Three former city-council projects, now under local
community control, have received lottery grants to help them develop their
services.
The money was awarded through the Big Lottery Fund's Growing Community
Asset programme and follows the June 2008 decision by Glasgow City Council to
transfer public assets into the hands of local people, thus freeing them up to
apply for this sort of funding.
The biggest pot goes to Maryhill Burgh Halls. Opened in 1878, it has lain empty for eight years. In January it was awarded almost £1m from the Heritage Lottery Trust, and now gets a further boost of £980,910 to transform it into a 21st century community events and concert space, with a nursery, cafe and recording studio.
Whiteinch Centre gets £116,092 towards the salary
costs of a regeneration manager and centre administrator. The building is currently leased from the city
council which has agreed to transfer ownership of the asset to the centre.
The third grant of £892,124 was given to the Milnbank Housing Association in Dennistoun to help build a community owned sustainable nursery facility as part of the regeneration of the former Great Eastern Hotel. This will offer 75 childcare places including 19 subsidised places to lone parents and low-income families.
Glasgow's three awards, while welcome, falls some way short of the up-to twenty schemes that had been originally touted as eligible.
However, more Growing Community Assets awards will be considered in August. However, due to confidentially issues, a Big Lottery spokesperson could not reveal whether any more applicants were Glasgow-based.
In terms of local need and accountability, the spokesperson said: "as part of the application process we ask that applicants can evidence true consultation and a consensus in their area about the project."