News & Events Archive
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News - November 2010 Please see this Glasgow City Council consultation on plans for Kelvingrove Park (closing date 18th December 2010), and other consultations for Glasgow Green, Kelvingrove Park, Bellahouston Park, Botanic Gardens, Hogganfield Park, Queen’s Park, Pollok Country Park at www.glasgowconsult.co.uk. The Kelvingrove Park 'Development Plan' can be downloaded here as a PDF. These consultations were issued on 5th November 2010 by Tommy McDonald, Assistant Director, Glasgow City Council Land and Environmental Services. News - September 2010 Conservation Day at Kelvingrove Park Here is another opportunity to be involved with practical conservation work at Kelvingrove Park. On Wednesday 15th September come along to plant wildflowers in the park to help butterflies and bees. Tasks on the day will also include managing the butterfly garden. Please email or phone Cath Scott (Tel.0141 287 7026) if you are interested in attending, as booking is essential. This event is organised by RSPB, BTCV and Glasgow City Council. In the press... one of Kelvingrove's squirrels has been photographed drinking Lucozade, and part of Ruchill Park may be taken for a 21,000sq ft charity music centre. News - August 2010 Charity Concert Emails It has come to our attention that someone has been promoting a concert with the name 'Re-build the Band Stand', using one of our images without permission. While we welcome all supporters of the bandstand restoration, they are not affiliated with the Friends of Kelvingrove Park (a registered Scottish charity) or the ongoing project to restore the Kelvingrove Bandstand. Evening Times on tree removal The Evening Times covered the removal of trees in Kelvingrove Park. The article says "campaigners are furious" but the Friends are simply asking whether it is wise to chop down all the trees at the same time. GCC Land Services have had to make some difficult decisions but park users have asked us whether all the trees really have a 'killer fungus', or is it for budgetary reasons that old trees are being felled all together. Conservation Day RSPB and Glasgow City Council Biodiversity are holding a Conservation Day at Kelvingrove Park on 18th August. Come along and help make Kelvingrove Park better for wildlife. Tasks will include wildflower planting at the pond and in the meadows, as well as some weeding of the butterfly garden. If you want to find out more contact Cath Scott, Biodiversity Officer, LES-GCC on 0141 287 7026. To book a place email Tormod.MacLean@rspb.org.uk Fountain Repair Glasgow City Council have informed us that Fountains Direct began repair works on the Stewart Memorial Fountain on Monday 16 August 2010. Work should be completed by Friday 27 August 2010. News - August 2010 Litter Members of the public have recently contacted us with their concerns regarding City Council litter collection in the park - in general a perceived reduction in quality since park staff were moved out to Victoria Park, and specifically a large amount of litter around the picnic tables which went uncollected for five days.  N.B. We should mention that this area has since been cleaned-up and a similar area of litter was cleaned within 24hrs the following week.
Hiroshima Day Commemoration 
Glasgow West CND and Footprints for Peace will be holding a Hiroshima Day Commemoration at the Peace tree in Kelvingrove Park at 7pm on Friday 6th August. The event will close with a walk to the banks of the Kelvin where flowers and paper cranes will be floated down the river.
News - July 2010 The council have issued a PDF plan for tree removal in Kelvingrove and a corresponding PDF plan for replanting with less trees. Tommy Donald, Assistant Director of Land and Environmental Services writes: "Following a survey, 85 trees in Kelvingrove Park have been identified with decay fungi, including fungal species that causes rot in the stem, butt and roots, leading to instability, failure and ultimately death of the tree. For this reason it is necessary to have the affected trees removed. The location of these are shown on the attached tree removal plan either as individual trees or groupings of trees and consist of:- 35 individual Whitebeams;30 Whitebeams, in groups; and 20 trees of mixed species - Ash, Cherry, Willow, Beech, Sycamore and Elm." News - June 2010  In Kelvingrove Park this Sunday 20th June 2010 the Glasgow Mela celebrates its 20th birthday.More than 30,000 people are expected to descend on Kelvingrove Park for the eight-hour event which will host three stages of entertainment ranging from live Malaysian music to traditional Asian cuisine. The free event kicks off at 12pm with street theatre, arts, funfair rides and cultural exhibits also making the line-up. Attractions include Punjabi and Bhangra music stars Jaz Dhami and JK as well Bollywood's Desi Bravehearts, circus acts and Japanese drummers. News - June 2010  On Sunday 13th June 2010 the West End Festival parade will begin in Kelvingrove at 3pm with entertainment running from 12:30.
