Communitygarden lands £1m windfall

RUNDOWN green space around homes in Cardonald is to be transformed thanks to a cash boost of almost £1million.

Scottish Natural Heritage presented the cheque to local residents and representatives of Southside Housing Association.

The money will be allow the housing association to improve an area between Craigton Cemetery and Paisley Road West which has been under-used for decades.

It is planned to create a community park with new paths, safe play facilities separated from cars and a wide range of plants and flowers.

Housing association community initiatives manager Pauline Fletcher said: “We have spent nearly £20m improving the homes in the area and the environmental improvements are the missing piece in the jigsaw.

“Working with local residents we developed the idea for a community park and were granted planning permission by Glasgow City Council in 2015.

“This funding award is a major boost for our plans and we hope to supplement it with further financial support from the council and other sources.”

A Friends of the Halfway Community Park is being set up to oversee improvements to the neighbourhood.

Housing association chairwoman Dorothy Murray described the £901,000 award as fantastic news for the area.

She said: “The area in Halfway has been under-used and ignored for many years and this money will help the community transform it into a valuable and safer space for local families.”

Local resident Alison Devlin said the new park would be a bonus for families as there is little for children in the area to do.

She added: “When all the changes are made it will be a nicer place for all the kids to play and hopefully we will see more of the community out and about and getting involved.”

The Halfway Community Park project is part of a major new £37.5m Scottish programme to improve the environment of larger towns and cities.

Iain Rennick, of Scottish Natural Heritage, said the fact local people were so involved in developing the project and its future management was key to the decision to award funding.

He added: “It is well recognised improving greenspace in urban areas not only brings environmental benefits but also health, economic and social benefits.”

There are around 500 homes in the Halfway area of Cardonald with a large concentration of young children living with families on low incomes.