The Courier & Advertiser (Fife Edition)
Station opening is sign of ‘new Dundee’
New station is hailed as a great building presenting city’s best face to visitors
Dundee’s new £38 million railway station finally opened yesterday – an event heralded as “concrete evidence” of the city’s bright new future.
More than two and a half years in-themaking — including months of delays — the station features a modern, sleek design, with a large entrance lobby, and a 120-bedroom Sleeperz hotel.
In a big week for the city, it will be followed by the opening of one of the area’s most ambitious renovation projects: the transformation of the former Baxter Brothers jute mill on Constable Street into the £23 million Hotel Indigo (see facing page).
Both Sleeperz and Hotel Indigo have succeeded in opening in time for the influx of golf fans when the Open in Carnoustie starts on Thursday July 19.
Originally scheduled to open last autumn,thestation’scompletiondatewas pushed back three times due to a series of issues.
Dundee-based sub-contractor Scottish Electric Group collapsed, while severe winter weather earlier this year also contributed to delays.
At the official opening of the railway station, Lord Provost Ian Borthwick said it is symbolic of the regeneration of the city.
He said: “This building is concrete evidence of the new Dundee: a city that is getting fairer, more resilient and where there are opportunities for all of our young people.
“The opening of the new railway station is a move towards creating a strong and sustainable city economy that will raise the quality of life and improve the environment.
“It is a great building that will present our best face to first-time and repeat visitors.”
The council’s director of city development, Mike Galloway, said the delivery of the project was a “huge challenge”.
He said: “It has been almost 20 years now since the idea of a new station was mooted.
“First impressions of a place really, really count. We wanted visitors to have a much better picture of Dundee than before.
“It’s not been without its difficulties. In the early stages it was very much touch and go.
“The council’s decision to underwrite the project was pivotal. I don’t know if there are many other councils in the UK that would have done that.
“We get invited to conferences often to share the story on how this was achieved. Councils across the UK are really interested to know how we did it.”
Joe FitzPatrick, minister for public health and sport and SNP MP for Dundee West, said: “The revitalised Dundee Station creates a gateway to the city and is an excellent example of how the industry can work in partnership with the public and private sector to deliver to wider regeneration goals.”
The station is the latest site to be completed in the city’s £1 billion waterfront transformation.
The flagship attraction, the £80.1m V&A Museum, opens on September 15.