The famous Mardi Gras parade will feature samba bands from Glasgow, Edinburgh, Cumbria and London, 500 dancers and costume acts. The stages in Kelvingrove Park will include acts such as Brass Monkeys, The Amphetameanies, Destino, Brooksy & the Sound Collectors and Clanadonia. You can download a Festival Sunday Map and Information sheet (PDF) which lists all the bands and stages (PDF courtesy of the West End Festival website). Remember to visit the craft and information stalls which will be situated in Kelvin Way. News - May 2010  On Sunday 13th June Kelvingrove Park will again be the venue for the main celebrations of the West End FestivalThe 2009 festival, the first year where Kelvingrove played host to the Mardi Gras parade, was judged a great success and attracted large crowds. You can see more photos of the festival on flickr and information via the WEF Wikipedia entry. Blaes Pitches The photo above-left is of the north pitches, site of a proposed 3 metre high fence. Members of the public have contacted us regarding the recent resurfacing work, about sightlines and spoiling of view from/to Park Circus and officials suggesting that the pitches would no longer be available to the public for kickabouts etc. if they were fenced off. Concerns should be addressed to Planning.Representations@drs.glasgow.gov.uk with City Council Planning Ref#: 10/00764/DC News - May 2010  Recently we have been contacted by several park users who have reported their concerns to us on the following issues:
Events - May 2010 Conservation Day at Kelvingrove Park - Wed 12th May A chance to get help create and manage wildlife habitats in Kelvingrove Park. Activities on the day include wildflower planting and some weeding of the butterfly garden. Come along and help make your local park better for wildlife. This activity is being organised by RSPB and Glasgow City Council. If you want to book a place or get more details please contact: Alistair Allan, RSPB Information Officer on 07796 310 547 or email alistair.allan@rspb.org.uk Events - April 2010 UNISON Rally to defend public services - Saturday 10th April. Assembles from 9.30am in Kelvin Way and march up Gibson St, Woodlands Road, Great Western Road, Byres Road and back to Kelvingrove Park via University Avenue for an 11am rally. Rally plus fun stuff for kids will be held on grassy slope below Park Circus - more details and an event map can be seen on the UNISON Blog. Events - March 2010 The 'Wagner Garden Carpet', a rare 17th century Persian carpet, will be on display at the Burrell Collection over Easter. Penelope Hobhouse, gardener and garden historian is giving a lecture on Iranian gardening and gardeners on Saturday 27th March in a symposium with the Iranian-Scottish Association. See the Burrell website or phone 0141 287 2563 for more information. Events - February 2010 Some park wildlife and conservation events taking place in February and March 2010. 17th Feb - Creation of a new wildflower meadow Meet at riverside entrance to Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum at 11am. 10th March - RSPB Conservation Days Join the RSPB for a day of practical work managing wildlife habitats in the park. There will be a Conservation Day once a month and work will vary depending on the season. Tasks will include managing the butterfly garden and helping to create a new meadow. Numbers are limited. Please email Alistair Allan Alistair.Allan@rspb.org.uk , to request a place. For general information about work involved on the day call Cath Scott, Glasgow City Council on 0141 287 7026. 21st March - Spring into Life Meadow creation public event 11.00-15.00 Riverside entrance to Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum Lost Dog - December 2009 
Several dog-walkers have reported a lost dog to us (see photo). She is long-haired brown with a black back and white front paws and has been running around Kelvingrove Park and Gibson Street too scared to be approached. Please
if you have any information. National Pet Register and Cardonald Cat & Dog Home can be helpful in tracing lost pets.Update 11/12/09 - News - December 2009 A Facebook group has been set up called The Amphitheatre Restoration Committee (ARC). ARC are not connected to the Friends of Kelvingrove Park, but share our aims: "The Amphitheatre Restroration Committee (or ARC) is campaigning to ensure that the public park area is restored and may be put to its proper and artistic use. We are hoping to raise awareness of the issue and enable people to realise the advantage of its potential as an arts and science venue. Potentially, the Amphitheatre can be used all year round by arts groups in the summer months for performances and in the winter months used by science groups for observation and astronomy lectures. This is a space rich in history, rich in opportunity, that has been ignored.". Check out ARC's forthcoming film about the Bandstand, their advice page on contacting your local councillor about the Bandstand, and the many good stories and links supplied by members. Thanks Joe Joeboy and uploader Garnethill1 for finding this great footage of The Silencers at the Bandstand: News - November 2009 The next meeting of the Friends of Kelvingrove Park is on THURSDAY 26th NOVEMBER, from 7.30 to 9pm at Hillhead Library (small hall upstairs). Hear the latest news about the Bandstand & Amphitheatre. You can join the Friends at this meeting, which is also our annual general meeting. Look forward to seeing you! News - October 2009 The fountain has been temporarily switched off while the contractors fix a leak in the old underground pipework. Hopefully this work won't take long to complete as it was good to see it going again after such a long time. News - October 2009 The Restoration works to the Stewart Memorial Fountain are complete and the unveiling ceremony will take place on the 14th October 2009 at 3pm - the 150th anniversary of the opening of the first sluice gate at Loch Katrine. The restoration incorporates a more environmentally friendly water recycling system and there have been extensive repairs to the stonework including the reintroduction of cherubs missing since the 1930s. News - August 2009  The restoration of the Stewart Memorial fountain is progressing, and with bands, theatre companies and festivals clamouring to use the bandstand this summer, there could be no better time to prioritise the restoration of this brilliant venue which once brought so much to the people of Glasgow. Every month this website receives messages of support, as well as many who are angry that such a simple building restoration has taken so long.The Friends of Kelvingrove Park and Glasgow City Council parks officials are currently working with Glasgow Building Preservation Trust to make this long-awaited dream a reality. You can download our leaflet on the Bandstand restoration here - more details will follow. Events - June 2009 The West End Festival parade is on Kelvin Way this year, so come along after midday on Sunday 14th June or visit the Glasgow Mela on Sunday 21st June. Here's a list of June events in the park: •Kelvin 5k Fun Run - Saturday 13th June 2pm - Partick Trinity Church present the Kelvin 5k Fun Run: a great day out in Kelvingrove park, to raise money for Radio Lollipop. £5 entry, Free BBQ for all runners. •West End Festival, Un-Named Melody - Saturday 13th June 3pm - music performance at the skate park, the result of ten intensive workshops and rehearsals at Hillhead Library and Learning Centre •West End Festival Parade, Scotland's Mardi Gras - Sunday 14th June 12pm - more details at www.westendfestival.co.uk •Sing Out for Peace! - Saturday 20th June 11am - march off from George Square at 11.30 am followed by a musical rally in support of peace and the cause of nuclear disarmament in Kelvingrove Park from 12.30 pm •Glasgow Mela 2009 - Sunday 21st June 12pm - The annual colourful celebration of Glasgow's rich cultural diversity returns. Expect music, dancing, food, drink and a tremendous family day out. News - May 2009 After a long period of renovation, the An Clachan café has opened at the east end of Kelvingrove Park in the former toilet building beside the playpark. It serves sandwiches, soups, scones, cakes and baby foods. Customers can use the toilets for free while non-customers can use them by donating a pound to charity. Opening hours are 8am-6pm daily. Kelvingrove Square Open Day - May 2009 Another nearby Friends group, The 'Friends of Kelvingrove Square' are having an Open Day on Saturday May 16th from 12am to 4pm. Kelvingrove Square is on the south side of Kelvingrove Park between Derby Street and Kelvingrove Street. They are looking to canvas people's views on how to develop the square and there will also be face masks for kids, papermaking, planting and a quiz. Fountain Restoration - May 2009 News from Glasgow City Council that the Stewart Memorial Fountain, in Kelvingrove Park, is to return to its former glory in a project costing £512,000. Work begins on Tuesday (May 5) and includes the installation of an underground water recycling system, which will allow the fountain to operate in a sustainable manner for the first time in its long history. The work is being carried out by Hunter and Clark for Glasgow City Council, in partnership with Glasgow City Heritage Trust, the Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF), and Scottish Water. News - November 2008 Friends of Kelvingrove Park - ANNUAL GENERAL MEETINGTUESDAY 2nd DECEMBER 2008In the small hall, upstairs at Hillhead Library, Byres Road, Glasgow at 7.30pm.
