Bridge will open up potential
COUNCIL LEADER IAIN NICOLSON
I was pleased to be on site as the first section of the new Renfrew Bridge arrived in Renfrewshire recently and it really was a sight to behold.
Seeing the south section of the 184-metre bridge sail down the Clyde was fantastic and it will become a real landmark for the area, in addition to the benefits it will bring to the surrounding communities.
It’s going to open up work, health, education and leisure opportunities on both sides of the Clyde, with the potential for thousands of additional jobs, investment and developments being brought to the riverside.
The south section has been installed at Meadowside Street in Renfrew with the north section due to arrive later this month to be fixed in at Dock Street in Clydebank – directly connecting the two towns for the first time and providing Renfrew residents with close access to another train station across the water in Yoker.
The new access road through Blythswood is another positive addition as it will provide a route from the bridge to the Advanced Manufacturing District Scotland and into Paisley, as well as removing traffic from Inchinnan Road and Renfrew town centre.
I look forward to the next section arriving shortly and for the bridge to be fully open for pedestrians, cyclists and motorists ahead of schedule in late-Autumn this year.
We hosted another brilliant food and drink festival in Paisley recently, with thousands attending what is one of our most anticipated events and I hope you were there to enjoy the festivities.
More than 35 traders were on site offering street food, beers, cocktails and more, while live music and entertainment from local artists kept the atmosphere going long into the night.
Food and drink aside, kids were able to take part in a range of free activities from pizza making workshops and free face painting to inflatables and balloon modelling, so there was something for all the family in the town centre on another hugely successful day for Paisley.
It’s an exciting time for our sports stars in Renfrewshire with a number of projects to improve facilities ongoing.
Works are ongoing to bring back football pitches to St James Playing Fields in Paisley, significant upgrades to the changing facilities are almost complete at Ferguslie Sports Centre, and we’re progressing how the £800,000 in our budget this year for artificial playing surfaces will be allocated.
We also recently awarded a contract for a new running track at the On-X in Linwood which will be completed to World Athletics and IAAF standard and will benefit runners of all ages and abilities, as well as the elite athletes at Kilbarchan Amateur Athletics Club (KAAC). Work is due to cross the finish line in late-August.
And finally, our award-winning Street Stuff programme is offering young people aged 10-15 the chance to feel like a professional footballer by playing on the pitch at the SMiSA Stadium.
It’s to celebrate 15 years of the programme so sign up for your free place now and take to the pitch on Thursday 16 May.