Article Source: North Lanarkshire Country Parks
Last Updated: 8 August 2016 18:34
Plans to create Scotland's largest urban heritage and nature park have been given a major boost following the announcement that it is to receive £4.5 million funding from the Heritage Lottery Fund.
The Seven Lochs Wetland Park project is a partnership between Glasgow City Council, North Lanarkshire Council, Forest Enterprise Scotland, Scottish Natural Heritage and The Conservation Volunteers Scotland, working alongside local communities to bring together 16km² of lochs, parks, nature reserves and woodlands between Glasgow and Coatbridge.
The £6.8 million project sets out how the area's heritage buildings, wildlife habitat and archaeology will be improved, protected and brought together to create a new attraction of national significance.
The Seven Lochs Wetland Park will become a major new hub for heritage conservation and learning and engagement, and will leave an important legacy for the communities within and neighbouring the park. When complete, the project will enable local people and visitors to experience the natural and cultural heritage of the Seven Lochs area like never before and help local communities to take ownership of the park for generations to come.
Improved visitor facilities are planned to create gateways to the park at Hogganfield Loch, Provan Hall, Drumpellier Country Park and Glenboig Life Centre as well as the restoration of Provan Hall - one of Glasgow's oldest buildings.
The project also includes the development of walking and cycling routes linking the gateway sites and improvements to paths, signage, interpretation and management across the whole park, as well as a range of activities for people to enjoy and learn about the area's heritage, including opportunities for training and volunteering.
Councillor Maureen Burke, Chair of the Seven Lochs Partnership, is delighted by the development and the opportunities it offers to local communities.
She said: "This is a unique project and a considerable amount of effort has been put in by partners and local communities. We are thrilled to receive this funding from the Heritage Lottery Fund which allows us to move forward with the development of the Seven Lochs Wetland Park.
"It offers people a fantastic opportunity to engage with important natural heritage first hand and increase their understanding of why particular local habitats are internationally important, and how these need to be protected.
"The work that's involved in creating what will ultimately be Scotland's newest and biggest nature park is a great challenge, and one which we are sure everyone, whether a local resident or visitor, will embrace and become actively involved in."
Lucy Casot, Head of the Heritage Lottery Fund in Scotland, said: "HLF is delighted to support this ground-breaking project which will develop nature-based tourism within a mostly urban environment. Thanks to players of the National Lottery, both the history and natural heritage of the area will be protected and celebrated bringing economic benefit to local communities and Scotland as a whole."
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