** GOOD NEWS ** As of 27th December 2008 Grissom has been found safe and well, in Pollockshields, months after he went missing in the West End!News - October 2008 The Friends of Kelvingrove Park are working with Glasgow City Council on a project to bring the sparkle of flowing water back to the Stewart Memorial Fountain. Together with Woodlands & Park Community Council, Glasgow City Council's Land and Environmental Services, Scottish Water, Glasgow Heritage Trust and "Education Outreach" in Culture and Sport Glasgow, the Friends are hoping to raise awareness and improve knowledge of the fountain, which celebrates what has been described as "One of the greatest feats of civil engineering since the Romans" - the building of the huge 50 mile pipeline from Loch Katrine in the Trossachs to supply Glasgow with clean water. Following the successful restoration of the Doulton Fountain at Glasgow Green, the plan is to have a recycling unit to support continuous water flow. To support this project, the Friends of Kelvingrove Park, and Woodlands & Park Community Council are putting out an appeal for memorabilia: old photographs (especially of the eight large bird sculptures that were part of the design), also postcards, films, poems, paintings, sketches and other material that we could borrow, copy and return. Please send items to: Dennis McCue, Land and Environmental Services, 37 High Street, Glasgow G1 1LX. Tel. 0141 287 5142 or . News - August 2008 'Geobeats' (a website about international travel destinations) have a short film about Kelvingrove Park:
News - June 2008 The West End Festival Parade arrives in Kelvingrove Park at 4.15pm on Sunday 15th June, and ends with a Samba Party in the park. "The West End Festival (WEF) is one of the major festival events in the Scottish Calendar and Glasgow’s largest cultural event, attracting over 110,000 people to free events and 39,000 to ticketed events in 2007." On a related note, we noticed these letters to the Glasgow Evening Times newspaper under the headline "Bandstand is perfect park venue": "FORGET all this talk of building a temporary stage at the Art Galleries for the West End Festival (Evening Times, June 6), let's renovate the existing Victorian bandstand in Kelvingrove Park and hold gigs. It would be a lasting legacy which could be used throughout the year. Granted it won't hold thousands of people but it would provide an excellent venue for smaller acts." - EH, Glasgow "The Bandstand in Kelvingrove Park is an asset that this City of Culture should never have allowed to fall into disrepair. It is in an idylic setting within the Park, with a great natural sound system. EH is correct when he says it should be renovated and put to the use it was intended. This is a gem that our council should recognise if they have any real take on Culture within the city." - dan, West end We have also been asking these questions, pushing and working with the council on this issue for years, but still no Bandstand restoration. It has a large auditorium but is a small building, comparatively easy to restore - please let's get the restoration started Glasgow City Council! If you'd like to help, you can phone or e-mail the council via their website or contact your local city councillor via this webpage, http://www.writetothem.com/, and let them know that you support the restoration of the bandstand in Kelvingrove. Thanks for all of your continued interest and support. News - April 2008 Kelvingrove Park Ranger Service are offering free tours of the park: "Take a walk down memory lane with this pleasant and informative tour around this lovely park which has a history dating back to 1852". They also answer questions such as: "Where is the Elephants Graveyard?", "Are the Art Galleries back to front?" and "How did the Victorians clear snow from the bridge?". For more information contact the Council on Tel: 0141 552 1142 or E-mail: land@glasgow.gov.uk Also see City Strolls for a different kind of city walk. City Strolls have a great archive of photographs of Glasgow and are regular users of Kelvingrove - there is also extensive background information on various threats to Glasgow's parks News - March 2008 The Botanic Gardens has been in the news a lot recently. The Friends of Kelvingrove Park support the Save Our Botanics campaign in the view that parks have been gifted to the people of Glasgow and should not be sold-off or leased, in this case for a nightclub. The City Council should concentrate more on wildlife and maintenance of the parks e.g. this story in the Evening Times illustrates how wildlife can take a lower priority. Also, private developments are not the only way we can have public toilets in our parks - a false "Hobson's choice" offered in previous 'consultations' on the issue. News - December 2007 According to the Herald newspaper, the "Manhattan themed" nights in a tent in Kelvingrove Park are not taking place as the City Council Licensing Board found that the "all-you-can-eat&drink" nights breached the city's binge drinking policy. A statement on the Manhattan Xmas website said "the following dates have been cancelled: 14th-15th, 21st-22nd". [ Web editor's note... A lot of people have asked The Friends of Kelvingrove "is that big tent in the park a Christmas market?". They were all disappointed to find out it was a £60-a-head corporate event. I was lucky enought to spend last Christmas in the real Manhattan, New York City, and discovered that Central Park had loads of free music, Christmas markets, hot dog sellers, temporary food stalls, farmers markets etc.... Glasgow needs to act like a real city and provide more community-friendly events for the general public and less corporate piss-ups in our parks. ]. AGM - November 2007 The Friends of Kelvingrove Park AGM will take place in the small hall, upstairs at Hillhead Library on Monday 26th November at 7.30pm. The speaker will be Rory Crawford of RSPB. News - August 2007  "KELVINGROOVE" takes place in Kelvingrove PArk on SUNDAY 5TH AUGUST, 12noon - 6pm : "KelvinGroove is a Zero Carbon, Unsigned Music Festival and Family day out to promote love, life, health, family, good citizenship, environment and our love for Scotland and the World. Featuring 3 music stages: Indie, Jazz and Urban, hosting the finest of Scotland’s unsigned talent. KelvinGroove will also have a 'Mad Skills' Village where young people can attend workshops on: Emceeing, Lyric writing, DJ’ing, Beat Boxing and Street Dance. Plus a Festival Village filled with stalls, information, shops and food where you can experience people, group and organisations that represent the beautiful diversity that is Scotland". See kelvingroove.com or www.myspace.com/kelvingroove for more information.
