AFTER 14 years of financial struggle and opposition they could have given up.

But the team behind the multi-million refurbishment of Govanhill Baths are determinedly looking to the future.

After forming in 2003, the Govanhill Community Baths Trust (GCBT) has been working to reopen the venue as a wellbeing centre for the benefit of the local area.

Several design plans later and the group has finalised a three-stage scheme that should be open four years from now.

GCBT chairman Andrew Johnson said: "Our plans for the building are a comprehensive response to constant calls from the local authority, the government and the local community for better health facilities in the area.

"We want to take a holistic view of community health.

"But our plans also include regenerating the Baths for the wider Govanhill community, creating local economic growth, employment opportunities, crime prevention, educational development, arts opportunities and - with the return of swimming - fitness and health."

The future plans for Govanhill Baths, designed by Nord Architecture, should, funding allowing, be completed by 2019.

Phase 1, which began in 2013 and will be fully finished in 2016, includes the refurbishment and opening of the front suite of the building, which was unveiled in 2012 by Hollywood actor Peter Mullen.

It will also see the reopening of the ladies and toddlers/training pools with an arts space, room for gardening and a roof garden.

The original steamie will be partially turned into an event hall and there will be a Turkish suite and sauna, gym and healthy eating café.

Phase 2 is planned for 2016 and 2017 to include the full development of the steamie as an events and community space.

Then, in 2018 and 2019, the main pool should be open to complete Phase 3.

However, the future of the Baths hangs on funding with requests for £1.2million from the Heritage Lottery Fund and £400,000 from Historic Scotland currently underway.

If the current business plan for the Baths goes ahead, Glasgow City Council has agreed it will transfer ownership of the building to the Trust and the community.

It is leased at present from the council, allowing it to open for community activities.

The front suite of the Baths is constantly bustling with community groups, music, cooking, political events and even a legal office, the Govanhill Welfare Centre.

Princes Regeneration Trust were appointed Project Managers for Phase 1, which was partially paid for by a £34,000 grant from the Big Lottery Fund.

The bustling front suite of the Baths is evidence, the Trust says, of how useful the building could be to local people.

It was opened by Peter Mullen and now-First Minister Nicola Sturgeon in February 2012 after five years of fundraising secured £400,000 in grants.

The section hosts a community kitchen, used for cooking lessons and events, an entrance foyer - where people can come in to play a grand piano - and three working rooms used for groups as diverse as a lawyer's office and childbirth classes.

They are in action six days a week with more than 8,000 people visiting the venue since September 2013.

The Royal College of Surgeon's hosted its two-month Human Race Exhibition while the Citizens Theatre hosted a pantomime.

A refurbishment of the toddler pool by the National Theatre of Scotland has left the small swimming pool almost ready for full use and, bosses hope, this will happen this year.

Andrew added: "What we really need now to ensure the future of the Baths for the local community and to make sure our plans come to fruition is more funding and more support from Glasgow City Council who we are currently in talks with.

"There is no question that we're going to keep working until we see the Baths fully reopen for their original purpose - as a swimming pool for members of the community.

"The area needs this resource and we are going to keep fighting the battle."

ARTIST in resident Ailie Rutherford has been working at the Baths since last August, speaking to members of the community to find out what the next 100 years might hold for the Baths.

She has put together a Future Archive, an interactive art installation displayed in the venue as part of the centenary celebrations.

Her ideas came from a series of conversations and dinners with local people.

Ailie said: "A lot of the conversations threw up similar topics - about new technologies altering the way we live, and about resource consumption.

"Talking to people has helped form the Future Archive - objects and ideas dated for points in the future, such as a talking soap that looks like the old, pink carbolic soap.

"People I spoke to were concerned about the environment and the way we use resources.

"An idea that developed was that of hot water becoming regulated, meaning we won't have showers or baths at home - and Baths such as this one might come back into use.

"The talking soap speaks in more than 100 languages and, when you've been in the shower for long enough, it says. 'you have used your water allowance for today, please exit the shower'.

"On the night of the archive launch I also ran the People's Bank of Govanhill, screen printing hundreds of notes.

"The currency exchange rate is 100th of your weekly income - the idea being the less you earn, the less you pay.

"It has been fascinating to learn about Govanhill Baths and to work with local people imagining its future."