Glasgow community hoping to improve Robroyston Park

Residents in Barmulloch, Balornock, and Robroyston in the north-east of the city are working to re-establish the Friends of Robroyston Park in an effort to transform the park into a safe and enjoyable outdoor space.

It is understood that the group has not been active since the Covid pandemic and that new members will be elected in October.

Once this takes place members will be supported by the Barmulloch Community Development Company (BCDC) to secure investment and interest in the park to improve it.

Martin McElroy (yellow jacket) alongside residents from across Barmulloch, Balornock, and Robroyston who are working to hopefully improve Robroyston Park (Image: Gordon Terris)

Martin McElroy, chief executive of BCDC, hailed the outdoor space, which is also a nature reserve, as a “real gem” with “a lot of unfulfilled potential”.

He said: “The Friends of Robroyston Park has been around for a wee while but it has lain dormant for a couple of years since the pandemic.

“The park is a real gem and has a lot of potential but it suffers from quite a bit of under-investment and issues like anti-social behaviour.

“For a couple of years, folk have been asking what’s going to happen with the park as it’s the best asset in the area and I totally agree.

“BCDC want to help and do whatever we can to try and attract new investment and interest so we can improve the park.

“There’s absolutely no reason why we shouldn’t have something as iconic as Kelvingrove or Bellahouston here in the north-east.”

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BCDC carries out a survey each year in the areas surrounding Robroyston Park to find out what issues matter most to local people.

Martin explained that having access to ‘high-quality outdoor spaces’ appeared to be a top priority for the community.

He added: “If you compare this area to other parts of the city we’ve actually got very poor quality outdoor spaces but we’ve got so much potential and it’s unfulfilled.

“During the covid pandemic that was the first time in a long time that people really started to use the park regularly.

“They started to see its potential and we want to encourage those people to stay local instead of jumping in their cars and driving to Hogganfield or Kelvingrove.

“At the minute people aren’t walking their dogs on the paths because of broken glass. We also have issues with quad bikes and stuff like that so we want to reclaim the park for people locally so it’s fun and safe for everybody to use.

“People will be out with their little ones in prams and folk will fly past them on quad bikes and dirt bikes. That’s not acceptable and we shouldn’t have to put up with it.

“There also used to be a kind of adventure play park here and we want to recreate something like that and get better lighting.

“Everything is funding dependent though so it will be up to the new Friends of group to find sources of funding.”

(Image: Gordon Terris)

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The move to re-establish the group has received the backing of local councillor Audrey Dempsey who represents Springburn and Robroyston.

Councillor Dempsey told our reporter she was “delighted” at the news.

She said: “Having lived in the ward all of my life, I know only too well how much of a “hub” Robroyston Park used to be for the community when it was always bustling with families and kids.

“Since being elected in 2022, I have had several meetings with council officers to get the park brought back to the decent standard it used to hold.

“At one stage I said I was going to cut the grass myself if the council didn’t. I am delighted BCDC have taken it on to rebuild as I am a true believer in community organisations taking the lead for the community.

“No one knows the area better so I’m delighted to be part of the campaign for Robroyston Park and will work closely with BCDC to ensure all children, families and pets can enjoy the park as much as my siblings and I did in the past.”