News - July 2007 'Wild In The City' comes to Kelvingrove Park on Wednesday 11th July 2007 from 12-4pm, near the playpark. The Countryside Ranger Service will be providing games, workshops and acitivities for all the family. News - Spring 2007 The West End Festival and Glasgow Mela both came to Kelvingrove in June (photos will be uploaded soon). News - Spring 2007 Kelvingrove Park will be host to the BBC nature programme "Springwatch" on Saturday 9th June 2007. The event is part of BBC Breathing Places Cities, a UK-wide project backed by Springwatch presenters Bill Oddie, Kate Humble and Simon King. On Saturday organisers will offer local people the chance to take a nature ramble, create a butterfly garden, build a nest box or help improve the environment in the park's famous duck pond. See www.bbc.co.uk/breathingplaces for more details BBC Springwatch - Kelvingrove Park Saturday 9th June 2007 - 10.30am-4.00pm News - Spring 2007  It was with great sadness that we learnt of the death of Alan Stewart. Alan was a friend to many in the Friends of Kelvingrove - he had great knowledge & expertise in architecture, and a great enthusiasm and interest in the environment (the attached picture of Alan was taken during one of our guided wildlife walks). His obituary in the Herald puts it well: 'Alan will be remembered as a man who helped to make Glasgow a more civilised place'.
News - Spring 2007  Kelvingrove Park is home to a variety of wildlife. Take a stroll along the River Kelvin to see Mallard, Moorhen and perhaps catch a glimpse of a Kingfisher.A series of projects are planned for this year to enhance the wildlife value of the park. i) Pond naturalisation- the formal pond is being enhanced by creating shelves and establishing wetland vegetation. ii) Meadows- areas of diverse and colourful wildflowers are being created, which are good for wildlife and great to look at. iii) Butterfly Garden- an area is being created with plants for both adult butterflies and caterpillars. iv) Woodland - woodlands are being enhanced by creating a natural woodland ground flora, under the shade of existing trees. Come along to help your local wildlife and plant wildflowers. Please by e-mail and get involved! News - February 2007 Welcome to the re-designed KelvingrovePark.com website. I hope you can find everything you need, if not please .  Some highlights of the website are the new heritage and environment pages, the heritage walk page with an accompanying map of Kelvingrove Park, and the Scottish Parliament motion supporting the restoration of the bandstand.
News - February 2007  "Healthy" cafe set for listed Kelvingrove site - Evening Times , Herald - we wonder what the existing sandwich shop and café pictured left will feel about this new café on their doorstep - not too "healthy" for them?
We have heard from Garnethill, Hillhead, Partick and Woodlands&Park Community Councils that they were not consulted about this proposal. From the public's point-of-view a "healthy" café in this disused building would be a wonderful idea - however it is unfortunate that the Council are getting private developers to do it, i.e. selling-off (or long-term leasing) that part of the park, rather than keeping it in public ownership. This contradicts Councillor Colleran's welcome statement in the Evening Times that parks will be "protected and safe from developers". Other cities have managed to improve their park facilities while keeping them publicly-owned, why not Glasgow?This Evening Times poll asked "Is Glasgow doing enough to preserve its parks?".. 16.67% said "Yes" and 83.33% said "No". News - Autumn 2006  The Friends of Kelvingrove Park would like to express our thanks to Gordon Urquhart and Awards for All for making possible the excellent Heritage Walk leaflet & map. Please
or join the Friends if you would like a copy sent out to you. The website also now has a page of information on the Tigress & Cubs statue which was the gift of John Stewart Kennedy, a son of Glasgow who had immigrated to New York and made his fortune. Today the New York version of the statue sits not on a tall pedestal but at ground level, in the Central Park Zoo (see photos on Tigress page).
News - August/September 2006 On Saturday 16th September Maggie’s Cancer Caring Centres are holding their first Building Life Walk, which is a 10 mile walk around the centre of Glasgow. The vital funds raised will make a real difference to people living with cancer. 2006 is Maggie’s 10th birthday and to mark this momentous occasion they are organising this very special day. Glasgow City Council and the City Health Walks, plus SAGA 105.2fm are all supporting the event. Maggie’s Glasgow Building Life Walk will follow a route around many of Glasgow’s best and most inspirational buildings, which are all open to the public for free as part of Doors Open Day. These include the Kelvingrove Museum and Art Gallery, the Glasgow Necropolis, the Cathedral of St. Mungo, St. Andrews in the Square and the SECC, as well as their own Maggie’s Centre. Full details of the buildings taking part in Doors Open Day can be found at www.doorsopendays.org.uk For more information on the Building Life Walk or to sign up please call Dehra on 0141 341 5669 or email dehra@maggiescentres.org or go to www.maggiescentres.org News - June 2006 West End Festival & Glasgow Mela - Sunday 11th June
 Kelvingrove Park will again play host to the Glasgow Mela, the highly popular multicultural music and dance festival [more details at this events listing site].To add to the carnival atmosphere, this year the West End Festival will also be on the same day. The spectacular Festival parade will start from the Botanic Gardens, then along Byres Road, and should be entering Kelvingrove Park by around 3.45pm. The Mela continues on late into the evening. Should be a good day :-) Bandstand Project - waiting for Council's backing
There has been lots of support for our project from various quarters: a motion in the Scottish Parliament, support from internationally famous bands, theatre companies and an extensive array of people from all areas of the arts and public life.All it needs now is Council approval for the project to move forward with Glasgow Building Preservation Trust. You could help us by contacting your local city councillor via this webpage, http://www.writetothem.com/, and letting them know that you support the restoration of the bandstand in Kelvingrove. Thanks for all of your continued interest and support.
