First Minister Nicola Sturgeon officially opened a new £4 million visitor centre in Highland Perthshire.
The SNP politician attended the launch of Scottish and Southern Energy’s (SSE) Pitlochry Dam Visitor Centre, along with members of the Scottish Cabinet, prior to the group holding a meeting at Pitlochry Festival Theatre on Monday.
The meeting was open to the public and followed previous Scottish Cabinet visits outside Edinburgh, which has included similar events in Dumfries, Aberdeen and Alloa.
In a poignant tribute to the engineers whose bravery helped build hydro schemes as Pitlochry in the 1950s, some of the original ‘Tunnel Tigers’ (labourers) were present at the official opening of the visitor centre.
Ms Sturgeon, John Swinney, Deputy First Minister and MSP for Perthshire North, joined Alistair Phillips-Davies, SSE’s chief executive, to unveil a commemorative plaque to the historic hydro workers.
Building on SSE’s hydro heritage, the energy company decided to open a new free-to-visit centre to showcase the engineering revolution which brought power to the glens for the first time.
The new £4m visitor centre is cantilevered eight metres out from the banks of the River Tummel, providing breathtaking views of Pitlochry dam, hydro station and Loch Faskally. It also has a 60-seat café and multi-purpose space suitable for educational visits.
The centre will create up to 17 jobs, and is aiming to attract 88,000 visitors in its first year of opening.
Visitors to the centre can learn the story of the Tunnel Tigers, with the exhibition also outlining the history of hydro-electricity and the impact of bringing power to Highland Perthshire.
First Minister Nicola Sturgeon described the new visitor centre as “outstanding” and a “major boost” for tourism in Highland Perthshire.
“Pitlochry Dam is already a popular visitor attraction, so it is fitting that this spectacular new building not only enjoys great views on to the Dam, it also tells the rich story of Scotland’s hydro revolution in an engaging and informative way,” she said.
“The project is testament to SSE’s commitment to the town and I am delighted to officially open the centre.”
And Mr Phillips-Davies added: “SSE is very proud of its hydro heritage and we all owe a huge debt of gratitude to the pioneers and Tunnel Tigers whose endeavour helped create this network of tunnels, dams and hydro stations in the 1950s which still powers homes today.
“This is a key chapter in Scotland’s social and engineering history and we felt we had a duty to tell that story.”
“It is a privilege for all of us to meet some of the hydro men who left such a lasting legacy and we should all celebrate their achievements.”
He continued: “When Pitlochry Dam and Power Station was first given the go-ahead there were fears it would lead to the ruination of tourism. In fact some 550,000 people cross the dam here every year and we’re hoping this new visitor centre will be a popular attraction for the Pitlochry area.”
One of the original Tunnel Tigers from Donegal, John ‘Gonna’ O’Donnell, had flown in from Ireland especially for the official opening.
He commented: “Today is a fitting and lasting tribute to the men who built the dams. Future generations can come to this stunning visitor centre and hear our hydro story for themselves.
“My first role was a spanner man. It was a tough job which involved holding the drill machine for the four men working above me.
“Sometimes if I close my eyes I can still feel the tumbling rocks coming down on my bare knuckles and the noise of drilling was deafening. It was hard going, but it was work and for that I was grateful.”
Councillor Ian Miller, leader of Perth and Kinross Council, gave an opening speech at the Scottish Cabinet meeting, held later in the day.
