A summer event is set to showcase a £3million four-year project to revamp Rouken Glen Park in East Renfrewshire.
On July 30, visitors are invited to a day of celebration to showcase new facilities and features at the historic parkland.
Some £300,000 has been spent on the children’s playpark, while the Pavilion Visitor Centre has been refurbished.
The Walled Garden has also been redeveloped and there has been extensive conservation work on the boating pond, affectionately known as Swan Lake.
Orchard and garden at Rouken Glen Park.
Work on the Glen Path, which runs from the boating pond to the main entrance on Rouken Glen Road, has seen reinstatement of the old “lovers” walk featuring a new wooden boardwalk and two bridges.
First established as a public park in 1906, Rouken Glen is a popular outdoors attraction in the west of Scotland.
It offers open spaces, wild woodland, waterfalls, sculptured gardens, children’s play area and a boating pond.
The project has benefitted from £2.15m investment by the Heritage Lottery Fund supplemented by £1m from East Renfrewshire Council.
ERC environment convener, Councillor Vincent Waters, said: “I’m delighted to see all the improvements to much-loved landscapes, the creation of new features and facilities and, crucially, new visitor interpretation.”
Rouken Glen waterfall.
Key achievements over the last four years include:
- A £300,000 re-developed children’s playpark, which has resulted in a significant increase in the number of families visiting the park since it first opened.
- Refurbished Pavilion Visitor Centre, which is home to the enhanced Park Ranger service and features a History of Rouken Glen Park exhibition.
- Re-developed Walled Garden featuring new planting schemes, accessible paths, a paved area and poetry plaque.
- Extensive conservation work on the boating pond to address recurring incidences of pond weed and occasional algal blooms.
All of these diverse elements are the backdrop to Rouken Glen Celebration Day, which will also boast music – both recitals in the Walled Garden and performances on the main stage – traditional fairground rides, puppet shows, storytelling and a farmers’ market. There’s also something for dog lovers, with Rouken Glen Vets planning something especially for four-legged friends.
And East Renfrewshire Faith Forum is organising a festival of colour where participants shower each other in coloured powder, symbolising the multi-cultural society we live in.
More details see Rouken Glen Park