Clean-up heroes Privies a magical
A group of determined volunteers have got their hands dirty to transform a neglected park.
Since last November, the group has been meeting regularly to clear Glencoats Park in Ferguslie Park, Paisley, of decades worth of litter, smashed glass bottles and overgrown trees and bushes.
And the transformation – coupled with the smashing summer weather – has brought out families in their droves to enjoy a free superhero and fairy hunt in the little oasis of green calm at the park, known locally as the Privies.
Karen Campbell, 41, is chair of Pals of the Privies and is proud of what the volunteers have achieved.
She said: “It started off with Ferguslie Park Community Council, where I’m treasurer, which wanted help to clean the paths through the Privies.
“We were cleaning and doing general tidying up and formed Pals of the Privies.
“We found the old stairs and restored those. There were millions of glass and needles – it hadn’t been touched in about 30 years – and we’ve transformed the whole place.”
Jewsons donated slabs and gardening equipment, CityGate Construction gave a bench and a local businessman has handed over £1,000 which the group is using to buy a bench.
Renfrewshire Council has provided loppers and shovels and also installed two bins and left a skip to take away all the cleared bushes and trees.
The transformation has been remarkable, with a clear path through the park, benches to sit on and enjoy the space, colourful bunting and lots of nooks and crannies for kids to explore.
The volunteers have created a fairy garden as well as a superhero trail with famous logos painted on 16 circular wooden blanks and hidden among the trees.
On the other side are fairies, which have been given names from the Coats family in honour of the park.
Sadly, there has been some vandalism at the park with the superhero blanks stolen – then returned – and a tyre swing was also set on fire.
Karen said: “The community is behind us, we know this is just a small minority of people who are trying to ruin it for the rest.
“I want to leave the tyre swing down for a week or two because I want the people who did it to see what an impact it’s had on people.
“I want the parents or their friends to start saying to them that they aren’t going to get away with it.”
She added: “The council