Let’s use the fall of Rome as inspiration

Jan 16 2009 by Our Correspondent, Perthshire Advertiser Friday

Dear Editor, – It would seem that the saga of the City Halls is turning into a real stushie, with even your good self as the Editor of the PA putting your almost weekly penny worth in.

It would also seem you have been “mightily impressed by the sheer number of ideas put forward by those intent on preservation”, (Editorial, Jan 9)...and yes indeed, who can be left in any doubt that many have indeed been letting their imagination run riot.

However given the comment from SNP Councillor Elspeth Maclachlan (January 13), that, ''The City Hall is of such importance that if any changes had to be made to the current plans, it would not simply go to a committee; it would once again have to be brought before the full council”, and in remembering clause 7 of the code of contract which I seem to think all councillors must adhere to, I would have to question the wisdom of any councillor stating their preferred options, and in such a public manner, at this moment in time, although such advice, for some, may already be too late.

However, not wishing to pour cold water on all this proposing and conjecturing, maybe it is worth reminding all concerned, that a dreaming of dreams is the easy bit. Paying for that dream; there's the rub; a rather important detail that all the budding and aspiring landscape, architectural and town planning “geniuses” who have made their views known of late, seem to have failed to fully consider.

Given this country is now facing a period of decline, maybe we should look toward Italy and Rome (the capital of a collapsed civilisation of an earlier age), where on the backs of a similar downer there has arisen out of the ruins, in modern times, a very lucrative and booming tourist industry, most of which have been centred on buildings of antiquity.

So why not take that model as an inspiration and create Perth and Kinross’s very own artistic expression of this country’s decline, by the creation of its own building of antiquity right in the heart of the town.

Given we are half way there in having a basic, very tired and decidedly faded structure of a building already in situ in the shape of the old City Hall, such an idea would be the perfect compromise between those who wish to see the building demolished in its entirety, and those who wish it retained and refurbished for further use.

The transformation and desired effect, by the simple expedient of removal of the roof and most of the internal structure, and a little gentle and artistic re-design to include the partial demolition of sections of the outer four walls could easily be achieved, and at far less cost I would suggest than any of the other options on offer.

Neil McKinnon,

Tulchan Garden,

Glenalmond,

Perth PH1 3SG.