Run Down Aberdeen takes a no-nonsense, balanced look at many of the fundamental questions, issues and problems facing the city today, and throws up a few potential solutions to boot. Featuring contributions from the likes of MSP Lewis Macdonald and novelist John Aberdein, it’s a journey through the downfall of the city centre and Union Street, the oil industry’s influence, the council’s well-documented troubles, and development in Aberdeen, past, present and future (including the ongoing Union Terrace Gardens debacle).

Education, employment, architecture, aesthetics and culture are all touched upon in a beautifully-made film which may well make you angry and downright incredulous at some of the baffling decisions and missed opportunities of the past, but which ultimately offers a wee glimmer of hope that there may be, just may be, a groundswell of opinion, collective thinking and action which bodes well for the future…

Run Down Aberdeen from Fraser Denholm on Vimeo.

‘Who said there was no such thing as a free lunch?’

Nah, can you imagine how many newspapers around the country are using that hilarious opening gambit this weekend?

Let’s have another go:

‘Union Terrace Gardens is only used by violent junkies and bandwagon-jumping workshy art hippies, the sooner we take up Sir Ian Wood’s generous offer and rid the city of this eyesore the better.’

Woah, where did that come from?  Must stop reading the P&J before I write on here…

Right, enough, here’s the real deal:

What started off as an idea at The Eden Project in Cornwall, The Big Lunch has now spread across the land and the Aberdeen event will see students from the University of Aberdeen (with help from Cafe 52) making free organic soup for all. Sounds good.  Don’t forget to bring along some other food to share as well.  There’ll be music too.  And it won’t rain.  Promise*

*This is a promise of the hollow variety and therefore it cannot be guaranteed by The Kiosque

I’d imagine a lot of you have heard about this already.  If not, the idea is a basic one; head down to Union Terrace Gardens, have a picnic, listen to some music and show just how important the place is to the city…

Links:

Facebook event page

Routemaster promotes Picnic in the Park protest (P&J)

Mass protest picnic to be held over Union Terrace Gardens plans (STV)

You’ve all heard the result of The Union Terrace Gardens vote by now but here’s how the P&J reported it this morning anyway.  Some interesting stuff in the comments.

This does not make our city look good at all does it?

Arseholes.

I’ve nothing else to add at the moment to be honest…

*Sigh*

Here’s a quick summary though, just in case:

They lost.  Big time.

This however, this, if  true,  is nothing short of a f***king scandal…Check it out:

http://www.heraldscotland.com/news/home-news/the-tycoon-the-secret-meeting-and-the-battle-for-the-soul-of-aberdeen-city-1.1021429

It’s become a bit of a joke to be honest,  unfortunately it’s deadly serious when not a day goes by without some ACSEF-weighted spin appearing.  Here’s today’s offering for example.  Translation: ‘We asked the people for their opinion, they gave it, but they’re the wrong kind of people. These aren’t real people.  They’re organised protesters’. It’s laughable stuff…

Anyway, the aforementioned consultation on The City Square Project ends on Friday, so fill in the survey here if you haven’t already done so. (I know most of you have, but it’s for the benefit of anyone who hasn’t taken action yet)

Alternatively, freephone 0800 111 4881, text your thoughts to 60777 followed by the word ‘square’ or email consultation@thecitysquareproject.com Remember to keep it civil (or civic, if you will).

That ‘vocal minority’ petition in support of the Peacock building is here (and currently at over 8000 signatures), please bring it to the attention of anyone who may be interested in keeping the city centre’s unique topography intact.

This could well be your last chance to have a say on the matter.

I mean, even the squirrels are speaking out now (and you dinna mess wi’ squirrels).  Oh, and in case you missed it, last Saturday saw a wee event in support of the gardens (check out this video of it by the supremely talented Adam Proctor) and there’s something similar happening on Friday at 2pm too. Same place, under Rabbie Burns’ statue.  Poetic.

They haven’t a clue what would go in there: Italian Piazzas, Trafalgar Squares, Guggenheim Museums, underground tunnels, concert venues, babylon-esque gardens and various other nonsensical, reactionary ‘ideas’ have been mooted thus far, all with very little substance to them.

