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A vibrant new activity and community space has officially opened within Ferguslie Park in Renfrewshire, transforming a long-term vacant area into a welcoming hub for local people.
Located at Bankfoot Road, the previously vacant site has been brought back into use as a ‘sunken’ games and gathering space, framed by a tree-lined central boulevard, and the transformation of the area continues.
The new space features a network of paths linking to existing community facilities, as well as new lighting, drainage and landscaping designed to support biodiversity.
To celebrate the opening, pupils from Glencoats and St Fergus primary schools were among the first to enjoy the new green space and play area, exploring the site and taking part in outdoor activities designed to encourage learning and play in nature.
Councillor Andy Steel, Convener of Renfrewshire Council’s Economy and Regeneration Policy Board, said: “I’m delighted to see the new activity space open and being enjoyed by the community, especially the pupils from Glencoats and St Fergus primaries who brought the excitement we hoped to see for this new community space.
“The new greenspace and multi-purpose games area is a place for everyone in Ferguslie to come and enjoy as we continue the regeneration of the area for those who live here and enact the Making of Ferguslie plan, which was developed by local residents in partnership with the Council.
“It’s not just about a physical transformation; it’s about giving people a sense of place and pride in their local area and projects like these are certainly doing that as we create an area that people want to come and live in.”
The £500,000 investment in Ferguslie Park was funded by Renfrewshire Council, the Scottish Government’s Place Based Investment Programme and the UK Government’s Shared Prosperity Fund.
Deputy First Minister Kate Forbes said: “This community greenspace will create a lasting legacy for Ferguslie Park’s residents.
“With support through our Place Based Investment Programme, it is positive to see the transformation of this vacant and underused site into a vibrant hub where families can gather, children can play and communities can thrive.
“We are providing £62.15 million towards regeneration in 2025-26 to support projects which revitalise town centres, transform derelict sites and enable community-led ownership to benefit people across Scotland.”
The project is the first completed as part of the Ferguslie Green Line – the key placemaking intervention in the ‘Making of Ferguslie’ plan – which aims to reimagine underused land, enhance greenspaces and support community initiatives, including the creation of a new green corridor through Ferguslie Park.
Minister for Devolution, Faith and Communities, Miatta Fahnbulleh, said: “This vibrant new community space in Ferguslie Park shows what’s possible when government investment meets local ambition.
“It’s fantastic to see children from Glencoats and St Fergus primaries among the first to enjoy this transformed green space – creating places where young people can learn, play and connect is exactly what we need to help build strong, thriving communities.”
The Neighbourhood Centre follows a number of community-led improvements delivered through the Making of Ferguslie, which include the transformation of Craigielea House into an artist studio and social space called the Sculpture House and the creation of new growing spaces on previously underused land. The plan also complements the completion of 101 new council homes at the site of the former St Fergus Primary School.
For more information on the Making of Ferguslie, visit www.renfrewshire.gov.uk/themakingof.
