The Courier & Advertiser (Perth and Perthshire Edition)
Pupils adept at art of flood prevention
Two Broughty Ferry youngsters enjoyed a sneak preview of decorative floodgates based on their artwork.
Martha Crosbie, 12, and Joseph Spielmann, also 12, both of Grove Academy, were among the first to see the gates, which will form part of the town’s £15 million flood defences.
Their designs were selected through a competition run by local engineering firm Mclaughlin & Harvey, which is creating the Broughty Ferry floodwall.
Pupils from local schools were asked to participate and the winning designs were chosen from 300 entries then sent to manufacturer Metaltech.
Gates will be placed at both ends of the Broughty Ferry floodwall which will run from Douglas Terrace along to the RNLI station in Fisher Street.
They will be used to close the footpath during stormy or severe weather and will remain in an open position at all other times.
Installation is likely to take place later this month and for Martha’s mum Lindsay it will mark a family tradition of public artwork in the city.
Lindsay’s dad Alistair Smart, Martha’s grandfather, produced the initial design for the Dundee Dragon sculpture in the city centre, which was later enhanced by Tony Morrow.
And Alistair also designed the Whale’s Teeth sculpture at Pole Park Road.
Martha, who was a P7 pupil at Forthill Primary School when she drew her entry, said: “I chose to draw swans, dolphins, patterns and the castle, inspired by Broughty Ferry because I thought those are the things which are most recognisable here.”
Joseph, who was in P7 at Eastern Primary School when he drew his design, said: “I drew the castle. Most people were drawing dolphins but to me the castle is the most iconic thing about Broughty Ferry.
“I was surprised when they said I won and I was told they were going to make a gate out of it.”