Park Villa Community Sports Hub in Govan celebrates launch with open day

The building in Langlands Road has been an unoccupied Glasgow Life and Glasgow City Council space for the last two years following the outbreak of Covid-19.

Now, however, the building-turned-hub is being occupied by Park Villa, a developmental football charity that is determined to make a difference within the community.

Park Villa has run as a football development group for the last 24 years, and is now turning its efforts to widening sport involvement in Govan through the new initiative.

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The hub officially launched on August 2, with an open day held on Friday in celebration.

The event was supported by many local vendors such as Emptae, which provided balloons. Elderpark and Linthouse housing associations also donated money for decorating costs.

The open day ran from 1pm till 4pm, with a whole host of free activities on offer.

From fencing, football, and badminton to the tuck shop and face painting, families and youngsters were welcomed into the new hub with a taste of what’s on offer.

Helen Feeney, chairperson of Park Villa and one of the open day organisers, said: “Today is all about showing people that we’re here and welcoming the community into the hub.

“I want to thank the folks over at People Make Glasgow Communities, and all the past and current coaches, kids and parents of the Park Villa committee.

“I’m so excited and just so proud of Park Villa and the work that we’ve done in the past 25 years and putting the knowledge and skills that we’ve attained over these years into use in this building. It can only be a success.

“We’re just so keen on providing a quality service in this area to enable local people to take part in sports and fitness and improve their health and wellbeing. And also, [support] people’s mental health because that’s really important.

“It’s all for the community.”

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She added: “We are hoping to use this space to its maximum potential, and we are committed to ensuring that we put in place here the kind of things that the community want.

“We have lots of football already, we have Glasgow Tigers - the American football team here, the M3 Ballers, dance groups, rollerblading, and we are keen to have yoga and boxing classes held here too.

“So if there are any boys or girls out there, who have dreams and aspirations of reaching the Olympics at some point in their life, if they come and there’s anything here that we can help get them set up in, we would do all we can to support them in that and try and get something set up for them.”

Helen added that Park Villa Community Sports Hub has had 'a fresh coat of paint, a good clean and is open for business'.

Some of the kids and families in attendance already seemed to be soaking up what’s on offer.

Grace Quigley, 47, and her daughter Annie, 10, from Govan, had a blast playing badminton.

Grace said: “We’re so excited to be here today.

“I can’t believe they’ve managed to get the space and have got it up and running, it’s great.

“Annie is hoping to do the badminton classes here, so we’re playing. She was so excited when she learned badminton was going to be here.

“I’ve seen they’ve got loads of different stations here, upstairs, and outside, it’s a great space. It’s absolutely amazing.”

Similarly, Kieran Young, 26, and his son Logan, seven, from Govan, played plenty of football as well as trying out loads of other activities.

Kieran said: “Aside from football, my son did one of the timed sprints earlier and we have been playing a bit of badminton too.

“My son's loved it.”

He added: “I think this is massive for the community.

“It’s good to see Park Villa getting some good stature within the community and getting to help kids as time goes on and build relationships with more in the community and area.

“I think Govan needs something like this.”