After nearly eight years, a local football team has secured a lease to transform a derelict site in Glasgow into a “vibrant community hub”.
Knightswood Football Club was granted a 25-year lease at Ashford Park by Glasgow City Council on Thursday, February 5.
The team say they are “delighted” to be taking over the pitch in the north-west of the city, which has lain vacant for several years.
Club members are also looking forward to bringing the grounds back into community use, and after consultation with residents, they say they can now begin to address the issue that “there is nowhere locally to play or train due to a lack of facilities”.
A statement published to Knightswood FC’s Facebook page notes that the vision to redevelop the site dates back to 2018 and that it has been a “lengthy and challenging journey”.
They further highlighted that the lease “marks the start of something massive” for both the club and Yoker.
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The statement reads: “The club are delighted to announce that today we successfully secured a 25-year lease at Yokermains Park in the heart of Yoker.
“The pitch has lain derelict for a number of years. As a community club, we first set out our vision back in 2018 to redevelop the site and bring it back into community use.
“Unfortunately, Covid halted progress at that time, and we had to restart the process a couple of years later.
“It has been a lengthy and challenging journey, but one we continued to push forward with, driven by our goal to transform this facility into a vibrant community hub for the club, local organisations and the wider community.”
It went on to add: “Throughout this journey we listened to the community and heard the voices of children, young people and adults, and the message was clear: there is nowhere locally to play or train due to a lack of facilities.
“We can now begin to address these concerns. This development will allow us not only to increase participation in football but to grow the club in an inclusive way, creating opportunities for girls’ football, walking football, disability football, and welcoming other sports and activities within the facility.
“This marks the start of something massive for both the club and the area. The hard work now continues as we look to secure funding to develop a state-of-the-art facility that will help regenerate the park, create new opportunities, and bring communities together.
"We are incredibly grateful for all the support we’ve received.”
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Ashford Park is located directly behind Yoker Sports Centre, which has also recently been taken over by local group DRC Youth Project.
The move has been praised by a local councillor who believes it points to a “bright future for the Yoker area”.
Councillor Malcolm Mitchell, who represents Garscadden/Scotstounhill, commented: “This week's developments follow the long lease that was agreed at Peterson Park pitches in October last year.
"The pitches which are less than a mile away from Yoker Sports Centre and Yokersmains pitch were handed over to Peterson Park CIC, which brings together an association football club, shinty club and Gaelic football club.
"What we have seen is incredibly exciting for the local community, community assets being put to use for the community with organisations that focus on our young people.
“I am incredibly excited about the steps that have already been taken and look forward to working with all organisations to ensure they have a sustainable future at the heart of the community."
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