New cultural hub will act as a ‘beacon’ for all of Renfrewshire
A Paisley town centre learning and cultural hub set to open later this year can act as a “beacon” for Renfrewshire, councillors have said.
The modern community and educational facility, which will be home to a library, will be located in the High Street.
The project will return a previously vacant clothing shop unit to use, following an internal remodelling of the building.
Construction is due to be completed around July, with a pre-opening period set to kick off in August, during which nursery, primary and secondary schools will be invited to visit.
Councillor Jim Paterson, who represents Renfrew South and Gallowhill, emphasised the need for the hub to become a “regional asset” rather than one reserved for Paisley.
He told Tuesday’s economy and regeneration policy board: “If we’re serious about the Paisley 2021 legacy being about more than Paisley itself and wider into Renfrewshire, I’d be keen to ensure that it’s nursery, primary and secondary schools from across Renfrewshire that are invited to these pre-opening events, particularly because it is a cultural hub – it’s not just a library.
“It provides a bigger function and I really see it as a regional asset, rather than a town asset, so I’d like to see that as wide as possible.”
Councillor Paterson recounted his experience as a parent as he spoke about the benefits of encouraging children to read from a young age.
“I have a child in primary school and he did his first library visit recently,” he added.
“It became clear to me that if you get them going to a library early enough, they may well continue – not everybody but they may well continue.
“That is why further on when you read about the offer that this place will have, it will eclipse the rest of our libraries largely, in the offer they have, so if we can get them passionate about reading and attending libraries, like one of this standard, that might trickle down into our other estate when they’re closer to home, attending Johnstone library, Renfrew library, Erskine library and others.
“It’s just to make sure we don’t just do the local, as in primary schools that are nearest, and it’s spread across the whole of Renfrewshire.”
Councillor Andy Steel, board convener, provided assurances on the topic and cited the potential for the hub to become a “beacon” for Renfrewshire – rather than a “black hole”.
The Johnstone South and Elderslie rep said: “I think it will complement, rather than eclipse, the local libraries. I think it’s going to be a beacon to get people going in if they’re not already doing so.
“Once you’ve got people reading, fingers crossed you can keep them reading for the rest of their lives.
“I don’t disagree with you but I think it will be a two-way street.
“I think there will be people coming into Paisley and people going back to their own locales... think this will be a good thing, I really do, but I agree with you.
“I don’t want it to be a black hole rather than a beacon.
“I want it to be a beacon rather than a black hole.”
The hub is one of a number of venues in Paisley undergoing transformation work, including Paisley Town Hall due to open in September, the arts centre, earmarked for around December, and the museum, which will open in 2024.
Councillor Lisa-Marie Hughes, chair of OneRen, the trust which will operate the facilities, said: “The programmes for the openings of all of the venues will include children and communities from across Renfrewshire.
“When we’ve been developing the projects, we’ve had a really wide scope of people involved in it and that’ll continue.”
Dr Victoria Hollows, chief executive of OneRen, said: “That is absolutely correct, Councillor Hughes, and I would just like to reassure Councillor Paterson that the way that he describes his aspiration is absolutely at the heart of what we’re trying to work through for all of those venues, whichever one we’re talking about.
“They are a beacon for the whole region and absolutely we’ll be working with communities and schools for those venues, every time they open, so it’s absolutely for everybody.”
I think it will complement rather than eclipse the local libraries. I think it is going to be beacon to get people going in