Dundee Caird Hall to be illuminated in £190k plan – and city council wants your view

by · The Courier

The Caird Hall in Dundee will soon be illuminated as councillors approve a £190k plan to improve the city centre at night.

The local authority is developing a lighting masterplan which will identify ‘focal points’ in the city that can be lit up in a bid to “enhance” the area.

London-based firm Arup have been drafted in to review the existing city centre lighting and make recommendations on how best to improve it for locals and visitors.

This has included developing concept designs for the Shore Terrace, Castle Street and Crichton Street elevations of the Caird Hall.

Concept designs of the illumination of Dundee Caird Hall. Image: Arup.

These were approved by the council’s Fair Work, Economic Growth and Infrastructure committee on Monday.

Tayside Contracts street lighting partnership will work alongside Arup to finalise the design and to undertake the installation, commissioning and testing works.

Work is expected to begin in November and take approximately 16 weeks to complete.

Dundee City Council wants your say

Earlier this year, a similar initiative was launched on Exchange Street – with an illuminated street sign and decorative lights installed at the historic cobbled street.

Dundonians are now being asked for their opinions on the project, with DCC launching a survey to gather information on people’s night-time experience in city.

Dundee’s Exchange Street. Image: Mhairi Edwards/DC Thomson.

The questionnaire – which can be accessed online or picked up from the McManus reception – specifically focuses on perception of safety in the city centre.

The questions include:

  • How satisfied are you with the overall appearance of the city centre?
  • How safe do you feel on the city centre streets during the night-time?
  • What comes to mind when you think of the City Centre during the night-time?
  • Is there anything you would want to see improved with the City Centre lighting?

The survey will close at 11:45pm on Friday October 11.