Partick is one of the busiest parts of Glasgow.
It is home to a big urban population, shops, businesses and transport facilities along the Dumbarton Road corridor at the heart of the area.
And with it comes the visible and unsightly urban problems of litter, graffiti and dog fouling.
Jill Ferguson is on a crusade to clean up the area.
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Jill, 50, has lived in Partick for 25 years and played an active role in many groups, including community councils and volunteering at soup kitchens, charity shops and St Andrew’s Ambulance.
She is well known for going about her business with her litter picker trying to keep the streets clean.
The Glasgow Times joined Jill on a walk around Partick as part of our joint investigation The Future of Glasgow with our sister title The Herald and it’s not hard to see she has her work cut out.
She points out the range of things the everyday folk leave behind.
Broken glass, discarded bottles, fast food packaging and drink cups are ubiquitous.
They all go in her plastic bag and into a bin.
With her trusty grabber, she also picks up a single silver high-heeled shoe near the train station. A local Cinderella, perhaps, running for the last train before it turns into a pumpkin.
The neighbourhood crusader, who is not shy in her criticism of the council, also said people need to take responsibility too.
Jill, who has registered as a Neighbourhood Improvement Volunteer (NIV), said: “If I see an area that is a mess I will go out and do it myself.
“There has to be a cut-off point though. The council needs to come and engage more with the community and schools.”
Ultimately, “people shouldn’t be dropping litter," she states.
Jill added: “Carry it with you until you find a bin or take it home and put it in your own bin.”
Graffiti is clearly visible around the station area.
On this, she said the owners should be taking responsibility for removal.
The wall from the entrance to the railway bridge behind Partick station is a hot spot as is the side and back wall of the Morrisons supermarket.
Jill said: “The front looks lovely but the back is a mess.”
It is, she rightly points out, the walking route from Partick to the Riverside Museum and the new bridge to Govan, so it is well used.
Jill added: “Network Rail and Morrisons have plenty of money to deal with it but instead they ignore it.”
Partick is a traditional Glasgow tenement area which poses challenges for cleansing and recycling.
Less frequent general waste bin collections have led to overflowing bins in some back courts.
Jill points out street recycling bins that are also overflowing.
She added: “People are putting glass and recycling in their green (general waste) bin which adds to that being full.
“People need to separate their waste more and reduce what goes to landfill.”
Shops are also using bins intended for household use and are not, she said, being monitored properly by the council.
Jill highlighted other issues in the area including the lack of public toilets, an unfinished housing development abandoned by owners, and the need for more support for people who are homeless.
She said there are many community groups and local organisations working to make Partick a great place to live.
Her ambition for the area is that improvements will come through people, communities, businesses, and the council each accepting their responsibilities and working together.
Undoubtedly, the appearance of the environment for local people and the many visitors is her number one priority.
And she is more than willing to back up her words with action and lead by example.
She said: “I carry my litter picker everywhere I go.”
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