TRANSFORMED
Residents delighted as tenement gardens get a makeover
Everything in the garden is lovely for a group of thrilled residents.
Paisley Housing Association l aunched its West End Transformation Project almost a year ago to bring about improvements to more than 20 of its tenement buildings.
And it has now gone green fingered for its biggest- ever drive to improve the local environment.
The association secured funding from the Scottish Government’s Aspiring Communities Fund to enable it to undertake the project and at the same time establish an employability and trainingfocused landscaping team to deliver it.
Tenant Irene Irvine, 78, was delighted by the transformation of the back garden of her tenement in George Place.
She said: “I could never have imagined the back court would be improved in such a way. New turf has been laid and the drainage fixed. Before it was muddy and you couldn’t walk on it. I’m very grateful for what has been done.”
Neighbour Gordon Bennie, 54, added: “It’s marvellous. It is like a new garden. I can now sit out here when it’s good weather.”
New slabs have been put down, new turf laid, bin shelters improved, seating created, garden drainage improved and even fruit trees planted – all at no cost to the residents.
Streets involved have been Castle Street, where Paisley Housing Association unveiled a mural recently, and Argyle Street, as well as George Place.
The association’s project coordinator Duncan Clelland said the initiative had benefitted the community in a number of ways.
He said: “Before we undertook the back court improvements we listened very carefully to what people wanted to see happen. Residents have been involved throughout the project helping develop plans for the back courts.
“The enthusiasm to get involved has been impressive showing that people really wanted to get involved with about 45 per cent of our west end residents becoming involved in the project in one way or another.”
There has also been an employment aspect to the project, which was carried out by a landscaping team recruited with help from Invest in Renfrewshire, which is the job creation wing of Renfrewshire Council.
Four apprentice landscapers were taken on, including Reece Wyllie, 16, for whom the project is his first job.
Reece, from Foxbar, said: “I was keen to leave school and get involved in this kind of work so the project happened at just the right time for me. Like all of us we are paid the Scottish Living Wage and the skills we are learning are fantastic. Making the back courts better for people is a reward in itself.”
Training the apprentices has been a key priority throughout the project. As the project comes to an end in December, Reece – along with his landscaping colleagues Dale Caveney, Rob McGeoch and Adnan Iqbal – will be undertaking certified courses in areas such as tree surgery and landscaping.
This will be supported financially by Paisley Housing Association to ensure they are fully equipped for a future career in landscaping.
Paisley Housing Association’s chief executive Kathleen McCutcheon added: “We wanted to do something differently when we were developing plans for improving the back courts by not only placing residents at the centre of the plans but providing employment and training opportunities.
“This project perfectly illustrates the important role housing associations have in the community to make real improvements which enhance people’s lives. Undoubtedly, the West End Transformation Project has done just that.”
It’s marvellous. It’s like a new garden. I can now sit out here when it’s good weather