Elgin family firm rocks with entrance sign donation
A huge boulder uncovered during groundworks for the new Linkwood Primary School in Elgin has been recycled to provide an imposing entrance to the development.
The massive rock was uncovered in the early stages of the Moray Council project and staff decided to use it as a striking feature for the new school.
Local businessman Paul Henderson, of the family-owned Elgin Marble Company, stepped in to donate and install a granite sign on the giant stone.
The £12.8 million school was delivered by hub North Scotland with Balfour Beatty as main contractors and the completed building handed over to the Moray Council on 8th December.
Mr Henderson and his nephew John Ross, who also works for the family firm, fitted the new sign shortly before Christmas.
Ewen Fowlie, the hub North Scotland project director for the development, said the boulder was dug up during excavations and would have normally been crushed and reused on site.
He explained: “When it was suggested to use it as a feature instead, everyone agreed it was a great idea. The offer by Paul and his team to donate and fit a sign was a wonderful gesture by a local business and underlines how the school project has captured the imagination of the south Elgin community.”
Paul Henderson said: “The new school is going to make a huge difference for families in south Elgin, and, as a local family business, we were delighted to make a small contribution towards that. It was a very hard rock, a lot harder than we normally deal with, but we are pleased with the result.”
The current Linkwood pupils have been using an annexe at East End primary school and have already moved out in preparation to start in the new building once current Covid-19 restrictions are eased.
The new building will be able to cater for up to 476-pupils with 40 nursery places and 12 Additional Support Needs places. It has been constructed to cater for the influx of new housing developments in south Elgin.
Our photographs show Linkwood head teacher Fiona Stevenson, Paul Henderson and his daughter Sally Henderson with the completed sign and John Ross during the installation.