Council approves leases for sports facilities in Easterhouse and Springburn to community groups

The PMGC programme offers the opportunity for interested organisations, groups, and individuals to become involved in the delivery of local services and projects by operating and occupying venues in their communities.  The programme has delivered a number of successful operations at city facilities, such as Park Villa Football Development at Glasgow Club Drumoyne, Pollok United Nethercraigs at Nethercraigs Sports Complex and Castlemilk Community Football Trust at Barlia Sports Complex.

The Brunswick Community Development Trust (BCDT) was granted a Licence to Occupy (LTO) in May 2023 to manage the Springburn Synthetic Park Pitches (pictured above).  BCDT assumed operational control in August 2023, and since then, the facility has been utilised to near full capacity, with operational hours extended from 10am - 10pm daily, seven days a week.

The Trust had committed to expanding operational hours and use; increasing local community access; ensuring affordability; providing employment and training opportunities for local youth; expanding access and participation in women's football; and enhancing facility investments.

In meeting these commitments since last August, there has been a significant increase in the use of the facility, with operational enhancements, increasing community access through the use of affordable commercial and non-commercial fees, increased participation by local youth, helping to deter antisocial activity, the development of a football academy and the establishing of womens' and girls' teams after this summer, employment and training programmes, and investing in upgrading the pitches, pavilion and floodlights there.

Easterhouse Henosis was granted a Licence to Occupy for the sports centre there in September 2023, and have since made significant progress in reopening the building, using sport to improve health and wellbeing, social cohesion, long term outcomes for young people and reducing antisocial behaviour.  The sports and physical activity programme at the centre includes basketball, gymnastics, volleyball, badminton, gymnastics, pickleball, walking football, wheelchair rugby, boxercise, taekwondo, jujitsu, judo, karate and dance.

A range of community services are also provided at Easterhouse Sports Centre, including alternative education programmes for disengaged young people from local primary and secondary schools; providing barista training and providing hospitality experience; delivering groups designed to tackle social isolation for older people; supporting young families with a parent and toddler group and 'Dads Rock' group; providing meals to the most disadvantaged through a partnership with Fare Share, operating a school uniform bank; providing a range of training and education courses, several free of charge; providing youth clubs and free sporting access for teens at key times for antisocial behaviour; and hosting drop-in cafes with Alzheimer's Scotland and More than Fibromyalgia. 

In addition, Easterhouse Henosis are currently working on the development of opportunities for young people and families with additional support needs, holiday camp provision, afterschool clubs and exploring partnerships to enhance training and employability opportunities. 

A Glasgow City Council spokesman said: "The success of these community groups in running a wide range of services and activities from the facilities in Easterhouse and Springburn Park means we can look forward to their continued delivery for years to come as they receive these long leases."