Alarm over kids 'wrecking' community facilities in Glasgow
It was organised by High Knightswood & Anniesland Community Council to raise their concerns over youth disorder, specifically the reported young age of the children involved and the potential dangers they face.
The meeting was attended by councillors, headteachers of nearby primary and secondary schools, as well as representatives from the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service, Glasgow Life, Glasgow City Council, Police Scotland, and local youth service providers.
Attendees highlighted that the vast majority of children in the area are 'well behaved and a credit to the community' and that the incidents being discussed were being carried out by a 'small minority'.
One area of concern was reports of children gathering in a former medical centre on Blackwood Street.
The former medical centre on Blackwood Street (Image: High Knightswood & Anniesland Community Council)
A spokesperson for the community council said: "The Blackwood Street health centre has been abandoned since 2017 and is a focal point for youths to congregate.
"They test the security to see if they can get in. At one point, they were said to be getting in as they had keys for the building.
"These were reported to have been left on a rack on the first floor. The building is in the process of being transferred from the NHS to the council."
Blackwood Street (Image: High Knightswood & Anniesland Community Council)
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A Glasgow Life spokesperson said there were no updates on the progress of the transfer.
Fears were also raised over a lack of visibility at the former bowling greens next to Netherton Community Centre.
Fire-raising is said to be an issue at the site, and greenery surrounding it is reported to provide 'hidden areas' where youths can go unnoticed.
It was proposed that shrubs be cut back in this area.
Outside of the former Netherton bowling greens (Image: High Knightswood & Anniesland Community Council)
John Docherty, from the community council, commented: "There has been a spate of fire-raising in the last couple of months.
"The canopy and bushes lend themselves to the kids. They cannot be seen until the fire brigade has to be called out.
"Could we lower the bushes and raise the canopy so there are no hidden areas?"
(Image: High Knightswood & Anniesland Community Council)
Sergeant Magdelena Ross, from Drumchapel police station, revealed that two officers who had gone to check on the buildings had discovered children setting a fire.
She added: "People are unable to see anything because of the greenery there at the moment.
"If more people can see, hopefully they will contact 101 or speak with the concierge at the community centre.
"It is so secluded. Kids can basically do what they want for a considerable period of time before anyone notices them.
"Officers came to check on the building and spotted smoke and found kids setting a fire. They not only threaten themselves, but they endanger the safety of the emergency staff."
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Installing CCTV cameras and new fences was proposed; however, a representative from Glasgow Life stated these are costly measures and that cutting the shrubbery back would be the 'best and most manageable' option.
In response to the reported fire-raising, a representative from the SFRS revealed that they had piloted a bespoke fire skills course at the DRC youth project, which had been successful.
They commented: "There was fire-setting in Scotstoun and we piloted a bespoke fire skills course for DRC and it was fantastic.
"Nothing has been brought to our attention with that particular group since. Plans are in the pipeline for this in this area."
The back of the roof of the former Netherton Swimming Pool (Image: Newsquest staff) (Image: Newsquest staff)
Meanwhile, reports of youngsters 'smashing up' areas of Netherton Community Centre and the nearby Taekwondo Centre were noted.
John Haggarty, from Caledonian Taekwondo, reported that kids – some reportedly from as far as Inverclyde – were attending and asking to use the bathrooms and then 'smashing them up'.
AnnMarie Waddell, from the community centre, added: "It has quietened down at the moment, but we found out they were letting people in the bathroom windows.
"It got wrecked a lot. Staff are always worried about what's going to happen next. At one point, one member was thinking of leaving because of the abuse.
"A pot noodle was thrown into the dance class and missed the kids. It is so weather dependent, dry weather escalates it."
At the end of the meeting, attendees proposed ways that they would work together to help tackle youth disorder in the area.
This included detached youth work, officers holding one-to-one meetings with youngsters, all groups working on communication, potentially demolishing the derelict pool building, proposing to cut back shrubbery at the former bowling green, looking into the bespoke fire skills course, and urging youngsters to engage with the Temple Shafton Youth Project.
Jonathan Cunningham, headteacher at Knightswood Primary, said: "The kids and community here are phenomenal.
"Even the small number involved in these incidents are great. The kids are really positive. We are looking at what we do next.
"We are not looking at the consequences but rather bringing prevention to the forefront."
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