Urgent repair work on historic park bandstand is under way

Work is under way to make the historic cast iron bandstand in Glebe Park, Bo’ness, stable and safe – with the hope that it can be fully restored by next summer.

Falkirk Council commissioned the work, at a cost of £35,000, to keep the bandstand from decaying any further while it awaits extensive repairs.

In July 2019, Bo’ness community councillor Madelene Hunt was shocked to discover that the bandstand was in such poor repair that sections of cast iron moulding had fallen off the roof as the wooden support had rotted away.

She said: “This was due to lack of maintenance on the part of Falkirk Council – it was very lucky that no one was underneath it when it fell.

“We pressed for it to be fenced off and made safe and for full repairs to be done.”

The work is now well under way but Mrs Hunt is not happy it has taken so long or that it will be done in three stages.

However, she hopes that the bandstand will be restored to its former glory and back in full use by next summer.

The community council has already had conversations with local bands, including Kinneil Band, who would like to perform concerts there once fully repaired.

A spokesperson for Falkirk Council said: “The works are designed, through extensive survey, to make the bandstand safe, and to stabilise it against ongoing decay, until such time as it can be fully restored.”

This involves putting the remaining cast iron eaves pieces into storage, while the decayed timber of the eaves will also be removed to facilitate initial rot works and a new plywood fascia and soffit applied.

A new PVC gutter and downpipe system will provide rainwater management while new timber straps will be applied to the existing timber-lined soffit to hold the lining in place until a refurbishment scheme of works progresses.

It is expected that the work will be completed before the end of the year.

By local democracy reporter Kirsty Paterson