Empowered communities in Renfrewshire have chosen the winning projects they think will make the biggest difference to their local area – after they had put forward the ideas.
As part of its community empowerment campaign #YouDecide, Renfrewshire Council made £1.2million available for infrastructure projects and every idea on the shortlist was put forward by a local resident.
A total of £75,000 was available for each of the 16 areas, with a maximum of £50,000 per idea, and the projects with most votes in each area have been funded until all the money is allocated – with some projects topped up with council funding to ensure as many local ideas as possible could be brought to life.
A total of 50 projects have been successful and include new skateparks at Moss Road Park, Bridge of Weir and Kintyre Park, Linwood, an enclosed dog exercise area at East End Park in Paisley, and kickabout football goals in Spateston Park.
In addition, there will be contributions towards brand-new play equipment for play parks at Station Park, Langbank; Glebe Street, Renfrew; and South Candren Village Green and Jennyswell in Paisley
And also on the way is feature lighting for the Wallace Monument in Elderslie and an upgrade to the Clyde Walkway path in Erskine with additional seating created at the waterfront.
Local Houston resident Sam Love has been fundraising for a new play park in the village and the new Helicopter Park took a step forward with funding to repair steps and ensure accessible access chosen by the community through the vote.
Sam said: “The funding will help create something that’s going to be there for years to come and will be hugely advantageous for children, and for parents and grandparents too who need that outlet. We know all about the benefits of outdoor play and this is going to be perfect for the village.
“#YouDecide is fantastic. Take it away from our success and you look how many people attended the event and they all represent a community project that #YouDecide has helped which is amazing.
“We’re living in a time which is pretty gloomy and here’s a project that is there to be proactive, to make people’s lives better in Renfrewshire, and it’s done it.
“There’s people walking out this building with massive smiles on their faces. I turned to my wife when our idea was successful and she had a tear in her eye, it’s perfect.”
Councillor Michelle Campbell, Convener of Renfrewshire Council’s Infrastructure, Land and Environment Policy Board, attended the small event at the University of the West of Scotland to celebrate the winning projects and is delighted at the success of the first iteration of this campaign.
She said: “#YouDecide has been a fantastic way of engaging with our local communities and ensuring that we extract the local knowledge from residents of what needed an upgrade where they live.
“Some were passionate about roads improvements, and some wanted upgrades to their local green spaces, but every successful project will make a noticeable difference to our neighbourhoods.
“Over the course of the campaign, the team met hundreds of local people, carried out more than 50 roadshows in local communities, visited countless community groups and used all our communications channels to reach as many people as possible – and this will be the benchmark we strive towards when #YouDecide returns again in the future.
“I’m looking forward to seeing all fifty projects come to fruition and I’m determined to build on this success of the engagement we carried out.”
FULL LIST OF SUCCESSFUL PROJECTS
Bishopton
- – Engage with the local community to carry out improvements to the appearance of roundabouts in the Village
- – Install a tarmac path and seating along one side of the grass area on Ferry Road in front of West Porton Farm
- – Install outdoor exercise equipment at Churchill Drive Park
Brookfield and Bridge of Weir
- – Install a wheeled sports area in Moss Road Park, including skateboarding, scooters and skates, for children and young people to enjoy
- – Install speed activated signs at the entrance to Brookfield
Elderslie
- – Light up the Wallace Monument to make it more of a feature
- – Install outdoor exercise equipment at Old Road Park
- – Install speed activated sign on Main Road
- – Install seating at Main Road near the NCR75 cycle path entry/exit
- – Upgrade the path that runs alongside the river from Abbey Road to Wallace Avenue to tarmac
- – Upgrade the tarmac surface at Queens Road Park
Erskine
- – Create ramps either side of existing steps at Holms Crescent to aid pedestrians with mobility issues, prams and bikes
- – Upgrade the Clyde Walkway path from Newshot Drive around to the river and create additional seating at the waterfront
- – Install lighting on link path between Millfield View and Linburn Road
Houston
- – Install a pedestrian crossing near the bus stop on Magnus Road/Piper Road
- – Repair steps and ensure accessible access to Helicopter Park (South Mound) for people with mobility issues, prams and bicycles
Howwood
- – Install lighting in Howwood Park connecting Beith Road and Midtown Road
- – Improve the playing surface at the Howwood Park playing field
- – Tarmac the perimeter path around Howwood Park
Inchinnan
- – Add two additional lighting columns to existing lighting in Inchinnan Park to provide lighting around the play area
- – Install a lighting column on the path between Braemar Road and Old Greenock Road bus stop
- – Install a gate from Inchinnan playing fields car park to allow direct access to the park and upgrade the path as required
- – Resurface the footpath Broompark Drive that leads to Inchinnan Primary
- – Design and install interpretation boards at points of interest in Inchinnan following engagement with the local community
- – Install seating on the walking and cycle route at the A8 Greenock Road
Johnstone
- – Additional lighting in the park on the Ellerslie Street area next to the play park
- – Install additional lighting in Spateston Park link path from Sheldrake Place to Spateston Road
- – Install kickabout football goals in Spateston Park
- – Install outdoor exercise equipment at Thomas Shanks Park
- – Install new lighting columns from Miller Street to Ritchie Park
Kilbarchan
- – Install additional lighting in Kilbarchan Park from Well Road to Park View
- – Create an activity trail around the village with information and interpretation boards
- – Engage with the local community to improve the appearance of the roundabout at the entrance to the village (Easwald Bank)
Langbank
- – Contribution towards items of play equipment in Station Park
- – Upgrade the path through Langbank playing fields from Station Road to the train station
Linwood
- – Install a wheeled sports area in Kintyre Park, including skateboarding, scooters and skates, for children and young people to enjoy
- – Install lighting in Kintyre Park
Lochwinnoch
- – Install lighting in Lochwinnoch Park around the surrounding path network
- – Lighting improvements from the car park at Lochwinnoch Park (Lochlip Road) towards the train station
Paisley East
- – Create an enclosed dog exercise area in East End Park
- – Install lighting in Barshaw Park from Arkleston Road entrance to car park
- – Contribution towards replacing all play equipment in Jennyswell play park
Paisley Gleniffer
- – Improve the paths within Gleniffer Braes Country Park
- – Improvements to Gleniffer Braes Car Park (off Glenfield Road) and improve the signage
Paisley North, West and Central
- – Access improvements to Glencoats Park to aid users with mobility issues, prams and bikes
- – Install additional play equipment in South Candren Village Green play area
- – Install additional street lighting at the entrance to Ferguslie Gardens opposite West Lane
Renfrew
- – Improve the appearance of roundabouts and add additional signage at the two main entrances to the town – Glasgow Road and Paisley Road
- – Install additional seating in Renfrew Town Centre
- – Contribution towards improvements to the play area at Glebe Street
