Plans to build a brand new ‘state of the art’ nursery school in Blantyre’s Church Street were finally shelved in March 1977.
For some months prior to this, a new school was planned for children but like much of the education spending in the 70s and 80s, were finally subjected to Strathclyde Regional Council’s cutbacks.
The Council told reporters of the day, that ‘there will be no cash to build the school in “the immediate future.” They then asked Hamilton District Council to continue to hold the Church Street site in case it eventually became possible to use it for “educational purposes.”
Regional Councillor Malcolm Waugh commented in 1977: “I really wanted this school, but with the way things are at the moment we have just got to be happy with the fact that the project has not been cancelled but deferred.”
Instead, the conversion of part of St. Joseph’s Primary School went ahead. Two new nursery units were created there, opening in the Autumn of 1977, accommodating up to 60 children. Nursery care didn’t stop there with a growing need and National desire for childcare in most towns, as more parents took to working to make ends meet in harsh economic climates.
A rare serving of nostalgia served up here in this picture of Church Street the following year in 1978, looking back to Glasgow Road courtesy of the Krawczyk family.
On Social Media, the following comments were received on Facebook:
Susan Rowe Hazel Krawczyk wonder where Wendy & I were? xx
Hazel Krawczyk I thought it was you and Wendy but think it’s Kerry Ennis Yatesxx
Susan Rowe Hazel Krawczyk yip definitely Kerry !! But is that not you? xx
Hazel Krawczyk My mum says it’s me
Wendy Cranston Hazel Krawczyk that is you Hazel lol it certainly wasn’t yesterday
Ruth Donnelly Well there a shock Council cut backs
Jock Torlay yeah they love the word cutbacks but the wages and bonuses never get cutback.
Marie Kelly Love seeing Blantyre pictures miss all the shops