 metres of footpath and steps on the Ullapool bank of the river. At a cost of over £100K, the work was grant aided by a combination of RACE, SNH, Safer Routes to Schools, Community Environmental Renewal Scheme (Aggregates Levy) as well as contribution from the Planning & Development Service.
Following the current bridge refurbishment work, Loch Broom Community Council intend in due course to complete the refurbishment of the riverside paths on the Morefield side of the river, including the restoration of a nature trail together with the provision of interpretive panels.
The overall project will form a much improved and safer link between the communities of Ullapool and Morefield, as well as providing both local residents and visitors to the area with access to riverside and coastal walks, local recreational facilities, as well as an opportunity to take a nature ramble close to the centre of Ullapool village.
Councillor Jean Urquhart said: “I have had great confidence in this project from my first meeting with WO2 (QMSI) Al Simpson and his team who have had had a fairly punishing schedule of work. I have to say this has been another great example of the community, Highland Council and the OTC working really well together. The students have broken a lot of sweat this week and they should be really proud of the work they have done and know that everyone in Ullapool and particularly those who use the bridge a lot are delighted.”
Kenneth Morrison, Vice-chairman of Lochbroom Community Council said: "The Army's decision to select our footbridge as a suitable project out of so many potential and worthy projects is particularly pleasing and we are delighted that they chose to come to Ullapool. The young members of the team from Aberdeen OTC under the direction of a small group of regular Army personnel have worked extremely hard and appear to have enjoyed their experience re-building this footbridge. The weather has mainly been kind and we hope the welcome from the folk of Ullapool has been equally well received. We are sure that they will go away with good memories of their time in Ullapool and with a great sense of achievement of a job well done. We thank them all for their efforts. We also wish to offer our best regards for the future to Al Simpson the Quartermaster Sergeant in charge of the group, as this is his final project. He has completed around 200 of these over the past years and is soon to leave the Army for a new life as a private citizen - well done and good luck."