Town all set to get its first Islamic centre
New lease of life for eyesore EK site
East Kilbride’s first Islamic community centre will open its doors at the former Calderwood Library.
The News can reveal the singlestorey building at Alison Lea will operate as an education centre and place of worship for the town’s Muslim community when its £260,000 renovation is completed later this month.
The former library and community hall – which has been closed since 2015 due to council budget cuts – was bought over by registered charity Dawat-e-Islami UK last summer.
As well as educating locals on Islam, Jumuah prayers will be held at the centre on Friday afternoons.
Community representative Ansar Mahmood told the News this week the Muslim community of East Kilbride are delighted to now have a dedicated space to learn and pray after hiring out Westwood community hall for several years.
Mr Mahmood, a well-kent face in the town after running the Old Coach Road newsagent for 25 years, said: “The centre will be an Islamic education and community hub for children and adults.
“East Kilbride has a large Muslim community and there is nothing like this here so this centre will be the first of its kind run by a committee of local families.
“This is good for our community as it is a focal point for us to meet and for the children to get their religious education and it is in an ideal location – East Kilbride is a great place to live and work.”
The dilapidated eyesore building, which shares a car park with the Alison Lea Medical Centre, was earmarked for closure as part of the £20 million savings the council needed to make to balance their books in the 2015/16 budget.
Extensive renovations were required to bring the building up to scratch after severe water damage destroyed the foundations.
“We were hoping to be open for 110618mosque_01 Ramadan but sadly it was not possible with so much work needing done to the building,” said local cabbie Mr Mahmood.
“Building and renovation works have totalled £260,000 so 90 per cent of the building is brand new.
“Most of the internal work is done; it’s just external works which need to be completed so we hope to be open in a couple of weeks.”
East Kilbride East councillor Jim Wardhaugh welcomed the development and said: “I’m extremely happy this former eyesore is being used for a community purpose.
“The owners have invested a lot of money into it which people don’t tend to do unless there is a need for it.”
Committee members are planning to hold an open day for the entire community to come along and see what has been done.
Mr Mahmood added: “We’ve had a really positive response from people in the community.
“Rev John Brewster approached us recently and said he was very happy with what we are doing here.”