The final touches are being made to a £400,000 project to regenerate Mastrick town centre.

Mastrick is one of five town centres in Aberdeen which successfully bid for funding from the Scottish Government's Town Centre Regeneration Fund.

Aberdeen City Council working in partnership with local community groups started working on the bid in July 2009 and secured the main TCRF funding in November 2009 with most of the work completed by June 2010.

The key aim of the Mastrick project has been to create a thriving, sustainable, civic space for shoppers and retailers and to make the shopping centre safer, cleaner and more attractive for everyone.

It was developed under the theme Safer Places, Improved Spaces, initially in response to requests from the community to tackle-anti-social behaviour, repair the neglected pedestrianised area and remove the disused toilet block.

The project is aimed at realising a number of benefits for the local community, including:

* improved feeling of safety and reduction in anti-social activities;


* attractive family spaces where young children can play in safety;

* increased footfall for local businesses;

* improved feeling of safety and reduction in anti-social activities;

* greater environmental awareness in the community;

* reduction in crime.

Aberdeen Lord Provost Peter Stephen and local children will officially launch the Mastrick Improvements on Thursday, 21 October during a celebration event at Mastrick Community Centre organised by Community Learning and Development North.

The work carried out so far has dramatically improved the appearance, accessibility and safety of the area and includes:

* the installation of a new CCTV system;

* provision of improved lighting;

* new play equipment in the park;

* removal of the disused toilet block;

* widening the road access adjacent to the shopping centre;

* improved parking access;

* enhanced recycling centre;

* resurfaced pedestrianised area with a safer restricted vehicle access system;

* creation of new landscaped areas and enhancement of existing areas;

* introduction of handrails.

The funding has also given local shopkeepers the opportunity to join the Safer Aberdeen ShopSafe scheme which helps shopkeepers communicate directly with each other, the police and city wardens via radio link. This is the first time that ShopSafe has been operated outwith the city centre.

The area will also be decorated with discs created by Muirfield Primary School pupils, working with the council's Arts Development tutors, which depict their thoughts about the local environment. The colourful discs will be a lasting feature of the newly regenerated area.

Lord Provost Peter Stephen said: "It is clear to see the change in appearance and prosperity of the area. With the support of community representatives and services these changes will undoubtedly encourage a new sense of civic pride. It is hoped that this will in turn lead to more work and activities aimed at improving the quality of life for local residents."

(GK)