21-05-2025
Landmark Gourock building to be transformed into outdoor learning hub
A PIONEERING project is transforming a landmark Gourock building into an outdoor learning hub for young people.
Founder of the award-winning Inverclyde Shed Bruce Newlands is now setting his sights on creating an outdoor community classroom in the former Gourock Library in the Gamble Halls.
He has set up charity Creative Regeneration to inspire youngsters with science, arts and heritage in Inverclyde.
The team is now hoping to open the hub this summer in a building which has a long tradition for community learning.
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For more than two decades it was home to Gamble Children's Centre - a nursery started started by parents - and before that it was a library, once used by famous late author Iain Banks.
Bruce Newlands (Image: George Munro)
With some help from West College Scotland students they recently started on work to get it into shape.
Bruce said: "We are creating a youth hub to support the local area with STEM subjects and to encourage learning outdoors.
"It will be open after school and in the holidays, somewhere for youngsters to come and have fun and learn about the outdoors.
"There is so much potential here, we can have gardening, cooking classes, we will have Lego clubs. It is about inspiring our young people.
"We are busy getting it up to scratch, putting in planters and we are delighted with the support of West College Scotland as well.
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"We have been working with primary pupils in schools but this is somewhere they can come outside of school."
West College Scotland lecturer Emma Crawford and her students (Image: George Munro)
From the base to launch this summer there will be interactive learning activities, a digital fabrication suite looking at 3D printing, AI coding club, Lego and the outdoor growing space.
Bruce has teamed up with stained glass artist Alec Galloway, teacher Finlay Campbell, and Lyle Gateway co-ordinator Derek Mitchell to establish Creative Regeneration, which is also has a project at Glebe in Greenock.
The new hub will be within the former library and nursery in the Gamble Halls.
(Image: George Munro)
Up until 2012 it was the Gamble Children's Centre for more than 20 years, which started out as a play group and was then run by parents.
Previously it was the old Gourock Library, which was used by the likes of the best selling author the late Iain Banks, who was also famous for his science fiction novels.
He said it was where he developed his love of books of all genres, and shaped his imagination.
West College Scotland joinery and construction students recently visited along with lecturer Emma Crawford to help out with painting.
She said: "It has been a great collaboration and the students have enjoyed taking part in the project. It has also helped towards their volunteering Saltire Award.
"This will be a great project for Gourock and we are proud to be part of it."
