Charity to appeal fee for leavingparkamuddymess
A LEADING charity is set to appeal a council fee for remedial works after leaving Bellahouston Park in a muddy mess.
Following Cancer Research UK’s Pretty Muddy 5K race in September, complaints were made over the state of the park, the leftover litter and the sight of female participants on the day stripping off their dirty clothes in public.
On Tuesday, councillors Alex Wilson and Elaine McSporran held a meeting with Glasgow City Council to address the issues raised.
Mr Wilson told the Evening Times that he had met with the race organisers and the council ahead of the event. He said: “Concerns had been raised in the past about the litter and the condition of the park.
“There was also indecent exposure where the women were stripping off in the side streets to avoid taking mud into their cars. I’m not a prude, but it’s a family park with children and elderly.”
At the meeting before the event, Mr Wilson suggested providing changing facilities. Although they were put in place, some women were still caught stripping down in full view outside.
Mr Wilson added that almost two months after the event, there are still lots of plastic drinking bottles next to the carpark at the Palace of Art and discarded clothing covered in mud lying around.
The Pretty Muddy event – a 5K obstacle course where female participants scramble over items and crawl through mud pits –raises money for Cancer Research UK. Thousands took part this year, collecting a whopping £215,000 to go towards the good work of the charity.
Mr Wilson stressed: “I’m 100 per cent behind it and praised them for their effort.”
DF Concerts’ Glasgow Summer Sessions 2017 – headlined by Eminem – took place in the park on August 24. The Pretty Muddy event was then held less than a month later on September 16. The councillor believes the park suffered with two events scheduled so closely together. He noted: “We had a horrendous summer where the weather was shocking.
“The council didn’t have a chance to carry out remedial work between the Summer Sessions and mud event because of the weather.”
DF Concerts was also handed a fee to reinstate the park grounds, however did not wish to comment.
Mr Wilson believes the best way forward is to move the Pretty Muddy event to another location or a new date so as it doesn’t clash with Summer Sessions.
He added: “It’s not about taking it away – it’s about improvements.”
A Glasgow City Council spokeswoman confirmed that Cancer Research UK was given free use of the park through its charity status. Despite signing a contract agreeing to pay for any remedial works if needed following the event, the race organisers intend to appeal the fee.
Susan Johnstone, national events manager for Cancer Research UK, said: “We were disappointed to receive a fee for reinstating the grounds at Bellahouston Park this year and are currently appealing this decision. We would like to return to Bellahouston Park in 2018 with a Pretty Muddy event as it is an amazing venue.
“As women get muddy taking part in this 5K mud-splattered obstacle course, we provide changing facilities on site so participants can change out of muddy clothes before returning home.
“These changing facilities were clearly signposted at the event this year and the presenter on event day advised people to make use of them. We are working hard to ensure the event in 2018 causes minimal disruption and is a success.”