The Future of Parklea
New Community Hub For 2024
With support from the council, Parklea Branching Out secured £1.1 million from the Scottish Government’s Regeneration Capital Grant Fund (RCGF) in late 2021 to help bring their plans to fruition, in addition to other external funds and use of reserves.
However due to rising prices, the overall cost has gone up leaving a shortfall of just over £400,000.
In order to ensure the development goes ahead, the council has agreed to provide £200k which will be match-funded by the government.
As part of the project, improvements will be made to existing facilities and outdoor areas and allow for the creation of a new building featuring a meeting space, accessible toilets and a community café. There will be an adjacent garden retail space and a changing places toilet.
This Community Hub project as received part funding to the value of £80K from the UK Government through the Levelling Up Fund.
Community and Place theme – “Improvements to the natural environment and green and open space which could include community gardens, watercourses and embankments, along with incorporating natural features into wider public spaces.”
Foundations are in
Frame going in
17 Aug Through the arch
17 Aug Framework continues
7 Sept - the walls are going up
New signage acknowledging the team effort
29 Nov The sun is shining and we are well on our way
11 Jan 24. The glass walls are in
11 Jan 24. The grounds are being cleared
24 Jan The rain has finally stopped. Lots of ground has been cleared for our landscaping to start.
7 Feb 24 The scaffolding is down!
Nearly there. 27th March
Looking to the past - linking to the future
We are delighted to announce that, thanks to National Lottery Players, we have been awarded a grant by The National Lottery Heritage Fund to deliver a project exploring the history of our Port Glasgow site.
The new community hub, currently under construction at Parklea, presents the ideal opportunity to explore the long history of the site, which started life as an orchard.
The project will also investigate the history of the timber ponds next to Parklea.
The support from the National Lottery Heritage Fund will allow us to delve into local history and interact with the broader community through historical explorations. The initiative will also forge connections to the future for Parklea by showcasing discoveries and establishing a digital archive.
This heritage project, spanning approximately 18 months, will encompass a range of activities for our clients, such as photography, historical research at the James Watt Institution, an archaeology project, and art classes, in addition to collaborating with local community groups to gather historical insights. The findings will be exhibited on-site and preserved in a digital format for posterity.
We have started with art and photography classes, allowing participants with a range of disabilities and needs to develop new skills. These classes had a focus on the history of the area, in particular the Timber Ponds and local shop building history. We have had trips to Dumbarton Maritime Museum and the James Watt Institution. They were a great success and some of the results can be seen below.
