'Hitting heads off a brick wall': Anger over Ruchill Community Centre

Campaigners are still demonstrating outside Ruchill Community Centre every Saturday in an attempt to force Glasgow Life to open its doors.

Last September, £262,000 was allocated to overhaul the property and bring it back into use.

However, according to the community, the council is failing to communicate a timeline for the plans.

READ MORE: Glasgow Life give green light for reopening of Ruchill Community Centre

Karen Love, campaigner and Ruchill resident, said: “Glasgow Life is not answering any of us about this community centre.

"Everybody used to use this club, people were here day and night.

“We are not leaving from here until the doors are open."

Ann McGinley, a long-time campaigner, added: “The council is not really giving us a lot of information until we ask them.

“The main aim is to draw attention to the lack of information from the council.

“We are fed up."

The hub was shut in March 2020, due to the pandemic. Since then, according to the residents, the area has been struggling without a vital social and cultural establishment.

With the area already in deprivation, an asset like this is sadly missed.

Theresa Ryan, who has lived in Ruchill for decades, said: “There is not a thing here. They shut this and it was the only thing.

“We cannot get any answers.

“They keep saying that they need warm places for people to go to because they can’t put their electricity on, but here is a place sitting empty.

“We are hitting our heads off a brick wall trying to get answers from them.

“They keep saying this is a deprived area and they do nothing about it, that annoys me."

READ MORE: 'Tragedy' 13 birds die in Glasgow park of suspected avian flu

Members of the Save Ruchill Community Centre group take to the front steps of the empty building weekly.

Karen added: “We need a community centre in this area, they could have used this as a wee warm hub.

“That’s three years it has been closed.

“We will fight for our centre."

A Glasgow Life spokesperson said: “Funds for the reopening of Ruchill Community Centre were allocated by Glasgow City Council in late September which was reported at the time.

"Campaign groups were taken into the building in September to show them where these funds would be spent and work to repair and upgrade the building continues.

"Part of this funding will replace the boiler in the building which has failed. 

"The new heating system is being designed at the moment. Once designs are finalised, we will know final costs and be able to assess when Ruchill Community Centre can reopen.”