A READER, who joined the Ayr Advertiser’s campaign for a history centre in the town, has sent us her ideas for Ayr’s Riverside.

Gemma Jones, former Outdoor Pursuits Management student at Scotland’s Rural College and Student President drew a plan based on community feedback and archaeological findings.

She explained her discoveries at the public meeting, to discuss the future of Ayr’s Riverside, at Ayr Town Hall last Wednesday, April 18.
Gemma said: “In Ayr it would be nice to see a site where history is preserved for locals and visitors.

“At the Riverside there could be Greenspace, a public garden and somewhere for people to have their lunch. 

“On top of that there is still room for a history centre where the old King’s Arms used to be.

“The tourist office just shut down. We need to inspire people to get involved in their town and create somewhere they can be proud of.”

According to invest South Ayrshire, tourism attracts more than 1.4 million visitors to the region annually. The annual economic benefit is £195.4 million and the industry supports around 4,000 jobs.

Gemma’s designs, which are displayed above, include an archaeological heritage site, which would have steps leading underground to view the remains of the old buildings.

On the east side of the site an element of the council’s plans to have offices is retained - but a heritage centre sits on the ground floor of the building.

A path linking the community garden and greenspace would become a timeline, to be used with augmented reality technology, similar to what is being planned in Girvan.

As visitors walk along they would be able to view an app on their own phones and tablets which would bring up figures linked to Ayr’s past. 

There would be access to the river as well as a water fountain and a mini lawn.

To back the campaign visit www.change.org/p/ayr-advertiser-back-our-petition-for-a-historical-attraction-at-ayr-riverside