AMONG the relentless negative news of late, it's been lovely to have positive events to cling to.

It's one of the things I enjoy about writing for the Glasgow Times - we always make room for upbeat stories and successes alongside the harder hitting tales.

And this weekend played host to a brilliant story of local activism, community spirit and success against adversity.

Almost to the very day that campaigners occupied Govanhill Baths, work will finally begin to transform the building into a health and wellbeing centre.

It's certainly been a marathon, rather than a sprint.

One of the very first stories I wrote when I joined the then-Evening Times in 2006 was about Govanhill Baths and the campaign to take control of the Calder Street venue from Glasgow City Council.

It was just two years from the formation of Govanhill Baths Community Trust, the organisation hoping to renovate the building and make it somewhere special in the heart of the local area.

Only two years on and the council was not yet convinced the campaign was serious, that it had any heft behind it.

I remember being met with scepticism when phoning up the council with enquiries about the campaign.

The take very much seemed to be that the Trust would eventually get fed up and move on.

The building was too far gone, too decrepit, there was a decent swimming pool at the Gorbals and it was too much for a local group of local people to cope with.

At the time, the Trust was merely pushing to have its own set of keys to the building so members could go in to see what needed to be done.

But even that seemed too much to ask.

The notion of community ownership was in its relative infancy and the council very much stood behind its belief that Govanhill had no want or need for a swimming pool.

Over the years, the council hasn't been the only doubting force.

Certain parts of the local community have been down on the Trust and those who run it.

All sorts of anti-Baths claims have been made. It would be better knocked down and used as housing, is one of the main ones.

Yes, good quality housing is badly needed in Govanhill but millions of pounds is being spent on taking over and refurbishing sub-par properties.

A community also needs high quality facilities to thrive.

And that's what the Baths brings. A few years ago the costs for the refurbishment rose because the plans for the building changed and became more ambitious.

Speaking to the architects at the time, they said that if the Baths were over in the West End or out in Giffnock there would be no question of ambition.

But in a socially deprived area like Govanhill, there was an assumption that beautiful things were frivolous, where elsewhere they would be seen as a right.

Why not aim for the best, I was told. Why not indeed.

Rising costs for the building have been another source of criticism. So too has been the Trust's success in securing funds for art projects and the People's Pantry and a whole range of other beneficial projects.

It's a strange sort of anger, almost unique to Govanhill, to be piqued about positives.

The complaint is that these projects only benefit some people and not everyone.

Listen, though, knowing the people behind the refurbishment of the Baths, the building is going to open and inclusive for everyone.

Absolutely everyone. So the naysayers might like to stop and ask themselves what they could do to help.

This is a hugely exciting time for Govanhill Baths, the culmination of 20 years of work.

So many people in the area have fond memories of learning to swim in the building, of happy Saturdays in the pool before hot chips or other treats on Victoria Road.

My memories only extend to the fight to save the building.

I can't wait to add a first look around the newly-refurbished Baths to my memories. I'm so looking forward to making regular use of what will be an amazing facility to have right on the doorstep.

The Baths stands as a testament to what can be achieved by grassroots groups. Imagine plugging on for 20 years against all the odds, all the negativity, all the doubt.

It's pretty incredible.

When the furious local residents and swimmers took up their places to occupy the building in 2001, they could never have imagined the changes that have taken place in the two decades since.

If all goes to plan, in just over a year's time Govanhill will swim again.

What an achievement and what an example of a positive future to look forward to.