News - May 2006 Bandstand Motion in Scottish Parliament
The Friends of Kelvingrove Park received a great boost for the bandstand restoration campaign recently, when Pauline McNeill MSP put forward the following motion to the Scottish Parliament:
News - March 2006 A photographic exhibition by Bill Millett, which features images of Kelvingrove Park, takes place this week at the Hillhead Library. Here's some of Bill's description: The exhibition takes a look at the Architecture that surrounds Kelvingrove in the context of the play of light and the ever changing weather that influence the atmospheric imagery of Kelvingrove. The viewer is taken on a journey one misty morning, as the mist lifts the sequence follows the flight of birds down the Clyde to wards the Ayrshire coast, then to the artic waves that pound the far north of Scotland. The exhibition is at Hillhead Library and runs until the 1st of April. Some of the images can also be seen on the web site www.visual-osmosis.com News - January 2006 The Friends have received even more support and press coverage in the last few months. Thanks to all the various people, organisations and bands for their support. By the way... apologies to any of the bands who were surprised by some misquotes and misunderstandings in the press, particularly the "XXXX band have been signed to play at a star-studded gig!" type of stories. We appreciate your support, and regret if these misquotes caused any panic or consternation! More bands and artists
The Friends have had a great response to the stories in the press about our plans for the bandstand restoration.Thanks to Carol Laula for her great support: " The Paisley born artiste - who has just released her sixth album 'Kitchen Stories' - now lives in the vicinity of the park and is horrified by the way that the structure has been allowed to deteriorate over the years. The Kelvingrove Park Bandstand is the only one left in Glasgow and has been given B-listed status by Historic Scotland due to it's 'cultural and social significance'. An estimated £500,000 is needed to fully reinstate the construction that played host to bands and performers as recently as 1999. Carol is the latest musician to add her name to a list that includes Franz Ferdinand, Belle & Sebastian and Teenage Fan Club, by saying that she'll happily devote her time and talent to raising awareness and money for the beleaguered bandstand. It's not the first time that Carol has been supportive of it's plight. Several years ago she made attempts to get Glasgow City Council to address the issue of the local landmark before it fell into further disrepair. She explains why she feels it's so important to restore the Kelvingrove Park Bandstand to it's former glory; "The joy of playing at this kind of venue - out in the open air - is the ambience it creates for both the performer and the audience. It's such a beautiful building in such a beautiful part of the world. Surely Glasgow deserves better; anyone walking through the park - tourists and locals alike - deserves better. Let's celebrate this building, not dilapidate!" [LINK TO PRESS RELEASE] and here's another of the pages linking to us: "CLANN AN DRUMMA WANT TO SHOW OUR SUPPORT ALSO! BROWSE OUR WEBSITE AND SEE THE VIDEO FOOTAGE OF OUR PART IN THE HOGMANAY SHOW IN GEORGE SQUARE AS WE TRIBALISE THE 30.000 CROWD, SO IF A TRIBAL AWARENESS IS REQUIRED IN THE DURATION OF THIS CAMPAIGN, THEN COUNT US IN ! " [link] News - December 2005 The Friends' campaign to restore Kelvingrove Park Bandstand was featured in The Sunday Herald Newspaper on 4/12/05. With the headline Franz Ferdinand battle to save bandstand", the article concentrated on the enthusiastic support the proposed restoration has received from bands such as Franz Ferdinand, Teenage Fanclub and Belle & Sebastian. "Of course it should be saved," said Alex Kapranos, of Franz Ferdinand, adding that he would love to play the bandstand. "What an amazing venue it would be," he said. "It’s such a fantastic Glasgow landmark, and it’s a great wasted opportunity. It’s in such a beautiful setting, and [restoring] it could really enrich the city’s cultural scene. To see it crumble would be a waste." Stuart Murdoch of Belle And Sebastian remembers seeing bands such as Hue And Cry and Tom Robinson perform at a "crammed" bandstand in the 1980s. "I look upon it as one of the spiritual parts of the west end. I dig the bandstand as much when there’s nothing going on, which is all the time now, as when there was stuff going on. It’s got a magical atmosphere," he said. Teenage Fanclub chose Kelvingrove bandstand as the site for a video for the song Dumb Dumb Dumb from their 2002 album Howdy!. "We would like it to be saved," said the band’s Raymond McGinley. "It’s a great location and I’m sure it could be used for open-air events." see full Sunday Herald Article News - November 2005  It was with great sadness that we learnt of the death of Colin Macleod. Colin founded the GalGael Trust and was an inspiration to many. See this BBC article and this photo gallery on the work of the trust. We would like to extend our condolences to Colin's family & friends.News - November 2005 The Friends of Kelvingrove Park's Annual General Meeting is on Thursday 3rd November Our speaker will be writer and broadcaster Alastair McIntosh (involved in many successful groups such as the Isle of Eigg Trust and GalGael Trust) speaking on 'The Value of Urban Parks'. Thursday 3rd November at 7.25pm (tea & coffee at 7pm) Venue: Partick Community Assoc., The Annexe, Stewartville Street. News - October 2005 The 'Friends of the River Kelvin' and 'Kelvin Clyde Greenspace' are having a wildflower planting event in Dawsholm Park and Maryhill Park. They aim to increase the biodiversity of the Kelvin valley wildlife corridor, through planting indigenous trees and wildflowers. Around 1000 species of wildflower will be planted, including Common Knapweed, Common St John’s Wort, Purple Loosestrife, Devil’s-bit Scabious, Ragged Robin, Meadow Cranesbill, Tufted Vetch and Red Campion and Ladies Bedstraw. Planting at Dawsholm will be on Saturday 29th October and Saturday 12 November, at 10.30 am (at the Vet School side of the park). The date for Maryhill Park is Saturday 19 November, at 10.30am (at the Maryhill Road entrance). They aim to be finished by 12 noon. Transport can be arranged for those who need help getting to Dawsholm or Maryhill Park. Gloves and trowels will be provided, as will hot soup and coffee. FORK’s planting schemes are developed in collaboration with Kelvin Clyde Greenspace, which receives funding from the Area Budgets of Glasgow City Council to invest in plants. News - October 2005 Kelvingrove Park 'Autumn Wildlife Walk':    (more in the photo gallery) News - October 2005 The Kelvingrove Autumn Wildlife Walk is taking place on Saturday 15th October 2005. It is led by Fiona Stewart of the Scottish Wildlife Trust, and starts at the Stewart Memorial Fountain at 10am. All welcome. The Friends are pleased to note the following development. Glasgow City Council have recognised the importance of 'Friends' organisations, and have agreed that they should be consulted and encouraged across the city. Here's a scanned extract from the approved City Council policy document:  Scanned from "Glasgow Parks and Open Spaces - Strategic Best Value Review and Implementation