Staying with the Millennium year 2000, here’s Kirkton Park (High Blantyre Park). Before the current zipwire and play equipment was installed, the central large, open field was underused, and often too marshy to play football on.
Further up, near the trees at the seats, even 2 decades ago as pictured then, it was regularly an area for people to congregate after a visit to ‘McDade’s’ off sales nearby. Young and old. I have to admit, given this is now my own garden behind, on summer evenings, I can see it’s still used for that purpose.
In 2018, I fixed the drainage in this area (which previously spilled from my land into the park). The paths at that side of the park now have far less surface water and are consequently much safer in winter.
Do you remember playing in High Blantyre Park as a child?
Featuring Blantyre Project Social Media with permission. Strictly not for use by others on or offline, our visitors said:
Hazel Aitken Spent many a happy time in the park, playing on the swings and playing rounders with my friends. Clare GrahamLynn Delaney Dawn Stokes. Always remember the park keepers too and hiding in the bushes so we would climb over the gates after they were locked (how adventurous we were!!!) Great memories.
Lynn Delaney Hazel Aitken we had great times in that park, giggling now thinking about us hiding to avoid the parkie 😂😂. Do you also remember rolling our eggs down the hill at Easter? Those were the days
Hazel Aitken Lynn Delaney definitely great days. Yes and roller skating down the hill too and falling on my backside!!! Hx
Kerry Tremble Kevan Spent many happy times in the park, it used to have a caged area for little motorised cars & the play area of swings, roundabout. Then it started getting dodgy with neds & stopped going there with my friends – which is a sad state of affairs, it should have been safe.
Margaret Elma Griffin Spent many a happy hour at the park playing on the swings and roundabout paddled in pool even listened to a Brass band playing the park had lovely flowerbeds then if you stepped on them the Parky would be after you great times
Robert Henderson Was always in the park playing football my aunt and cousins stayed in park crescent
Tom McGuigan Is that the cast of Still Game lol
Catriona Paterson High blantyre old school had their sports day in this park. Lots of happy memories played in this park and the one down low Blantyre.
Elizabeth Grieve If you’re there nowadays don’t go near the basketball court as when my daughter was going to coach there during a summer break there was needles aplenty she had to move into a box and have them uplifted. Ridiculous
Neil Mcgill Many a sober young day spent there and many a drunken little older night.
Edd Bungle Boyle Too many years I was warned about playing football in that park until one night there was a dead body found in the park… that was when I was banned from going there alone… I lived in high blantyre 1973-1991
Bernadette Watt We played in this park often My sister used to climb the tree Which still stands just off the football field It was a good park back in the time When it had the pavilion,toilets and parky Used to do Punch and Judy shows as well If I remember right
Paul Morrison Tht bench has saw a lot of people and booze the days
James Smith Great times growing up first thing sunny mornings straight over wee game a crossy on the pitch
Fiona Dunlop Glad to hear the drainage fixed. Nightmare to walk on in the frosty mornings. Stuck on it a few times!
Blantyre Project i should have probably said “improved” more than fixed outright and also only at the part of the path next to the trees. It is definitely much better though. I acquired the small field running alongside the park last year which leads from Baptist Church to my my home and intend to improve along that stretch too. Improved drainage and creating a more secure ‘green’ boundary along this line start again soon.
Fiona Dunlop Yeah it has made a difference. Hopefully won’t fall on my backside now lol! Are you still going ahead with your house build