Grateful Dingwall residents told: 'This is your bridge'; Poignant opening of James' Bridge pays tribute to 'a man who loved Dingwall'
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A TOUCHING tribute to "a man who loved Dingwall" has handed Ross-shire's county town a poignant Christmas gift.
And as the late James Blake's father Philip opened the new link across the town's canal standing next to his son's widow, Sarah, he told a gathering of around 100 locals: "It is your bridge."
Mr Blake ended the two-year impasse which saw the previous link closed by Highland Council of health and safety grounds by funding a purpose-built replacement from his own pocket in tribute to his son.
Mr Blake said: "James loved Dingwall and he loved its people and he had many friends here. He lived in a cottage just down the road with his wife Sarah and he loved this place. And he was, like many of you, outraged when the bridge was condemned and we weren’t allowed to walk across it.
“So it is very fitting that the bridge should be dedicated to him and it is donated to you the people of Dingwall – it is your bridge."
Tragically, James died at the age of just 33 this year after suffering from a neurological condition. The bridge now named after him is in an area where he loved to walk.
Sarah Blake insisted the bridge be a celebration of her late husband's life:"James would have been absolutely delighted at it being replaced in his memory. He was complaining about it being closed because we came here to walk a lot – after dinner we would come here for a little walk. It is the perfect way to remember him."
Mr Blake paid tribute to Dingwall Community Council's Jack Shepherd and Nigel Greenwood, amongst others, who negotiated bureaucracy and helped lay the foundations for the new link, which puts the hugely popular Around Dingwall walk back into commission. he said: "You would not believe how difficult it is in putting a bridge up, even like this in the public interest."
Mr Blake thanked Gary Bain for the ground work, tree surgeon Simon Logan, the local sawmill and WoodBlocX staff and CTS bridges from Huddersfield for "a wonderful bridge".
Tributes quickly followed on social media. "What a lovely thing to do, and a great memory to his son," said Donna Kinnear.
"Lovely tribute to a young man and we walkers of Dingwall are so grateful," added Gillian Galloway. Katrine Fraser wrote: "I was so glad I went to see this. What a lovely tribute to a young man taken too soon."
Nikki Burdekin wrote: "What a wonderful thing to do - thank you."
Dingwall and Seaforth councillor Graham Mackenzie was delighted at its reopening. He said: “The number of people who turned out is testimony to how popular this route is around Dingwall and it's been a great community effort, spearheaded by Jack Shepherd and the community council.
“So a tremendous amount of credit is due to them but at the same time it is an amazing act of generosity from Phil Blake in memory of his much-loved son and it is something Dingwall can enjoy for many years to come.”
