Inspiring project se
by sea. Inveraray’s very own local worthy, DJ (Donald John) MacDonald, was invited to cut the ribbon.
Known affectionately as DJ, the 63-year-old works for Argyll and Bute Council, keeps the streets clean and looks after local amenities, while also being part of Inveraray fire crew.
At his own request, the ribbon was yellow and black, a nod of respect for Inveraray shinty team, of which DJ is an avid supporter and his son “Halfy” plays for.
Linda Divers, a director of Inspire Inveraray, said: “DJ is a local through and through. He takes a lot of photographs and made calendars for us for the last few years to sell for funds for this.
“Donald did so much for us, that’s why we asked him. He is in the fire service, he sweeps the streets, he does a lot of things.”
Speaking about the success of the day, she said: “It’s brilliant, absolutely amazing. I can’t believe the amount of people that have come out for the opening.
“There has been almost five years of hard work. The pier has been closed for 10 years but we didn’t have the chance to do anything about it until Geaspar Byrne, owner of the Inveraray Inn, bought the pier. He gave the community the opportunity to come in and do this.
“We have even had interest from a seaplane, boats have come across from Strachur for today. I think it will make a huge difference. The Vital Spark is here and we believe it will be here for a while.”
DJ told the Advertiser that it felt absolutely outstanding to be asked to perform the ribbon cutting.
He said: “I loved it, I have lived here all my life. I fished down the pier when it was open and that will come again.”
He used a spinner to catch mackerel, cod, haddock, skate and sea trout.
And he added: “The last time the pier was open was for the Commonwealth Games in 2014.
“They tidied it up so that the baton could arrive by boat. It was quite a historic moment.
“When I was young, we used to jump off the wooden bit. You can’t do that now because it hasn’t been dredged. The MOD used to dredge it. HMS Argyll visited when it was commissioned and there were submarines about.”
His mother, Mary, donated the bench that now sits on the pier, overlooking the town.
The wooden extension to the pier is the next stage in the refurbishment plan. It is still closed as it is in an unsafe condition.
Alastair Rodden, Inspire Inveraray director, was looking to the future.
He said: “The next phase is moving on to the wooden bit of the pier, which we have had surveyed already.
“First, we have got to find £100,000 to get match funding for the entire project, which will cost half a million pounds.
“It needs a deck - we need to decide which option to take [for the refurbishment].
“Because it has been shut for so long, there has been no marine traffic to naturally dredge it.
“There has been a great turnout today, people have come from all over.”