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Govanhill Baths Community Trust |
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Latest news The City Council have now advertised nationally for parties interested in the Govanhill Baths Complex. Our interest has been expressed formally. We are told that we shall receive a pro-forma that will set down key questions for potential bidders to answer and the Council will thereafter make a decision regarding which they favour, if any. The Govanhill Housing Association has now formally offered us its support in our efforts to gain possession of the pool for conversion to a Healthy Living Centre and we are just putting funding applications together. However, it should be borne in mind that
the Council may still not opt for any bid that is made and seek dispensation
from Historic Scotland to demolish the building for what it sees as appropriate.
For these reasons, if you have not done so already, please write to the
Director, Steve Inch, Regeneration and Development Services, We have now leafleted all over the South Side of Glasgow and recently at the "Bungo in the Lanes Fete" and the Pollokshields Strawberries in the Park "Fete" recently. Both were hugely attended, and those events confirmed massive support for the plans we have. These events further confirmed the view that the pool should have never have been closed and that it should be reopened. Recently, the Pollokshields Community Councill backed our proposals and made a very sizeable contribution to our running costs as well as affiliating itself to the Trust. This means that all South Side Community Councils are backing the Trust financially and with considerable and enthusiastic support. Access to the baths at last! NORD architects have now managed to secure access to the baths in order to carry out the necessary preliminary work for the preparation of our formal bid for the pool and the development of our own feasibility study, This occurred on April 12, when our architect appraised the condition of the pool and began to seriously consider our plans to convert the baths into a community run healthy living centre. What is clear is that the basic structure is in good order. The full report when available, will be posted here. It will be noted, however, that there are worrying signs that the Council has done little or nothing to keep the place in the condition that is required given that the Baths have List B building status. A full report on this was recently published in the Evening Times at: http://www.eveningtimes.co.uk/hi/news/5039661.html We are taking steps to ensure that the council lives up to its responsibilities. This is complex because technically the council as the "owner" (we say this because we believe that this facility belongs to the people and not a few councillors) is itself responsible for its good order. The condition and the photographic illustration have been sent to Historic Scotland for information.
We have been advised after the report that a technical report on the actual condition of the pools themselves is necessary to be sure that there is no structural damage as a result of them being left empty for so long. This entails filling the pools with water. The Regeneration has refused us accesstol do this at present although clearly if extensive repairs were necessary, then we would need to know what the actual structural condition is. We are taking this up again with the relevant politicans.
Study on Focus on Pool
"A new study into the feasibility of re-using the former Govanhill swimming pool has been approved by the council. The study, which will include the possible conversion follows the decision by the Dixon Community group not to pursue an interest in adapting the B listed building.
If no suitable buyer is found, the Council and Historic Scotland will examine all possible options for the building.
Govanhill councillor Anne Marie Millar said "I hope it won't be too long before a serious and viable proposal comes forward". "
The amibiguity and some might say vagueness of this "story" will not be lost on the readers, and neither will its failure to disclose the enormous amount of work that is being done by community members on behalf of this Trust in order to see the pool re-opened as a Healthy Living Centre.
Sunday Observer Sport Campiagn
In connection with resources for sport and recreation, readers might also notice the campiagn the Sunday Observer has mounted this week and will be running up to the election. Its article on Sunday 10th April states:
"British politicians
are united in their views: sport can improve performance in class at school,
reduce truancy, instil standards of behaviour, stop vandals trashing bus
shelters, teach important values, and, with luck, inspire its devotees to
lead fit, active, healthy lives. Strip away the rhetoric, however, and the
reality is that sport in
Meeting with Govanhill Housing Association (GHA) Management Committee - 6th April 2005
In a successful meeting with the GHA Management Committee, the Board of the Baths Trust with architect Alan Pert from NORD architects, presented our plans for the Healthy Living Centre. We were assured by the chair of the GHA that we had full backing for our proposals and would be offering full support for them.
Our difficulty appears to be that the Dixon Community Trust (DCT) has not yet fully informed GHA of its "decision not to pursue an interest in adapting the B listed building" as cited above. We hope DCT will now do so. Advertising the Baths If you have been following updates on the website, you will be aware that the council's regeneration department said very clearly that the baths would be placed in the public domain in January in order to seek expressions of interest. This has still not happened and it is now May. We wonder why there is this ongoing and continual delay. Last week (May 7) we were finally assured by Regeneration that it would be this week in the Herald's Thursday business property pages, but it did not appear. Leafleting
We continue to leaflet the
area with regard to our plans - if you have any time to assist us please get
in touch. If you want some leaflets to distribute further afield do get in
touch via email. |
