Efforts to enhance the visitor experience at one of Perth”s most popular beauty spots are continuing.
Almost £500,000 has already been invested at the Kinnoull Hill woodland park and now a community cafe and toilets are adding to the on-site attractions.
The new facility has been opened by the Giraffe community interest company.
A spokesman for Perth and Kinross Council said, “The new facility follows on from the implementation of nearly £500,000 of investment in the park over the past seven years, which has opened up new paths, carried out forestry conservation work and installed on-site interpretation including the extremely popular wildwood safari sculpture trail.
“One of the principal views put forward during consultation with the public was that Kinnoull needed toilet and refreshment provision.”
The spokesman said a cash injection from the Perth and Kinross Countryside Trust had helped to fund the initiative.
“The council’s ranger service has worked in partnership with the Giraffe community interest company in Perth to develop a small area of the shed, which is owned by Forestry Commission Scotland, near the Jubilee car park into a small catering concession for use by park visitors,” he continued.
Giraffe is a not-for-profit social enterprise company that runs premises on South Street in Perth and in several parks in the county.
The organisation provides opportunities for disadvantaged adults to help their progression into mainstream employment.
The new cafe, staffed by Giraffe volunteers, will serve a selection of refreshments and light snacks. The newly refurbished toilets in the shed will also be open.
“Refreshments will be available 11am to 5pm seven days a week until the end of September as a pilot to gauge how successful the project is,” the council spokesman said.
Councillor Alan Grant, convener of the council’s environment committee, said, “I am delighted that we have been able to secure funding and the support of the various partners involved to enable the opening of this concession.
“We are all looking forward to more users visiting over the summer to enjoy the invigorating views at the park and make use of the new facilities.”