You just know that the huge funding shortfall would mean we’d end up with a half-arsed, embarrassing mish-mash which would cause irreplaceable damage to the city’s image and physical make-up. A piece in today’s Scotsman sums up the situation perfectly: The City Square Project is unworkable and threatens not only Peacock’s immediate future, but the future of arts and culture in the city as a whole.  Roll on Thursday…

Update 17/02/10: The Annie Lennox picture story has been picked up by The Scotsman today

Worst. Pun. Ever. It is relevant though, read on…

It’s been a wee while since we had a Union Terrace Gardens update outside of the Twitter Feed, but there have been some interesting developments today, so here goes:

It appears that local politicians have seen through ACSEF’s rather one-sided ‘public consultation’ and have called for a proper public debate on the matter.  ALL sides of the argument (and local residents) will finally get a chance to air their views. Hallelujah. It’ll take place on Thursday 18 February in the Salvation Army Citadel (which rather ironically overlooks the city’s original ‘civic square’) at 6.30pm. More details on a Facebook event page here…

…and exiled Aberdonian singer Annie Lennox (See? See? Pun justified) has added her name to the ever-growing list of people speaking out against the City Square Project, there are links to her thoughts on the matter here and a BBC story is here.

It’s so sad to think that the original Peacock plans would be well underway by now had Wood and ACSEF not foisted their non-ideas upon us and caused this almighty mess.  Well done…

Update 09/02/10

More coverage of the Annie Lennox story:  Times Online,  Scotsman,  STV,  Press & Journal

Local businessman speaks out on ‘pressure’ to support the City Square plans (P&J) while an editorial from the same newspaper comes out firmly in support of the Wood/ACSEF proposals. Sigh.

Two-thousand and nine was quite a year for Edinburgh’s Dan Wilson AKA Withered Hand, culminating with the release of his first album on SL Records in September.  Recorded by legendary US producer Kramer no less. Ooft. A beautifully crafted, poignant & slightly depraved collection of tales it is too, something those who caught a fleeting glimpse of him supporting Broken Records in Drummonds last year will testify to.  Check the video courtesy of Forest of Black below which features earlier King Creosote-produced song ‘No Cigarettes’  backing footage from last year’s Fence Records Halloween Weekender. It works.

Being, as this is, an unplugged show, there’s an intriguing stripped-down set from Aberdonian Debutant (now of Meursault) on offer as support.  As an added bonus, co-promoters Interesting Music and Vocoustics are donating any profits from the show to the I Heart UTG campaign (you may have noticed lots about the Union Terrace debate on this very site.), and you can check out the What If? exhibition while you’re there.  You’ve all signed the petition of course, right?  Good.

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MnPc1-ClfE4]

Monday: A hush-hush meeting at the Grammar School which was part of ACSEF’s ‘public consultation’.  Thing was hardly anyone was told.  Unless they were specifically invited.  Fair enough, but I reckon our good citizens would relish a proper public debate on the subject.  Two PR people standing in the Trinity Centre (sorry, Mall Trinity) isn’t going to cut it.  Anyway, if anyone reading this was there on Monday, we’d love to hear from you…

Fast-forward to Wednesday and architect Edgar Gonzalez unveiled some alternative plans for UTG at Peacock, a night which was so well attended that it knocks the whole ‘vocal minority’ myth right into the lounge bar of the Cocket Hat. The exhibition is ongoing and is a must see,  check the excellent Urban Realm Scottish architecture site for an overview.

Finally, Friday saw Sir Ian Wood finally put his head above the parapet as part of Brian Taylor’s Big Debate on BBC Radio Scotland.  He got a bit of a roasting to be perfectly honest, despite his claims that below his city square would be ‘like Covent Garden’. So, it’s going to be like Trafalgar/Red/St Mark’s Square on top and like Covent Garden underneath? Aye, right.  MP Anne Begg also went on record as a supporter of the Peacock plans (like any right-minded person), the only politician who didn’t flap around the issue.  Kudos. Listen again to the show here.  The UTG stuff starts at about 22 minutes in and the comedy moment as Wood’s initial statement is applauded solely by an ACSEF board member is far, far better than Del Boy falling through any bar.

Needless to say, the debate continues (and seems to be getting more and more heated).  Bring it on…