West Fife’s £100,000 Garden for Heroes is on track to be open by Remembrance Day, despite a major setback.
It had been hoped the garden a place of quiet contemplation and reflection for all those who have lost a loved one would have been chosen as a community project by the team at the BBC’s popular Beechgrove Garden.
However, the project was dealt a major blow when it failed to get through the selection process, when the TV company had to whittle down 12 possible initiatives to a final four that would be helped by the TV gardeners.
Area services manager Joe McGuinness told the City of Dunfermline committee that taking part in the process had “stunted” work a bit.
“They visited every project before deciding on the final four and they decided against the Garden for Heroes.
“The reason is that part of the challenge for the Beechgrove Garden is pulling together funding and resources and we were seen to have fairly healthy resources and financial input.”
In a way, the project which received funding from the City of Dunfermline, Cowdenbeath and south west Fife area committees, was a victim of its own success.
“Effectively, we were well in advance of other projects. But it really impressed the producers and they want to come back and do some filming to see its progress,” added Mr McGuinness.
But despite this early setback, the project is now back on schedule and the team is confident the garden, lying close to the First and Second World War memorials in the shadow of Dunfermline’s historic abbey, will be ready for Armistice Day in November.
“In terms of waiting for a decision, we lost a wee bit of time but we are quite comfortable we are back on stream,” said Mr McGuinness.
Councillor Bob Young said: “It is unfortunate about the Beechgrove Garden,” adding with a laugh: “We were too well organised.”
A design has been agreed for the garden and work is ongoing. The scheme has been planned in conjunction with the families of fallen soldiers, the Royal British Legion, The Black Watch Society and Co-operative Funeral Service.
The Co-operative has agreed to donate a memorial stone as a central feature of the garden and families will work with it to choose an appropriate design.
Although the garden took flight following a suggestion by one military family from the area who had lost a loved one, it was quickly expanded to embrace everyone in the community who had suffered a bereavement.
Linda Buchanan and Kelly Mason lost their son and brother, Corporal Tam Mason, 27, of Rosyth. He died from injuries sustained in a bomb blast in Afghanistan. The women have campaigned for the Garden for Heroes to be created.
Mr Young said: “It is now a Garden for Heroes whomever your hero may be.”
Committee chairman Mike Rumney said: “This was never intended to be a war memorial. It is a garden of contemplation; we have stuck to that throughout the whole process. It is for contemplation and quiet reflection.”
Councillor Helen Law said she looked forward to the garden coming to fruition. “It is a fabulous site,” she added.
Councillor Joe Rosiejak agreed the project was “fabulous” and found it touching to listen to families whose loved one had paid the ultimate sacrifice in service of their country.
Photo by David Wardle