Kids to vote on Third Don Crossing name

Local schoolkids are to decide the name of the Third Don Crossing.

The list of potential names for the new £18million project have been send to pupils at the two primary schools at both sides of the bridge for them to vote on.

The youngsters at Riverbank and Danestone Schools have been given the choice of names and the most popular suggestion will then be ratified at a later Aberdeen City Council committee.

Here is the list:-

· Diamond Bridge – to reflect the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee in 2012, which marked the 60th anniversary of the accession of Queen <a class="article-body-link" href="http://email.precise.uk/c/eJwVjsEKwjAQRL-mOYZuNt3WQw4KCr3qB0hMtia0NKVJEfx6Iww8Zg4z4w1rx24S0agWqEUAUDC0JBVVSByQoNHttrOLmeUxi2CGSSvNVr8YVa970qfOoyJNQHSauBcXW1x4xC8bBLGYUMqWGzw36lbFq_zEOW7so5Vpf9fo7yuuS_zaF5fwHEexm5U_uU6vaS8hp2P10qX_gWLuvLDNPPpaCoDY_QAmHzw2 "Elizabeth II"">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;

· Elphinstone Bridge – After William Elphinstone (1431 – 1514) Bishop of Aberdeen and founder of Aberdeen University;

· 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;

· The Cruives Bridge - the area is known as “The Cruives”; these are deep pools where the salmon rest.

Aberdeen City Council Finance, Policy and Resources vice-convener Councillor Ross Thomson said: “We hope the pupils will have fun learning about the historical aspects to the different names – it was interesting for me to find out more about the local area around the bridge.

“It’s been great to see progress on the bridge and people living and working on both sides of the River Don will see a big difference in getting around their part of the city when it’s opened.

“The bridge project will transform for local residents and visitors getting around Aberdeen, along with commuters travelling in and out of the city on a daily basis.”

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