A Renfrewshire councillor has taken matters into his own hands to improve an eyesore park.
Jamie McGuire has been busy sprucing up Glebe Street playground, also known as Millburn Park, in Renfrew ahead of a funding push next year.
The Renfrew North and Braehead Labour councillor has been putting the work in to improve his local area after being told he’d have to wait until 2023 for cash to do the park up properly.
Not to be deterred, Councillor McGuire decided he would do what was within his power in the meantime.
He’s been down at the park regularly, getting rid of weeds and painting fencing, readying it for its eventual makeover.
Councillor McGuire, who was elected in May, said: “The park has basically been abandoned for the last 15 years. There’s been nothing done to it in that time and it’s just been lying there deteriorating. It’s the first thing you see when you come into Renfrew.
"When I was campaigning it was one of the things that people would speak about, saying, ‘It’s a shame that park doesn’t get done up’.”
Upon being elected, Councillor McGuire found out what could be done to improve the park.
However, he had just missed this year’s park funds allotment and was told that he’d have to wait 12 months to apply again.
Councillor McGuire says he wants the park to become a focal point for folk again.
There was a swing frame, which he had tried to get swings installed on, but was told by council officials that the structure wasn’t safe and so it has since been pulled down.
The only piece of equipment remaining is a climbing caterpillar, which Councillor McGuire intends to paint, to at least make the park more respectful.
“I’m making good progress," he said. "I’ve got rid of the overgrown grass, the weeds and I’ve painted the rusting metalwork.
"And now that the council officers have seen that we’ve got some traction, they’ve said, ‘oh, actually we’re going to do something about this now’.
"I’m pleased with how it’s going and you can really see the difference in the community. People have been saying in community groups on Facebook that they’re pleased to see it being improved.”
If he can secure funding, Councillor McGuire would like to see the park stocked with new equipment; transforming it from an eyesore into a functioning recreational space.
He added: “I would like it to be somewhere that people can take kids and where families can spend some time at the weekends.”
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