Plan" (Available online as a PDF document) News - September 2005 'Pedal in the Parks' voluntary work "Pedal in the Parks" are looking for a coordinator for their Common Wheel project which enables people with disabilities to enjoy cycling. The project was launched in Bellahouston Park in March 2004 in partnership with Glasgow City Council and the North West Area Learning Disability Team. Special cycles provided by the Lottery’s Awards for All scheme run on designated paths around the park. The project now needs a coordinator to manage the day to day sessions and to identify and develop potential growth areas. Although the position will initially be voluntary, it is envisaged that it will develop into paid employment. Number of hours worked will depend on how much time and energy the volunteer can commit but will be at least one day per week. Contact Norman Armstrong, Common Wheel, 53 Chapel St, Glasgow, G20 9BD. Tel. 0141 946 0777, or e-mail at this address News - Summer 2005 World-famous bands support bandstand Having previously received support from Belle & Sebastian and Teenage Fanclub, our readers have now sent us this article from the Sunday Mail: Take me out... to the park Alex Kapranos has revealed Franz Ferdinand have been checking out bandstands in Glasgow parks as possible venues. The band's frontman wants to play a gig in his local public park – so he can walk home after the show. He said: "We'd like to do our own big show in the city. The bandstand at Kelvingrove would be amazing , so would Queen's Park." “We played a festival in Oslo recently in a little park and the city completely surrounded us. It made the show more exciting." - article by Billy Sloan “Franz for nothing” Sunday Mail, 4/9/05 Thanks Alex! We hope it happens soon... check out this page about the bandstand restoration, and then contact your local city councillor to let them know how keen you are to see Glasgow's last public bandstand being used again. News - Summer 2005  Ice-cream cart, Central Park, New York City The above photo was recently sent to the Friends of Kelvingrove Park, Glasgow, by a fan of Kelvingrove who lives in New York and appreciates the difference that Central Park makes to that huge city. These hand-carts are seen all over Central Park, selling food, drinks and ice-cream. The advantages are that they are temporary (and don't require permanent building on green space), they don't cause pollution (or littering), and they successfully provide employment and much needed refreshment in the 843 acres of Central Park. The Friends would like to hear your views on this. Our members have already noted that Kelvingrove is a much smaller park, and that there are already a substantial number of eating and drinking facilities around it on all sides. These carts would fill the need for refreshment on a hot summer's day without building permanent cafés/restaurants/bars in the park.  flying bat, Kelvingrove, 2nd August 2005 click here to see more from our photo gallery News - Summer 2005 This brief presentation outlines part of the Business Plan for the restoration of the Kelvingrove Park Bandstand and Amphitheatre, produced by Gen Consulting Ltd. and funded by Glasgow City Council Land Services, Glasgow Conservation Society West and Scottish Enterprise Glasgow. The Scottish Academy of Asian Arts held another very successful Mela in Kelvingrove Park. See more of our photos in this gallery, and see the BBC's Glasgow Mela Photo Gallery  
'Famous bands support Kelvingrove Bandstand' Belle and Sebastian, and Teenage Fanclub (at a photoshoot in the Glasgow Transport Museum). Both bands very kindly posed for photos for us. They are strongly supporting our campaign to restore the Kelvingrove Park Bandstand as a popular open-air venue, without selling-off Glasgow's valuable public parkland in the process.  Belle & Sebastian  Teenage Fanclub Thanks to both bands for their support, and also to Cookie Scene magazine, Japan Bird Walk All are invited to join us on Saturday 7th May for our second Bird Walk in Kelvingrove Park. We'll meet between 10am and 10.15am at Glasgow's new Royal Society for the Protection of Birds headquarters. It's the last tenement on Park Quadrant. Also, see these photos of a heron and a cormorant, both spotted in Kelvingrove. Bandstand & Amphitheatre Project The Bandstand & Amphitheatre Project has now reached a critical stage, with the handing-over of the draft Business Plan to the City Council Parks Officers. We have asked them to come up with constructive comments on the report, and to respond positively to the principle of restoring the bandstand and amphitheatre as a public facility. A lot of money and effort has been spent on our Feasibility Study and Business Plan for the bandstand, but so far councillors and officials from Glasgow City Council have not made a clear commitment to restore the bandstand. If you wish to express support or find out further information about the Bandstand and Amphitheatre project, then you please contact us using the address below, or you can visit our stall in the upper-hall of Hillhead Library during the West End Festival on 12th June. Tea and Coffee will be provided. 'Past park perfect?' An art piece based around the Bandstand in Kelvingrove Park by Hedley Sugar-Wells  Kelvingrove Park N.B. the time has now been changed to between 6pm and 7pm because it wasn't dark enough to see the film well. It runs on every evening until Thursday 3rd. " Part installation, part performance, this art piece will attract park users to the abandoned bandstand and amphitheatre and hopefully spark a debate as to the future of such public buildings. There are other underlying themes such as: what need do we as a society have for communal public entertainment?; Should we preserve old buildings regardless of their lack of use?; and what facilities do modern city dwellers need in their public spaces.  This multi-layered work, 'Past Park Perfect?' begins when a live piper plays a rallying tune, whilst walking the perimeter of the site from sunset to dusk. He will represent the closure of the site and act as a rallying call to the park users and anyone walking home from work or University at that time. At dusk an archive film (from Scottish Screen) of the bandstand in use during its inaugural year, 1928, will be projected onto the railings which now block the stage. As the piper dies down a sound piece will be played of various crowds of people at public entertainment events such as football matches, theatre, panto, rock concerts etc. Thus, bringing together the past, present and possible future of the site. "     The next meeting of Friends of Kelvingrove Park is on Wednesday, 10th November 2004 at 7.30pm in the small meeting room of Hillhead Library, Byres Road, Glasgow. It will be our A.G.M. and will include an illustrated talk by Iain Gibson (L.S. Parks Conservation Officer) on "WILDLIFE IN GLASGOW'S PARKS"
