Council agrees £500,000 funding award for Govanhill Baths

A council has agreed a £500,000 funding award to support plans to bring swimming back to a former Edwardian baths.

The funding, awarded by Glasgow City Council to Govanhill Baths Community Trust, will go towards a £6.68 million plan to reopen the former ladies' and learner pools at the south side facility.

It is hoped the decision by the authority's city administration committee will lead to other funding bodies working with the trust to provide financial backing for the project.

If the trust achieves its £6.68 million target, it will be able to complete Phase 1B of their restoration plan of the Edwardian baths built in 1917.

As well as opening the two smaller pools at the baths, the plan involves ensuring the building is wind and watertight.

The proposal will also include the opening of other facilities such as a Turkish spa, a gymnasium, a community kitchen and an events and arts space.

Re-opening the main swimming pool remains the longer term goal of the trust which has been fighting to keep the facility open since 2001.

Councillor Kenny McLean, city convener for neighbourhoods, housing and public realm, said: “A huge amount of progress has been made with the business case for Govanhill Baths as a long term project.

“Govanhill Baths Community Trust is now able to put forward a far more robust proposal that points towards a sustainable future for the baths.

“On this basis I am very pleased that our proposal to provide the trust with significant funding for the next phase of their project has been agreed.

“I am very hopeful this funding will encourage the other funders the trust has been working with to commit fully to backing Govanhill Baths.''

The baths were closed in 2001 as the former Labour-run authority said they were not being used enough.

In 2002, one of the pools was re-opened and used in a National Theatre production, Lifeguard.

The baths have since been used for theatre music and arts events, and more recently as a wedding venue.

The fundraising effort for the trust has been boosted by a community shares issue, which has attracted £70,000.

Decisions on future funding bids to the Regeneration Capital Grant Fund and the Heritage Lottery Fund are due in March next year and could bring the trust a total of £2.4 million.

Fatima Uygun, trust manager of Govanhill Baths Community Trust, said: “We are delighted that the city administration committee has decided to fund our project.

“This is vital to the completion of the project and we are very grateful to the council and city government for their continued support.

“The restoration of the facilities in Govanhill is crucial to our community. The city government have promised to 'let good things happen' and they are certainly putting their money where their mouth is.''

If the funding target is achieved, work on Phase 1B of the restoration project could begin in May 2019 ahead of opening in July 2021.