THE memory of last year's Commonwealth Games may be slowly fading but the impact of the sporting extravaganza is still making its presence felt.

Last week, city councillors were celebrating three announcements directly linked to the events last summer.

The first involved Lord Smith of Kelvin, chairman of the Games organising committee, being presented with the 2014 Shackleton Medal from the Royal Scottish Geographical Society.

It was awarded to the city and its people for the success of the event and the legacy it has left behind.

The society's chief executive Mike Robinson paid special tribute to city residents for their enthusiasm and determination to see the Games succeed.

Also last week, it was announced 550 homes are to be built on the site of the former Dalmarnock Power Station next to the Athletes' Village.

The work will result in what has been a vacant and derelict area on the banks of the River Clyde to come back into use for the first time in 40 years.

By pure coincidence, it was Lord Smith of Kelvin who announced the deal in his role as chairman of regeneration agency Clyde Gateway.

He took over the post after the Commonwealth Games bandwagon rolled out of town.

For decades, councillors scratched their heads over how they were to bring life large parts of the East End which were lying derelict or un-used.

Winning the Commonwealth Games was the catalyst for a large number of developments which have transformed a huge part of the area.

Without the Games, the Athletes' Village would not have been built and would not be home to 700 local families.

Without the Athletes' Village, it is debatable whether the Link Group would have wanted to build hundreds of homes on what was a contaminated site.

New homes mean not only new life for rundown areas giving the city a boost, but they also mean more council tax in the coffers of the local authority.

The final Games related event