Glasgow 2014 'Big G' Makes Permanent Return

Some of the best loved and most popular characters that took up residence in Glasgow during the Commonwealth Games are returning to the city as part of the legacy of the Best Games Ever.

The iconic “Big G”, the sculptures of the Games mascot which made up the Clyde trail and the giant floral Clyde displays are all going back on public display it has been confirmed during Legacy Week.

The “Big G”, a 3D sculpture of the Games logo, which was positioned on George Square and provided the backdrop for countless selfies and other images during the Games is to be permanently positioned outside the Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum.

The 3D sculpture is to undergo some preparatory work before it becomes a permanent part of the Glasgow landscape positioned next to the Argyll Street entrance of Kelvingrove which is visited by more than a million people a year.

22 of the lifesize statues of Clyde, each of which has an outfit specially designed by local schoolchildren, will start reappearing at Games venues and public buildings around the city during Legacy Week (March 9 – 15). Each council ward in the city will have one of the fiberglass statues which made up the hugely popular Clyde Trail that delighted people in Glasgow in the lead up to and during the Games. The brightly-painted sculptures were brought to life by Wild in Art using local and national artists.

The much loved giant floral displays of Clyde are also about to make a return to Glasgow in time for visitors to the city during spring and summer to appreciate them at their very best. One is heading back to Glasgow Green where it was seen by hundreds of thousands of people attending the Festival 2014 Live Zone or Games events and a second will be based outside the Riverside Museum on the banks of the River Clyde.

Councillor Gordon Matheson, Leader of Glasgow City Council and Chair of Glasgow City Marketing Bureau said: “No-one who was in Glasgow last summer can be in any doubt just how brightly the city shone on the global stage whilst delivering the Best Ever Games. The whole city came together in one huge celebration of Scotland’s biggest ever sporting and cultural event and the return of the Clyde statues, the floral Clydes and the iconic Big G is yet another highly visible legacy of Glasgow 2014. The city is already reaping huge benefits from Games legacy and we remain determined to maintain the momentum already generated.”

Commonwealth Games venues such as Hampden Stadium, Emirates Arena, Tollcross International Swimming Centre and Scotstoun Sport Campus will each house one of the Clyde Trail sculptures. Glasgow City Chambers, Kelvingrove Art Gallery, Tramway, Pollok Civic Realm, Hillhead, Partick, Baillieston, Cardonald and Pollokshaws Libraries will also be home to a statue. Glasgow Club Castlemilk, Bellahouston, Donald Dewar, Maryhill, and Springburn as well as The Bridge in Easterhouse, Milton Community Campus, Toryglen Regional Football Centre and Whitehill Pool complete the list of venues for Clyde statues.

Legacy Week (9-15 March) is an opportunity for communities, organisations and individuals across the city to highlight the work and achievements of their Games related-projects, demonstrating the lasting and positive impact they are having on people’s lives.

It’s a chance to celebrate our legacy success so far and look to the future as we continue to encourage participation in these projects that help to make our city healthier, greener and more prosperous for all of our citizens.

Supported by Glasgow City Council, Legacy Week, will show that hosting the Glasgow 2014 Commonwealth Games was much more than putting on a sporting event, it has changed our city for the better and will benefit us for years to come. #GamesLegacyGlasgow