Fix this eyesore
A NEW campaign has been launched demanding the restoration of the historic Tollcross Winter Gardens, badly damaged by a storm six years ago.
Almost 2000 people have signed a petition calling for work to be carried out on the former visitor attraction, which is now in a derelict state.
It reads: “Anyone that lives in Glasgow will tell you with how much affection our parks are regarded. They have served as an escape from the city and a place to socialise and relax for generations.
“That is why when I was in Tollcross Park recently I was extremely saddened to see one of the crown jewels of our parks has been closed and allowed to fall into a shocking state of repair.
“The Tollcross Winter Gardens is a stunning B-listed Victorian conservatory that was once much loved by the surrounding community.”
The greenhouse closed after being damaged during the storms of December 2010/January 2011. It is presently on the register of buildings at risk in Scotland.
A decade earlier it underwent a £1.9million refurbishment, funded by the city council, the Heritage Lottery Fund and Historic Scotland.
A tent-like extension was built which housed a cafe and toilets, and was re-opened to the public in November 2000.
But recently a former city resident posted on Tripadvisor: “I paid Tollcross Park a visit for old times sake as I spent many happy times here as a child in the 70s.
“I was shocked to find the once impressive Victorian glasshouse in a semi-derelict state. Get a grip Glasgow City Council and sort this out. This belongs to the peo- ple of the East End. Cough up the cash.”
The Tollcross conservatories were originally erected in 1870 in Ardrossan but were gifted to the former Glasgow Corporation in 1898 when they were carefully dismantled and re-erected at their present site.
A council spokesman said: “We have for some time now been looking at finding a sustainable end use for the structure.
“There are no easy solutions and a sound business case needs to be found before the work of refurbishing the structure can be considered.”