North Kelvin Meadow is a wild area in the north west of Glasgow. In its past it has been several things, but it lay derelict for years and then the local community decided to develop it, they planted trees and cultivated other parts and generally managed the whole area and decades later they have a wonderful meadow/woodland for kids and adults alike to enjoy. An area to walk, play, meet, have events, the last wild place in the city for kids to learn about nature while having fun. Community driven for the benefit of all, a display of what a local community can achieve if left to their own devices.
It is not a void sitting in an area, it is a vibrant city asset where regular events are held attracting 1000 or more people a month, people walk though it in all seasons enjoying the changes, parents with the children are frequent visitors. The kids love the freedom to run and roam. All this driven and maintained by the local community.
You would imagine that the City Council would be proud of its citizens and what they had achieved, and perhaps even chip in a couple of quid here and there. However, this is Glasgow City Council and it is more corporate friendly than community friendly. It has the grand plan to level the whole area for developers and see it turned into high-end luxury flats.
Think about it, the last wild place in the city, an environmentally friendly asset used by thousands, beneficial to all especially the kids, costing the council nothing, and they want to wipe it of the face of the map with the only beneficial effects being to the developers bank accounts. North Kelvin Meadow belongs to the people.
The community is fighting back and have been for some time now, and yesterday they took their campaign to the City Chambers in George Square and voiced their disgust and anger. This campaign deserves the support from all of us citizens of the city, the North Kelvin meadow is there for all of us to use. If the council gets its way, it will not be there for much longer.
