The Noble’s Park bandstand has been renamed in honour of Ian Clague, who recently retired from Douglas Council after 37 years’ service.
The borough engineer and surveyor was instrumental in having the bandstand placed in the Villa Marina Gardens to mark the Council’s Centenary in 1996. And since its move to Noble’s Park it has been regularly used by a number of local brass bands.
Douglas Mayor Sara Hackman said Mr Clague served the Council diligently throughout his career, adding: ‘He has been in that post longer than I and most of my colleagues have been members of the Council, and it is with sadness that we see him go, because we have lost a reliable point of reference.
‘His advice has always been readily given, and based on the sound precept that whatever the Council does should be for the benefit of the people of Douglas and the Isle of Man.’
She added: ‘Ian has always made time for his interest in the promotion of music for young people, particularly in the sphere of brass bands.
‘His enthusiastic pursuit of excellence in this field, as a very early member of the Manx Youth Band and Manx Concert Brass, later as musical director, led to him being awarded the MBE in 2000.’