Work starts to rejuvenate iconic town hall

Date: 
Monday, 23 May, 2016


Pictured (from left): Cllr Rhondda Geekie, Leader of the Council, with Kirkintilloch Champions - Cllr Gillian Renwick, Meeki Singh, Gerry McGarry and Cllr Gemma Welsh.Work is underway to breathe new life into one of East Dunbartonshire's most iconic buildings.

Construction has started to transform Kirkintilloch Town Hall into a modern centre for heritage, arts, culture and community use.

The new Kirkintilloch Town Hall - a key part of the town centre Masterplan - will be functional, flexible and fit for the 21st century.

Temporary site accommodation has been erected on Regent Gardens and the team has started work to the rear of the town hall, including retaining walls and the small car park.

The plan is for site accommodation to be relocated to the rear next month.

Work will begin inside the town hall soon - in preparation for a full refurbishment and transformation.

Scaffolding is due to be erected again on the front of the building, where it will remain for the duration of the project, allowing repairs to take place.

The team is continuing to work with local residents and businesses to minimise disruption, which includes the temporary closure of Union Street. All businesses are open as usual.

East Dunbartonshire Council Leader Rhondda Geekie said, "This major investment in Kirkintilloch town centre - and one of its most recognisable buildings - has been long sought-after and I am delighted that work is now underway.

"It has been a long road - involving a huge amount of hard work. We have liaised with a variety of partners in the community - in both public and private sectors - to secure funding support.

"The aim is not to restore the inside of the town hall as it exactly was before. Times have changed and the interior will be radically different - and able to accommodate a variety of uses.

"There is a huge amount of investment currently taking place in Kirkintilloch. All of it is aimed at transforming the town centre and helping to ensure it not only survives, but thrives.

"I would like to pay tribute to all the local businesses, residents and organisations for bearing with us while work is carried out. All of the projects are being kept under review and any proposed changes will be communicated locally."

The Council has been working with development partner hub West Scotland, contractors and East Dunbartonshire Leisure and Culture (EDLC) Trust to develop the town hall design.

Debbie McNamara, Chief Executive of hub West Scotland, said, "The transformation of Kirkintilloch Town hall is an exciting project to convert the building into a flexible, contemporary space for the whole community to benefit from, and I am proud to be working with our partner East Dunbartonshire Council as part of the overall regeneration of Kirkintilloch."

Plans include:

* Ground-floor event space

* New entrance, reception and vestibule

* First-floor heritage display, reflecting Kirkintilloch's rich history (in association with EDLC)

* New office and community space

* Kitchen, store room, toilets and locker room.

The aim is that the new facility is flexible enough to cater for a range of uses - such as performances, events, weddings, heritage displays, receptions and meetings - to ensure it is sustainable, while ensuring high-quality functionality.

The restored building will have a potential seating capacity up to 300.

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