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Govanhill Baths campaign celebrates success

This news post is about 5 years old
 

Funding of more than £2 million will allow the pool to reopen, with campaigners having fought for the last 17 years to restore the facility

A community campaign to bring a landmark sports facility back into use is celebrating success.

Govanhill Baths is set to be revamped after funding of more than £2 million was secured.

Community campaigners have fought for 17 years to turn the Southside building into an asset for the area after it was closed in 2001 by the council.

Once reopened, the building will bring swimming back to Govanhill as well as supporting the expansion of social enterprise initiatives for local residents, providing opportunities for employment, volunteering and vocational development.

Glasgow City Council has agreed to sell the trust the building for a sum of £1 and the Scottish Government and the Convention of Scottish Local Authorities (COSLA) rubber-stamped funding of £2.15 million last week.

Fatima Uygun, from Govanhill Baths, said: "Many people in Govanhill have been campaigning for 17 years to get this building back into operation.

"We're absolutely delighted, you can imagine after 17 years the relief of getting that final tranche of money.

"I can tell you that without a shadow of a doubt the local community are going to be absolutely delighted and when this building finally opens it's going to be a building like no other."

Glasgow councillor Kenny McLean said: "Why they're getting funding is because there's a very strong business case to refurbish this facility and provide this facility for the local community.

"A lot of work has been done in developing the plans for the Govanhill Baths so we will certainly assess it going forward and if there is a need for future funding as the plan progresses we will consider that in due course."

Work at the building is due to begin by the end of the year.