The proposed name for the new £22.3million Third Don Crossing as chosen by pupils in two neighbouring primary schools is the Diamond Bridge.
A report to be considered by Aberdeen City Council’s Communities, Housing and Infrastructure committee at a meeting tomorrow (Tuesday, May 17) has recommended that members approve the name for the newly-constructed bridge crossing the River Don.
The youngsters from Danestone and Riverbank Schools were asked to vote for their preferred bridge name from an approved shortlist.
A total of 441 pupils participated in the ballot - 247 from Danestone Primary School and 194 from Riverbank Primary School. The voting papers were counted and Diamond Bridge received 46.5% of the votes. St Machar’s Bridge was second with 14.7% of the votes.
The names on the shortlist were:
- Diamond Bridge – to reflect the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee in 2012, which marked the 60th anniversary of the accession of Queen Elizabeth II on 6 February 1952. The Royal Family has extensive connections with Aberdeen and the surrounding area including Balmoral Castle. There is also a connection through HMS Diamond, a Royal Navy Type 45 destroyer which is twinned with Aberdeen. The 8,500-tonne warship docked into the city in November to host community events and for Remembrance Sunday.
- Gordon’s Mills Bridge – The Gordon’s Paper Mill was on the South of the River. The new bridge takes access from Gordon’s Mill Road on the South side.
- New Grandholm Bridge - Grandholm Bridge is an existing structure to the west of the new bridge. It is under private ownership. There is also Grandholm Footbridge.
- Gordon Bridge - In reference to the Gordon Highlanders, Gordon Constituency on the north side of the River Don and Gordon’s Mills historically on the south side.
- St Machar’s Bridge – After the Celtic Saint whose name is associated with the local area.
- Marischal Bridge – After Marischal College, the current headquarters of Aberdeen City Council. Marischal College was named after the the Earl Marischal, a title created in the peerage of Scotland for William Keith (c.1458) and has been held heritably by the Keith family. The role of Marischal was to serve as custodian of the Royal Regalia of Scotland and to protect the Kings person when attending parliament.
- Third Don - Historically referred to as the Third Don Crossing as a project and in the media. The Bridge will however be the eighth bridge over the River Don within the City bounds. The reason for the name has been lost over time but it may be in reference to the bridge being the third crossing from the mouth of the Don, after the Bridge of Don and the Brig O’Balgownie
- Elphinstone Bridge – After William Elphinstone (1431 – 1514) Bishop of Aberdeen and founder of Aberdeen University.
- The Cruives Bridge - the area is known as “The Cruives”; these are deep pools where the salmon rest.