The new skatepark has opened in Kelvingrove Park - see pic below:   Many of our members have expressed concern to us about the 'consultation' on parks and a recent trend in PR spin. It seems there is a new term for privatisation... a new 'touchy feely' privatisation for the new millennium. Nowadays Glasgow City Council press releases don't say 'privatise' or 'sell parkland to developers'... they instead say 'commercial partnership', 'franchise' and 'added facilities'. You can read some good examples of this spin at this Herald article and this Scotsman article. Our members have also said 'the city council should be doing their job maintaining existing facilities, rather than offering parts of the park to private enterprise'. We shouldn't have been offered a "Hobson's choice"... i.e. no choice at all. The way the consultation was worded, we were only offered "commercial operators". i.e. either you accept private enterprise in public parks or you don't get basic facilities like toilets! Privatisation is an 'easy option' for the short-term thinkers who are looking for a quick commercial return - such commercial operators have demonstrated in the past that they are unconcerned with the environmental and health benefits of parkland... and why should they be? Private Businesses are for the streets, Public Parks are for the people. N.B. We are very active and enthusiastic in working with the City Council to enhance facilities in Parks, where it doesn't involve parts of them being sold-off for car parks etc. Other cities in the UK (e.g. Edinburgh and London) and further afield seem to manage this fine - why do we have to sell our heritage and green space? See our News Archive for more on this story.  Sadly one of the oldest trees in Kelvingrove Park, a mulberry, fell down this summer. However, there are some green shoots remaining so maybe all is not lost :)  Friends of Kelvingrove would like to thank the councillors and park staff who acted quickly following comments about the Stewart Fountain made during the recent 'online consultation'. Many members of the public noted that the Stewart Fountain would be vandalised less if the water was switched on. A few weeks after this we had a rare spell of hot weather and the water was turned back on - as you can see from the photo below, it was flowing well. Hopefully this will be continued, especially if it is restored again - to save it getting further damaged and used as a climbing frame.  Mela Glasgow 2004 will take place in Sunday 25th July in Kelvingrove Park. It is organised by Scottish Academy of Asian Arts, more details on their website at www.saaa.org.uk
N.B. We are very active and enthusiastic in working with the City Council to enhance facilities in Parks, where it doesn't involve parts of them being sold-off for car parks etc. Other cities in the UK and further afield seem to manage this fine - why do we have to sell our heritage and green space? Privatisation is an 'easy option' for the short-term thinkers in some councils around the UK who are looking for a quick commercial return, and are unconcerned with the environmental and health benefits of parkland, and the architectural heritage left by their more far-sighted Victorian counterparts. One of our members sent us this interesting comparison: " Glasgow City Council's Land Services are recruiting for a Parks Commercial Manager, with a one line job description - 'Responsible for the development of commercial activities within parks'. Contrast that with Edinburgh City Council's advert in the same supplement, for a Head of Parks and Sport...'to monitor the operation of Edinburgh Leisure, the not-for-profit company established by the Council to manage its leisure centres... management and development of the City's extensive estate of parks, gardens, woodlands and countryside'. " It may be a slight difference in emphasis... but it could leave Edinburgh residents with a healthier city with extensive parkland and make Glaswegians wonder at why we were once known as the "Dear Green Place".  At our recent meeting the Friends of Kelvingrove Park discussed Glasgow City Council's 'Strategic Review of Parks and Open Spaces'. The meeting was well attended, and the Friends agreed that as well as promoting this consultation paper, we would make a group response. This would include 'an appreciation of the beauty of the park, and the hard work of those involved in its maintenance', 'concern at the recent lack of toilet provision' (the public toilets were closed throughout the West End Festival... the park's busiest day), and 'opposition to the council using commercial operators to provide services in parks'. This last point drew the most comment, with members noting that the 'city council should be doing their job maintaining existing facilities, rather than offering parts of the park to private enterprise'... and 'is the public toilet service being intentionally run-down?'. The Parks public consultation paper is available as a leaflet that you can fill-in, or you can respond online at www.glasgow.gov.uk/parksreview. The consultation period ends on the 9th July, so get your responses in soon. and look out for questions 1, 3 and 12.... Question 12 in particular offers a "Hobson's choice"... i.e. no choice at all. The way this question is worded, you are only offered "commercial operators". i.e. either you accept private enterprise in public parks or you don't get any toilets! .gif){kind=small}
Friends of Kelvingrove had another guided wildlife walk. A wren was spotted nesting in the park and here are some photos of a Heron and a Cormorant. Click on the photos to see the Cormorant in action, catching an eel! 
Parks recently hit the national news in this article: http://society.guardian.co.uk/environment/story/0,14124,1214317,00.html Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF) have invested in parks and green spaces across the UK since it began operating its Urban Parks Programme in 1996 but this article asks whether the HLF model of park restoration is still relevant to a modern society, drawing largely on the example of Roundhay Park in Leeds. Some concern is expressed that HLF and other heritage bodies are 'gung-ho' about the destruction of trees in their desire to return parks to a Victorian idyll. Also... The Glasgow City Health Walks are launching the Park led walks. Queens Park and Tollcross Park, 10:30am and 3:00pm Tuesday 15th June 7.30pm, Hillhead Library 'Safeguarding Kelvingrove Park' Kelvingrove Park was mentioned favourably on an excellent BBC Radio 4 series on urban parks - we'll put some more links and information on this site soon. We've recently seen this website 'Urban Fly fishing on the River Kelvin'. Whether you're a fishing fan or not, there's some really great photos and information on many parts of the Kelvin Wildlife Corridor. Also check out Bob Hamilton's excellent 'City Strolls' which was recently featured in the Big Issue magazine. There's a meeting of Friends of Kelvingrove Park on Monday, 3rd November 2003 at 7.30pm in the small meeting room of Hillhead Library, Byres Road. The guest speaker will be Simon Zisman, the Conservation Officer for the RSPB and he will give a talk with slides about 'Birdlife in Kelvingrove Park'.  We've recently added to our links page: City Strolls and the Gal Gael Trust City Strolls are meeting on Saturday 23rd Aug 11:00am at Govan underground, for a walk into town taking in the old docks, riverside developments and the Clyde walkway. Tea/coffee provided and walk would be approx. 2hrs. The Urban Parks Forum have changed their name to GreenSpace. They are a national non profit-making organisation committed to improving open spaces and public parks across the UK, and links to other community groups can be found in the 'Community' section of their website.
