VENUES used by athletes during the Commonwealth Games have begun reopening to the public.

Staff have been working round the clock to ensure the public get back into the sports centres as soon as possible.

The car park at Toryglen Regional Football Centre was open the day after the closing ceremony and the grass pitch will be back in action on September 1.

Ibrox Stadium was open last Thursday and the greens at Kelvingrove lawn bowls centre, which were a TV highlight because of their stunning setting, reopened on Saturday.

Today, the stadium, five-a-side centre and car park at Scotstoun Sports Campus were open, the leisure centre will open on Friday, the gym on August 18 and indoor tennis on August 31. The reopening of the outdoor tennis courts has still to be confirmed.

There will be a staggered re-opening of the centre's car park from today, with the intention of having it fully operational as quickly as possible.

Glasgow Green Football Centre and Glasgow National Hockey Centre will both reopen tomorrow.

The tennis courts and pavilion at Kelvingrove will reopen on August 16.

The gym, fitness classes, velodrome and spa at the Emirates Arena and Sir Chris Hoy Velodrome will be back in action on August 19. The sports arena and sports hall will open on August 25.

Most of Tollcross International Swimming Centre reopens on August 19, with hall one opening on August 23.

Glasgow Life chairman Archie Graham said: "All of the new and refurbished sports facilities used by the Glasgow 2014 Commonwealth Games were open at least one year before the competition began.

"Glasgow Life has worked hard with the Organising Committee to minimise time required to prepare the venues and reinstate them.

"This has been a first for a major, multi-event Games, where most facilities are not used by the local population before competition begins - and can take a considerable period of time before they are handed back to the public.

"The people of Glasgow have been using these sports facilities in record numbers and during the Games, significant alternative investment and improvements in other Glasgow Club centres allowed everyone to remain fit and active.

"We've always said that, above all else, these world-class facilities belong to the people of Glasgow - and now they can go for their own personal gold on the same tracks, pools and arenas where the world's best athletes enjoyed considerable success."

Glasgow Life opened supergyms at Bellahouston and Gorbals while centres used by the public were taken over by Commonwealth Games bosses.

The equipment at Bellahouston came from Tollcross, so that will close when the equipment is returned.

Glasgow Life is examining the options for the supergym at Gorbals which, they say, has been a great success.

It is understood it is likely to remain open until Christmas.

If it does close, all the equipment, which is new, will be moved to other Glasgow Club venues across the city.

To keep up to date on when sports venues will reopen go to http://www.glasgowlife.org.uk/sport/weareback/Pages/default.aspx

vivienne.nicoll@ eveningtimes.co.uk