Work is poised to get under way on a major project to restore Aberdeen's Victorian Duthie Park to its former glory.

Aberdeen City Council and the Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF) are joint funders of the project which aims to revitalise the historic 44-acre park, encourage even more people to visit, and make it an attractive setting for new activities and events.

The council's Development Management Sub-committee approved five detailed schemes for the park in November 2010. These are:

• reinstatement of the former circular pond and paths; recreation of the historic terracing south of the obelisk; restoration of the road inside the southern boundary to its original width.

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• restoration of the pavilion and the addition of a disabled ramp; conversion of the disused tennis courts to community gardens; creation of a new community events green.

• restoration of the linked lakes; creation of a Scottish lochan in the middle pond; restoration of the stone shelter, with reinstatement of the original castellated roof; reformation of paths and steps near the lower pond.

• restoration of boundary features, railings, missing granite pillars and gates at the main park entrances; alterations to the car park to change the layout and increase capacity to approximately 75 spaces.

• restoration of the mound area to its original profile and layout; formation of a spiral footpath and summit flagpole; restoration of the original footpaths; removal of non-original paths; creation of a biodiversity path in the woodland area at the north-west corner of the park.

Hunter Construction (Aberdeen) Limited was awarded the contract for the project, while engineering and environmental consultants URS will oversee design. They were each selected following rigorous tendering processes.

Restoration work is due to begin today with the project scheduled to be completed by December [2012].

(GK)