South Seeds call for former Queen's Park changing rooms to be transformed into community centre

An environmental group has launched plans to transform old changing rooms at Queen’s Park recreation ground into a community centre.

South Seeds has asked Glasgow City Council for permission to partially demolish and retrofit the pavilion.

It is expected to be used for committee meetings, educational workshops, rehearsals, interviews, small family celebrations and other “community-based activities”.

Plans submitted on behalf of South Seeds added: “It is proposed to create a new community facility within part of the building, to support various community activities in Govanhill and surrounding neighbourhoods, where there is currently a shortage of hourly rentable space suitable for small groups, clubs and others.”

The community group was handed a 25-year lease for the site by the council in April this year.

Councillors approved the award of just under £220,000 from the UK Government’s Shared Prosperity Fund to South Seeds for the redevelopment of the changing rooms at a meeting last month.

The project could also include a new “vending kiosk” to help the community group “generate extra income.

“Due to its location, this will likely only be viable during summer months and weekends during daylight hours and will supply teas, coffees and snacks to users of the park.”

A tool library is expected to be housed in the building, and solar panels would be mounted on the roof.

The application added CCTV and security lights would be installed as “due to its position, the buildings will be highly vulnerable to vandalism damage”.

If the plans are approved, work would include the demolition of the central section of the building, including the boiler room, which is “the most dilapidated part of the building”.

“The building has been surveyed for asbestos and the discovered material removed,” the application added. “The two remaining sections of the building will be retrofitted.”

As well as the tool library and the kiosk, there would be two community rooms, toilets and storage space.

Currently, the building is made up of individual changing rooms for football teams, a male toilet and the central boiler room. Disused tennis courts near the site have been “informally adopted as community growing space”.

South Seeds’ application stated: “As the recreation grounds no longer have marked sports pitches, there is little demand for football or other sports changing areas.

“However, some alternative minority sports and informal games still use the grassed areas and storage for sports equipment for these groups will be offered within the renovated pavilion.”