Dundee City Council has promised that a £2.2 million regeneration of the City Square will not interfere with this year’s university graduation ceremonies.
Work is currently being carried out to transform the City Square, but it is unlikely the construction work will be completed before Dundee University’s graduation ceremonies on June 18-21.
Dundee and Abertay universities hold their graduation ceremonies in the Caird Hall, and it is traditional for students and their families to congregate in the square before and after graduation ceremonies.
However, there are fears the works could distract from the occasion. One Dundee father, who asked not to be named, said he is concerned the construction work could ruin the atmosphere of his son’s graduation day.
“Having graduated at the Caird Hall myself and been to ceremonies for my other children, there is definitely a certain atmosphere in the City Square as it starts to fill up before the ceremony and afterwards,” he said.
“I think it will definitely affect the atmosphere, but if they need to do up the City Square then I guess it is just one of those things.”
Once construction work is completed, the square will boast soft landscaping and improved drainage.
The project will also see the steps and wheelchair ramp leading up to the Caird Hall replaced.All the work is being carried out by Tayside Contracts and Kilmac Construction.
New water and electrical supply surface boxes will also be installed to make it easier for market stalls to operate in the square,
Plans to upgrade the City Square were first announced at the start of last year but construction work did not begin until January.
A council spokesman said the work will be completed by the end of June, which means it will still be ongoing when Dundee University students graduate.
The Abertay University graduations will not take place until the following month so should be unaffected. Dundee College’s ceremony will not take place until October 31.
However, the city council spokesman said there will be still be room to congregate in the City Square before and after June’s graduation ceremonies.
He said: “The works at the City Square are scheduled to finish at the end of June.
“The works programme was created specifically to ensure there will be areas of newly laid paving on which students, parents and friends can gather before and after the graduations.”
A Dundee University spokesman said they had no plans to move the graduation ceremonies.