The Friends of Kelvingrove Park have recently joined the Urban Parks Forum, a not-for-profit organisation who promote the importance of public spaces whilst increasing awareness of related issues. They work in partnership with the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister, the Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF) and the Esmée Fairburn Foundation. Take a look at their website for community links, resources and other Urban Greenspaces in the UK.
& a Peaceful New Year to all Congratulations to David Sneddon, who won BBC TV's 'Fame Academy' recently. Those of you who attended Spirit Aid in Kelvingrove (see News Archive) may remember him and his excellent band The Martians. They did some great acapella and a satirical medley of boy-band songs that day. We think he's a well deserved winner :-)  The Martians at Spirit Aid The Dussera Parade & Festival took place on 26/10/02. Click below for some images from the day.  Click for Image Gallery The Dussera Festival takes place on Saturday 26th October in Kelvingrove Park. The parade assembles in Clifton Road, and at 1pm proceeds via Sauchiehall Street, Woodlands Road and University Avenue to reach Kelvingrove Park at Kelvin Way. The procession will include horse-drawn chariots, open flotillas, bands, clowns, jugglers and stilt walkers. Fireworks, and the burning of a 30ft effigy of Ravana should take place 3-4pm in Kelvingrove Park. This event is organised by the Glasgow Indian Cultural and Festival Committee: "Dussera is celebrated all over India to signify the destruction of Ravana, the evil King and the victory of good over evil". There is also a Diwali Stage performance on Sunday 27th October at the Woodside Hall, ticket details shown on ICFC leaflet.  Burning The Effigy of Ravana part of the Dussera Festival Click here to read the details on the front and back of the festival leaflet. The Bandstand project is progressing slowly but surely. We've had encouraging support from the Royal Scottish National Orchestra, Glasgow Repertory Company (Shakespeare in the Park), 7:84 Theatre and many other potential users of the venue. See our bandstand news page for more info. You can also join the Friends of Kelvingrove Park for a small annual fee.
The Mela Glasgow 2002 takes place on Sunday 28th July, from 11am to 9pm in Kelvingrove Park. There will be multicultural music and dance groups, magic shows, kite-making and other workshops, trade stands, South Asian and European food, a mini fun fair, an inflatable village and much much more. More information available from the Scottish Academy of Asian Arts.  Wild In The City takes place on Wednesday 24th July, and includes guided walks in Kelvingrove Park and the River Kelvin, telling children more about the wildlife that they can find in these areas. Contact Glasgow City Council for more info. Spirit Aid are having a Picnic for Peace in Kelvingrove Park at 1-4pm on Sunday 21st July. Spirit Aid focuses on projects that help children to grow and develop free from poverty, wars and injustices, and have recently sent donations to Kosovo and Guinea Bissau. " Bring along a picnic and support peace. There will be entertainment, street theatre, stalls with information and crafts, musicians and DJ's. At 3pm there will be a few minutes quiet focus on World Peace. A small area of the park will be give over to create Glasgow's first permanent 'Clootie' Tree dedicated to peace. Bring along a piece of cloth (Clut), write on the cloth your message of peace and tie it to the tree. This is our last event so come along and join in the celebrations."  Spirit Aid's 'Bed-in' with Ford Kiernan, Shareen Nanjiani & David Hayman A couple of summer events to report. On Sunday 30th June, our friends at The Coach House Trust are having an Open Day with BBQ, live bands and chainsaw sculpting. Jackie Bird and Lord Macfarlane of Bearsden will be present at the official opening of the newly restored Coach House buildings. You can see our tour of the gardens, or visit their website. Also, on Saturday 6th July, North Kelvin Community Council, Friends of the River Kelvin and the Lighthouse are celebrating the River Kelvin with a day of events called Kelvin Kulture. More information can be found at the NKCC website, or by contacting the Friends of the River Kelvin via their website. We got an e-mail from France recently from someone who remembered hearing a song about Kelvingrove. Here's some information about the song, and there's also a link to an archive film showing Kelvingrove in 1959.  Kelvingrove song & movie clip There is a meeting of 'Friends of Kelvingrove Park' at Hillhead Library on Thursday 7th February 2002, 6.30-9.30pm, to launch the Kelvingrove "Bandstand Feasibility Study". The presentation will be made by Neil Baxter Associates, and music will be provided by the Johnny 7. Also see our bandstand news page.
A River Kelvin Wildlife & Heritage walk took place on Saturday 6th October. Take a look at this new page.  The River Kelvin Walk Many thanks to John Keeman who sent us some photos of Kelvingrove Park in the 1950's. These show the south side of the park (and Mr.Keeman's dog 'Brandy'!), and the main slope in the early 1950s and in 1959. It's good to note that this popular spot is still as busy on sunny days as it was in these photos from the 1950's. Glasgow Cyclefest, Sunday 17 June 2001, Kelvingrove Park, Glasgow.
From 11am to 5pm in Kelvingrove Park, Glasgow, a day-long family-oriented celebration of all forms of cycling with a range of events suitable for all abilities, ranging from family groups and newcomers to experienced cyclists. The event highlights the health and fitness benefits of cycling as an enjoyable outdoor leisure activity and competitive sport, and promotes its environmental benefits as part of a sustainable transport solution. Glasgow Cyclefest is part of the annual Festival of Cycling and Glasgow West End Festival.
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