June 17, 2009
North Kelvin Meadow at risk from Council bulldozers
For twenty years, a piece of Council owned land has lain neglected in Maryhill, Glasgow. A few years ago, residents cleared up the rubbish and weeds, fixed the broken fences and created a much loved local greenspace, supporting allotments, a fruit garden and composting facilities. Now the Council have decided they want the land back for housing and are planning to bulldoze the community’s efforts. The community has rallied widespread support but their protests appear to be falling on deaf ears
Local residents in Maryhill have begun a campaign to save the NORTH KELVIN MEADOW, a community-run green space between Clouston Street and Kelbourne Street in Glasgow G20, from the Glasgow City Council (GCC) Bulldozers.
Having been neglected by GCC more more than two decades, the North Kelvin Meadow area has been cleaned up by local residents over the past year and turned into a community green space with raised-bed allotments, a fruit garden and composting facilities. Now the Council wants to bulldoze the whole lot to make way for 115 owner-occupied flats.
The land, which has never had building on it, is now home to some 15 community allotments and has attracted funding from the 02 It’s Your Community Fund and from Shell. Over 100 local residents, including local school children, have been involved in transforming the land into a multi-used community green space.
“It’s very clear this land has been made into a beautiful green space for the local community by the local community,” says Douglas Peacock, chairman of the NORTH KELVIN MEADOW CAMPAIGN. “It’s now up to those with influence to listen to the people and act to save this land from being sold for flats.”
The local community in Maryhill has vowed to fight the sale of an important local resource. An online petition has attracted signatures from over 200 supporters since it opened on 3 June, including well-known Glasgow writers Louise Welsh and Alasdair Gray.