IT WAS A new place for Dennistoun kids to play in 1963, this giant concrete structure which marked the “piping-in” of Glasgow’s famous Molendinar Burn.

Never mind fishing for baggie-minnows or building wee dams in the water, now they could skip along the top of the pipe.

Glasgow Times: Children from Blackhill, crossing the Monklands canal on the way home from Dennistoun Primary,

The Molendinar was where Glasgow’s story began. St Mungo founded his church by its banks in the sixth century and it was later used to power the town’s mills.

Its source is Frankfield Loch in the north-east of the city, then it flows through Hogganfield Loch and into the Clyde.

Much of it was covered over in the 1870s, by what is now Wishart Street.

The point where it flowed into the Clyde caused silting, which allowed a ford to be made at the Saltmarket.

Glasgow Times: Dennistoun

In 1963, it was piped in, as the area began to change. New roads were being built, tenements were being torn down, people were moving away.

Times Past reader Tommy McDonald got in touch with us recently to share lots of lovely memories of growing up in Glasgow.

He recalls: “Things began to change when all the new housing schemes were built and our relatives moved to Cranhill and Drumchapel in the 50s and 60s.

“A lot of people emigrated to Canada and Australia, on the assisted passage deal of the early 70s. The whole east end began to change – tenements were pulled down and new houses were built and Dunchattan Street, where I was born, and the Calton, and the Gallowgate were all transformed.

“It changed the lifestyle and character of people forever.”

Tommy remembers happier times, too, however.

“In our teens we played cards on the stair landing of the tenement, for coppers, then went down to Piccadilly Café to buy a hot orange drink and the winners would play the jukebox,” he says.

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“There were lots of great singers amongst our parents then, and they’d take turns after coming home from the pub at the weekends.

“In those days, the pubs closed at 9.30pm. The song books would come out – people’s records were in the charts for a long time back in those days, so everyone would learn the words.

“I remember men used to come round the back courts singing on Sunday mornings. My gran would wrap up some coppers or sixpence and throw them out the window into the back court – lots of the neighbours would too.”

Did you grow up in Dennistoun? Send us your photos and stories. Email ann.fotheringham@glasgowtimes.co.uk or write to Ann Fotheringham, Glasgow Times, 125 Fullarton Drive, Glasgow G32 8FG.