An underused stretch of north-east coastline, currently a no-go zone for disabled villagers and a struggle for those with buggies, is to be transformed.
New paths, picnic spots and car parking spaces will be created on the Rivie, at Collieston, with the aimed of increasing its accessibility to those with additional needs, disabilities and young children.
The SUEZ Communities Trust, through the Scottish Landfill Communities Fund, has pledged £22,410 to Collieston Community Development Group to help volunteers revive this part of the village for its 200-odd residents.
The first part of the groups three-phase plan, can now get underway with the creation of paths, parking spaces and picnic spots.
Sally Sheehan, one of the group’s four trustees, said: “The Rivie, land behind the community centre, has been unused for 20-odd years.
“It’s not an area that people would have known to go out on, but it’s actually a dramatic piece of headland looking out to sea, to Aberdeen and along the coast.
“We want to develop accessible paths over that area so that people with additional needs and wheelchairs can enjoy this wide expanse safely.
“We still want the area to retain the feel of being in the wild.
“We’ll add seating to a flattened space right on the headland too, meaning people can sit in complete isolation looking out to sea.”
Mrs Sheehan, a retired community worker and secretary of the community council, added that the plan will also address a lack of visitor parking in the area – a problem highlighted by an influx of extra visitors to Collieston this summer, despite coronavirus measures.
Phases two and three of the development will add fully-accessible exercise equipment along the paths, together with wild flower meadows and other enhancements.
The development group, formed as an incorporated charity around three years ago, has been praised at Holyrood by north-east MSP Gillian Martin, who hailed its “vital efforts” in a motion to the Scottish Parliament.
“Making the area usable for the local community – particularly as an outside space – is now more than important than ever,” she said.
“I would like to congratulate the group on their success and I look forward to visiting when the work is complete.”