Queen's Park changing rooms to be transformed into community garden
Environmental charity, South Seeds, has been handed a 25-year-lease by Glasgow City Council
Old changing rooms at Queen’s Park recreation ground will be leased by an environmental group with plans for a community garden.
Council staff have given the green light for South Seeds to be handed a 25-year lease at £750 per year.
The charity intends to create a fenced garden for local residents and provide skills workshops, exercise classes and gardening activities from the site.
Council papers also reveal the organisation would redevelop the changing rooms and have the option to sub-let a takeaway kiosk on the land.
'Transformational'
Manager of South Seeds, Lucy Gillies, said: "We're going to transform this building so that it can be used by the community.
"There's to be an outside space, inside space, and there are going to be facilities and kiosk for hot drinks.
"We're hoping that this will bring this corner of the recreational grounds back to life.
"The transformation will definitely start this summer, it might not be fully completed but it'll definitely be a useable space by next summer.
"We started this process 5 years ago to try and save this building, and we're absolutely delighted that it can now be transformed.
"We're hoping it'll be a place where people can learn new skills and meet others in the community, and hopefully prevent any further antisocial behaviour because it will be in use."
'Bring new life to the building'
Cllr Ruairi Kelly, the council’s convener for neighbourhood services and assets, said the deal shows how the PMGC programme can “empower local people and organisations in terms of greater involvement in the delivery of community services”.
“South Seeds are a group who have been doing good community work and are now looking to bring new life to a building that has been unused for over twenty years,” he added.
A council report stated: “Previously used in connection with the adjacent sports pitches, the subjects have been out of regular use for more than 20 years and the site has been declared surplus by Glasgow City Council.
“South Seeds is an experienced local organisation that intends to enable people from the local community to live more sustainable lives by providing various activities including skills workshops and gardening activities.”
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