Govanhill Baths among three charities to share in £5m government funding

As part of almost £5m of Scottish Government funding for three Glasgow projects approved by the City Administration Committee yesterday, Govanhill Community Baths Trust secured £2.15.

Possilpark Family and Community Centre has been awarded £1.5m towards building a £3.2m community facility while Kinning Park Complex has been granted £1.2m to help upgrade its main building.

The cash comes from the Regeneration Capital Grant Fund (RCGF), a Scottish Government budget, developed in partnership with the Convention of Scottish Local Authorities.

Previously, the Trust was turned down for RCGF funding to the shock of Baths supporters.

But now the cash boost has been given the go-ahead and the Edwardian building will be transformed into a wellbeing centre for the local community.

David Cook, Project Director at Govanhill Baths, said: "We’re delighted that Glasgow City Council has now formally accepted the Regional Capital Growth Fund from Scottish Government.

"This funding allows the project to start and we will soon be recommencing design work for this very important community development."

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Fatima Uygun, Govanhill Baths Community Trust Manager, added: "This is great news. We can now begin the refurbished in earnest."

Yesterday at the council committee, councillor Malcolm Cunning questioned whether the Govanhill project had submitted a robust business plan, saying: "Build it and they will not necessarily come."

An officer said the Scottish Government were "clearly confident" the plan stacked up.

The plan had to be re-submitted to the Government and councillor Maureen Burke asked what had been the difference on the second occasion.

"We were the difference to a certain extent," Council leader Susan Aitken said, adding the City Administration Committee had granted £500,000 to the Govanhill Trust, which had given other funders' confidence to commit to the project.

"Often it's our agreement to stand behind it that brings other funders to the table," an officer added. "It gives a level of confidence."

Another officer said the Government had received assurances over expected uptake of services and income streams.

Community campaigners have fought for years to turn Govanhill Baths into an asset for the area after it was closed in 2001 by Glasgow City Council.

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Local councillor Soryia Siddique said: "I am delighted Govanhill Baths has been awarded £2,150,000 RCGF grant award funding towards the refurbishment project.

"This is significant towards achieving the long term aspirations to reopen the Baths as a Wellbeing Centre."

Possilpark People's Trust, which developed from the Positive Possilpark Partnership, aims to give the community some control over regeneration in the area, with a community centre its top priority.

It will provide 'cradle to grave' services, offering a nursery, an IT learning centre, leisure and play facilities.

After the funding was confirmed, chairwoman Ann Lawrance, on behalf of the trust, said: "I am delighted the hard work and passion that has been shown by the Possilpark Community over the last three years has been rewarded.

"This award is fundamental to our objective to build a new state of the art community and family centre in Possilpark.

"We see this new build as pivotal to the regeneration of the Possilpark and wider communities, and it will provide a safe place where people can live, work, learn and play."

The £2.9m Kinning Park Complex project will see a new incubation hub created and restore nearby space for community use.