Petition launched to save community centre in Dalmarnock
A petition has reached over 1200 signatures to save a community centre in Dalmarnock after it was closed unexpectedly due to administration last Friday.
The Legacy Hub was built following in the Glasgow Commonwealth Games in 2014, as part of the £40 million scheme funded by Big Lottery, Glasgow City Council, the Scottish Government and Clyde Gateway.
Parents of children at the nursery within the Hub were contacted on Thursday and asked to attend a meeting on Friday, where they were informed the closure would be of immediate effect at 5pm.
Some parents have been left out of pocket after paying the next month’s fees in advance, the day before the closure was announced.
Alison Thewliss MP said she shared ‘in the anger and frustration’ of staff and parents.
Thewliss said: “It’s not right that so many families have been left without any certainty for next week and beyond. My heart also goes out to the nursery staff, who have built up good relationships with the children in their care.
“I’ll be working with colleagues in Glasgow City Council and the local MSP to see what we can do to secure a future for the Legacy Hub. It is important that the community in Dalmarnock have a community centre, and we all want to find a way to keep it.”
The community centre was built to provide a range of services including training, a children’s nursery, theatre, and education facilities. All which will cease operation.
The petition reads: “The community of Dalmarnock has been shocked and dismayed by the sudden closure of the legacy hub located in Springfield Road, Glasgow.
This has left staff without jobs, a community without a thriving base to meet and participate in community activities and children without nursery places and in turn leaving parents without childcare. Twenty-three of the 25 staff members have been made redundant as a result. The remaining two will assist the administrators with the closure of The Legacy Hub.
The community are devastated by this decision and request that the hub be taken over and run by Glasgow City Council as soon as possible and remain a community asset.”
One supporter of the petition named Jamie Walker wrote: “”At 4 years of age my son was looking forward to his last 6 months at this nursery.
“”He will now have to adapt to new teachers and never seeing his old teachers ever again, not even given the chance to say goodbye.”
Joanna Slotwinska, a supporter of the petition, wrote: “My son goes to the Family Legacy Nursery- an amazing place run buy excellent staff. It is a disgrace that children should be deprived of being able to attend it and with absolutely no warning.”
Another supporter Taryn Ferry wrote: “This is an intricate part of the community. You’re not just closing a building, you’re closing down a pathway for young people that don’t get one anywhere else.”
A ‘peaceful’ protest took place on Sunday as parents and children affected by the closure voiced their frustration.
Protesters left teddy bears on the steps of The Legacy hub to represent a child who lost their place at the nursery on Friday, with 39 teddies in total.
Glasgow City Council said: “We understand that the closure of the nursery is a significant concern to the families that use it – and we are offering support to identify suitable alternative provision.”
