By Martin McKay, chief executive of Clyde Gateway
Glasgow has once again played host to a successful sporting event with a global audience. The inaugural UCI World Cycling Championships joins a long list of triumphs in recent years, with the Commonwealth Games, Euro 2020, and the European Indoor Athletics Championships all coming to our city.
Continuing to attract major sporting events to Glasgow was a key target for securing the legacy of the Commonwealth Games almost a decade ago. With world class facilities like the Sir Chris Hoy Velodrome and the Emirates Arena, and the possibility of Euro 2028 on the horizon, this is set to continue and become a long lasting legacy for the city and its people.
Nowhere is the legacy of the Commonwealth Games more apparent than in the communities in the east end of Glasgow and South Lanarkshire. Bridgeton, Dalmarnock and Rutherglen, all part of the Clyde Gateway regeneration project, have transformed into more prosperous, greener communities. They attract investment from international businesses and are desirable places to come to live and work.
UCI Spectators arriving at Dalmarnock station will have found a much-invigorated environment underpinning that the 2014 legacy has continued – a raft of new homes are being completed around the station. New walking and cycling routes are also in place – many of the professional cyclists have made their way to the velodrome along the extended East City Way – but the area is attracting business too and this is exemplified by the striking new EastWorks development.
Previously a symbol of Dalmarnock’s industrial past, the building is now a modern, flexible use of office space that is attracting international businesses. When full, the building will support up to 300 jobs, but its success is not measured in this way alone. The derelict eyesore, which some interpreted as a sign of decline, is now a beautiful, contemporary building that still preserves the iconic Victoria industrial architecture.
Since this regeneration work started, more than £1.5 billion of public and private investment has been secured for these areas. Over 3,000 homes have been built, 5,000 jobs created, and almost 100 acres of greenspace created. District heating schemes have been built, providing cheaper and more efficient heating and hot water to businesses and households across Clyde Gateway. Countless businesses and organisations have established a presence here including DHL, Network Rail and Police Scotland.
The work of Clyde Gateway is not just about improving the built environment, however. The well being, health, and prospects of its people are also a priority. As part of the cycling championships coming to Glasgow, we helped fund schemes in Glasgow that encourage the uptake of cycling as an activity for life. This included working with the Go Cycle Glasgow team to deliver more cycling in local parks.
This regeneration momentum can continue to create a long lasting legacy, just as the sporting events have done. With the UK and Scottish governments announcing that Glasgow will be awarded Investment Zone status, there will be even more opportunities to create areas where high growth industries want to relocate, creating skilled, well paying jobs for people in Glasgow.
The legacy of the Commonwealth Games and the investment which stemmed from them have been transformational for Glasgow and Scotland more widely. The successful UCI World Cycling Championships would not have happened without its legacy.
The same can be said for the communities within Clyde Gateway. The regeneration has supercharged investment, created foundations for a greener future for Glasgow, and made the area a place where people want to live, work and play. We should not underestimate the change that these major events can bring to our cities.
