An historic city library is to reopen following a major upgrade.
Elder Park Library and Community Hub in Glasgow will reopen its doors to the public on Monday, June 24, following a £4 million restoration.
Elder Park Library was gifted to Govan by Mrs Isabella Elder, who donated £10,000 to meet the cost of the building in the early 1900s.
The library has served the people and visitors of the city since the building was opened in 1903.
In partnership with Elderpark Housing Association, Elder Park Library and Community Hub has undergone significant work to improve the building so that it best meets the needs of the local community.
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The upgrades include a full interior and exterior refurbishment which provides improved library and community spaces, a new community kitchen and more bookable areas for local people to use. These areas are supported by additional library toilets and improved baby changing facilities. The work will also ensure the A-listed building – protected by Historic Environment Scotland because of its architectural and historic interest – is more accessible and sustainable.
The revamped Elder Park Library and Community Hub has improved the building’s energy performance. The new features include more natural ventilation, energy-efficient boilers, new electrical wiring and lighting and a weather station.
All of the new additions connect to a building management system which monitors temperature and ventilation. The building also has new fire safety and security systems. These installations will not only greatly reduce its carbon footprint, but also improve comfort and safety for visitors.
Andrew Olney, Director of Libraries, Sport and Communities at Glasgow Life, said: “Glasgow’s libraries are highly valued by the people who use them, and this project ensures there is a modern, fit-for-purpose hub at the heart of the Elder Park community. The new-look facility offers visitors a welcoming space with free access to books, digital resources, information, and support.”
Gary Dalziel, Chief Executive Officer of Elderpark Housing Association, said: “Elderpark Housing Association is thrilled to see Elder Park Library and Community Hub opening after its extensive renovations. It will provide a stunning facility located in the heart of the community which, as well as re-invigorating the use of the refurbished library, will also create a first-class new community hub, all located within a historic and much-loved building in the area.”
Meanwhile, Glasgow City Council has this week agreed funding for trusts which support the city's built heritage.
Glasgow City Council has approved funding for the 2024/25 financial year for the Glasgow Building Preservation Trust (GBPT) and the Glasgow City Heritage Trust (GCHT).
The council will give £50,000 core funding to the GBPT and £240,000 (£50,000 core funding and £190,000 grant funding) to the GCHT.
GBPT, established in 1982, has in recent years delivered projects such as the Kelvingrove Bandstand, Parkhead School and the West Boathouse in Glasgow Green.
The remit of the trust is to address market failure by redeveloping historic buildings that other organisations cannot and reaching out to communities left behind by traditional heritage approaches.
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GBPT is also also working with the council on a Heritage Asset Study to consider how best to restore heritage assets to create community facilities in the city.
The trust also runs the annual Glasgow Doors Open Days Festival and delivers community engagement and education activities across the city.
GCHT was established in 2007 and provides grants to owners to restore heritage buildings at risk - from windows in listed tenements to landmark projects such as the restoration of Mackintosh’s Willow Tea Rooms on Sauchiehall Street. Almost 2,000 grants have been given to people and organisations owning such properties in that period.
The trust also provides a range of outreach and heritage training programmes to develop skills in specialist conservation trades, as well as offering a range of community and education projects such as exhibitions, lectures, podcasts and workshops.
Some of the most notable recent work on heritage buildings delivered by the GCHT includes repairs to the corner block at the Briggait, restoration work at a Park Quadrant tenement, and comprehensive repairs to Miller Hall in Dennistoun.
The GBPT and GCHT will be partners in the newly-established Built Heritage Commission for Glasgow.
Both Trusts also receive funding from Historic Environment Scotland.
A Glasgow City Council spokesman said: “The funding for the Glasgow Building Preservation Trust and the Glasgow City Heritage Trust approved by the council will help to protect our built heritage, a core part of our civic, economic and cultural life and identity.
"The work that these trusts do is all the more important given the complex challenges facing heritage buildings in Glasgow, and we will continue to work closely with them to do all that we can to maintain, restore and repurpose these historic properties.”
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