Esh Border ConstructionEsh Border Construction welcomed a group of school-children to Edinburgh’s Calton Hill development after the youngsters created a series of unique artworks for the historic City Observatory site.

Pupils from Abbeyhill and Leith Walk Primary School worked with artist Tessa Lynch to produce the panorama charcoal drawings which will be displayed on hoardings around the project.

They were delivered to Esh Border Construction Contract Manger Steven Kelly earlier this week.

Steven said: “We are very proud to be involved with the re-birth of the historic City Observatory site at Calton Hill and were delighted to welcome the Abbeyhill and Leith Walk school-children to the site.

“Their drawings are fantastic and are indicative of the type of creative work which will be born out of this fantastic project.”

The drawings were inspired by artist Robert Barker’s iconic Panorama of Edinburgh from Calton Hill, 1792. Before completing them primary four to seven pupils visited Calton Hill and made observational drawings from the Hill, then worked together in a follow-up workshop in classroom to produce the panoramas.

Livingston-based Esh Border Construction is working with Edinburgh City Council and Collective, a non-profit visual art organisation which will manage the site when it opens in 2018, on the £3 million project’
As well as taking delivery of the drawings Steven also handed over a cheque to Collective from Esh Border Construction’s bursary scheme – Esh Communities.

Kate Gray, Director of Collective said: “We’ve been working with the schools in our local area, Abbeyhill and Leith Walk primary, since 2015. We are developing long term relationships with the schools in our neighbourhood, with an aim that over time the pupils feel like Collective is very much a place for them, and our new home on Calton Hill is a place where they can keep returning to learn in ways which are both informative and fun.

“We’re also delighted to receive this support from Esh Border Construction for our schools learning programme.”

The site – which is credited as being the 19th century ‘birthplace of astronomy and timekeeping in Edinburgh’ – will be opened-up for public use, with a new restaurant and gallery space.