Green Infrastructure Project Updates

Bidh braoisg air aodann Tricia Hill, Ceannard Cruthachadh Àitichean aig Canàlan na h-Alba, a ghnàth sna làithean seo agus is math an airidh. Mar a tha sinn a’ coimhead a-mach air uinneag an togalaich ùr-nodha, an Taigh-craoibhe, aig Amar Bhaile an Fhraoich ann an Inbhir Nis, bha e follaiseach gun robh sinn ann an àite gu tur ùr-nodha a bhios na bhuannachd aig a’ choimhearsnachd ionadail.

The Green Infrastructure funded Canal & North Gateway project comprises the NGIWMS (Smart Canal), developed by Scottish Canals, Glasgow City Council and Scottish Water, The Claypits Local Nature Reserve, led by Scottish Canals, and the Sighthill blue -green infrastructure led by GCC.

Tricia Hill, Head of Placemaking at Scottish Canals, wears a very satisfied smile these days, and rightly so. As we gazed out of the window of the brand new Treehouse building at Muirtown Basin in Inverness it was clear that we were in a thoroughly modern creation which will be an asset to the local community.

Snuggled in beside the main Glasgow to Paisley rail and motorway routes sits Queensland Court and Gardens. It’s a Cardonald landmark, two imposing tower blocks dating back over 50 years. Half a century on from their construction, major works are underway to improve the surrounding greenspace and create a new community park.

It is a four-year project which was launched in mid-2018 and would have finished in March 2022, but with the pandemic having hit the ability of communities to travel and get out and about we have managed to extend the project to include an extra summer to focus on engagement.

Rosie Robertson is an energetic community member of the Clyde Gateway board. She has lived all of her life next to Cuningar Loop, is a popular community worker in the area, and enthusiastically appreciates the amazing transformation that the area has undergone.

Transformation it seems is all around. Some of it is unwelcome, think climate change and biodiversity loss. Other changes are greeted with open arms, such as sustainability, Nature-based Solutions and urban regeneration.

This project used small scale green infrastructure interventions to improve Queensland Gardens in Glasgow.

One of many legacy projects to capture the affections of Glaswegians was the regeneration of the area around Cuningar Loop, home to a woodland park.

The project will provide additional woodland walkways including an riverside boardwalks; further seating/picnic areas, interpretation points and river viewpoints; areas for wildflower planting and plants to encourage butterfly basking; an education zone; and a cycle storage area.