The pavilion at the Barlia Sports Complex in Castlemilk has reopened, ensuring it will remain a vital sports and community asset for years to come.
Leeds United legend and Castlemilk's first international player, Eddie Gray, was on hand last week to cut the ribbon.
Following a decision not to re-open the facility after the Covid-19 pandemic, Castlemilk Community Football Trust (CCFT) started the Save Our Pitch campaign and with the backing of the community, took control of the facility through Glasgow City Council’s People Make Glasgow Communities programme.
The total investment in the facility since then has been £1.2million with the pitches and floodlights being renewed last July at a cost of £500k
The latest £700k refurbishment has helped transform the community space, making it a hubs for sport for Castlemilk and surrounding communities. It was made possible thanks to funding from the UK Govrnment's Community Ownership Fund (Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities), Glasgow City Council, The Scottish Football Trust Partnership and £149k of National lottery funding from sportscotland's Sport Facilities Fund.
The work includes four new changing rooms each with space for 22 players, all with new shower facilities, which gives greater opportunity for women and girls team to use the pitches. There is also a referees’ room; a multi purpose community room; meeting space; reception and kitchen plus accessible toilets, new windows and heating and hot water systems. The community room will also provide a café, which will be open to anyone using Castlemilk Park.
Eddie Gray, who was back in his hometown to recognise the efforts of CCFT, he said:
“What a job these guys have done, ensuring football not only continues, but thrives in this community for years to come.
"I’m extremely honoured to be asked to open the refurbished pavilion, it makes me proud to be a Castlemilk boy, even though I left all those years ago to join Leeds Utd. I always continued to visit 14 Cavin Drive, just down the road from here to see my mum until she passed away in 2020 and have seen what John and his group have been doing to support football in the community for at least the past 15 years. This is light years away from what we had growing up, it’s unbelievable."
The pavilion will provide a top class facility for the local football teams, but more importantly offer a space for people of all ages to come to meet others, socialise and engage in community life. The pavilion will host health and wellbeing activities and provide an option for community organisations and individuals to hire the community and meeting spaces.
John Harkins, Charity Manager for CCFT:
"Barlia is more than a football facility, it’s the heart of our community. We’ve been privileged to work with our local football clubs, our volunteers, partner organisations and the whole community to restore and reimagine this space as a place where everyone feels welcome, safe, valued, and inspired.
"We have changed the fortunes of a facility that was probably only months away from being totally destroyed into a community based, community led initiative that the whole of Castlemilk can be proud of.
"The pavilion will also help increase additional local employment and volunteering opportunities. During an early feasibility study, 78% of local people who responded, requested that Barlia be transformed into a community hub, offering opportunities for young people to develop and to improve health for everyone in Castlemilk. Thanks to all the funders who have all shown commitment to our plans and dreams and hopes of the community, we are confident that these requests will be realised and their money will prove to be well spent”.
Forbes Dunlop, Chief Executive of sportscotland, said:
“It is fantastic to see the work at the Barlia Complex completed. It is a significant moment for sport in the area, ensuring that Castlemilk will have a top class facility for years to come.
“Everyone involved in the project has demonstrated a real commitment to making sure that more people in Castlemilk and the surrounding communities will have the opportunity to become physically active and connected to their local community.”
Cammy Watt, the Scottish FA’s National Football Facilities Manager said:
“The Association is delighted to have played just a small part in the delivery of these fantastic facilities. The project illustrates what true partnership can achieve. Those involved from the Castlemilk Community Football Trust should be immensely proud of the finished article - or perhaps more accurately knowing John Harkins, the completion of what is just the latest stage in the wider redevelopment of Barlia.”
