Negotiations with local charity to begin on letting of Garrowhill Community Centre

Glasgow City Council will now begin negotiations with local community charity Brighter Baillieston on the off-market disposal of the currently-closed Garrowhill Community Centre, with a disposal enabling the group to take a lease on the centre, and then run and manage it.

The negotiations are taking place as a result of the People Make Glasgow Communities programme, a mechanism by which local people, community groups, third sector and other organisations can express an interest in having a greater involvement in the management of local venues.

Garrowhill Community Centre was built in 1960, extended in 1987 and refurbished in 2013, and features two medium-sized halls, a lesser hall, two meeting rooms and a kitchen. The building sits next to Garrowhill Bowling Club and newly refurbished tennis courts within Garrowhill Park.

Brighter Baillieston is a local community-led charity with a strong fundraising record which aims to improve community life in the area, and their proposals - informed by local consultation - for activities at the centre include:

• Helping to reduce isolation in local communities and improve health and well-being;

• Building strong working relationships with groups and partners in the area to build capacity and sustainability within local communities; and

• Providing volunteering opportunities with the local communities to enable people to build confidence and meet new people.

Brighter Baillieston's proposal builds on established relationships with other local community-based organisations to offer new services and expanding current activities, such as youth diversionary activities to provide a safe space for children to gather, play and learn more frequently. The new services put forward in the application include music lessons and life skill classes such as First Aid instruction.

Councillor Ruairi Kelly, convener for Neighbourhood Assets at Glasgow City Council, said: "The proposals being put forward for Garrowhill Community Centre will enable a community-led organisation to reopen and run this important local asset, allowing them to access funding and support to build on the excellent work they already do here.  The people of the area can look forward to a revitalised facility that will provide activities and services for all parts of the community."