A meeting of all those who have offered to Volunteer to help with the Arena project – including future Events- will be held at “The Ivory” in Langside Avenue on Saturday 26th January from 10.30 am – coffee and cakes. If you are interested in helping in any way or have ideas - come along to find out what there is to do and meet others involved in the Arena.

QPA wishes to thank Pete Sneddon of Scene Engineering Ltd for the generous donation of 240 folding chairs for use in the Arena.

Opening at midday while the Farmer’s Market went on nearby, audience of about 200 soon gathered rising to more than 400 by mid-afternoon. QP chair, Evelyn Silber said, ‘It was wonderful seeing everyone in such a relaxed and friendly mood, with toddlers, older kids, dogs, prams, bikes among an audience that included many older residents who could remember events at the old bandstand. The events really reflected the range of local talent. And fulfilled our vision that this could be a place that brought people from all parts of the community together.’

Greg Summers, the MC, had the kids (and some adults) up dancing in the short intervals between performances. Student volunteers from Glasgow Caledonian University and the local community helped out. Local councillors, MSP James Dornan and the Minister for Local Government and Planning, Renfrewshire MSP Derek Mackay were in attendance.

The opening event was supported by the Lottery Fund, Awards for All scheme and by the Langside, Pollokshields and Southside Area Committees. Funding for the restoration of the Arena has come from the Area Committees, Landfill Communities Fund, Govanhill Community Development Trust and the Strathbungo Society.

The QPA steering group are looking for people interested in helping out as volunteers at future events and plan to hold a volunteers coffee morning soon. Watch this space for further details!

All pictures © Bill Ward, use with permission

Performers taking part in a special open-air concert to mark the opening of the new Queen’s Park Arena have taken a tour around the site.

The Arena – built on the site of the historic Queen’s Park Bandstand – will open on Saturday 6 October with a day-long programme of events, involving lots of different local performers.

The new Arena is a flexible, community-led venue that will be able to host a wide range of events from music and dance, to film and family activities.

The Arena is the brainchild of four community councils that border Queen’s Park – Crosshill / Govanhill Community Council, Langside, Battlefield & Camphill Community Council, Mount Florida Community Council, and Shawlands & Strathbungo Community Council.

They set up a new charity – the Queen’s Park Arena Ltd – to manage construction and fund-raising for the project.

The first phase of construction was funded with £180,000 secured from the Southside Central, Pollokshields, and Langside Area Committees of Glasgow City Council, the Landfill Communities Fund, the Strathbungo Society and Govanhill Community Development Trust.

Dr Evelyn Silber, chair of Queen’s Park Arena Ltd, said: “We are very excited about holding our first performance at the new arena and very grateful to Glasgow City Council and all the other organisations that have supported us.

“So many people have been enthusiastic about the prospect of what this restored and transformed space can do, we hope they will now come and enjoy the unique venue they have helped us re-create.

“Lots of people have fond memories of attending events at the site of the bandstand. We think the new Arena will be able to re-capture some of that excitement and create new memories for generations to come.

“The Arena will be an exciting venue where professional artists can come to perform in a unique venue. We think it will create a real buzz around the area and put Queen’s Park on the cultural map.

“But it’s important for us that the Arena is a place for the community, giving local performers a platform to share their work with the people who visit the park regularly.

“The programme for the Arena’s launch event on 6 October has now been finalised and we look forward to welcoming as many local people as possible for a varied and entertaining free event which will showcase local talent and all sorts of music, drama and dance.”

The opening concert co-incides with the 150^th anniversary of the opening of Queen’s Park on 11 September 1862, the year of Queen Victoria’s Silver Jubilee,

Councillor Jim Coleman, Glasgow City Council executive member for Land and Environmental Services, said: “The new Queen’s Park Arena looks fantastic and is a great multi-use facility for local people.

“The council is committed to listening to the views of residents and stakeholders to ensure we deliver excellent services that are relevant to local needs. We worked closely with the Queen’s Park Arena steering group at every stage and it’s a fitting addition to the park on its 150^th anniversary.”

The council undertook preliminary works early this year to stabilise and consolidate the ground under the area. The first phase reinstatement of the arena began on site in August.

New central seating tiers have been created while the side tiers have been cleaned and repaired and new step surfaces installed. A concrete stage area has been installed to allow the arena to be used for events.

That means the Arena is now ready to stage performances – but there are plans to go further in the future, with new changing rooms, a bigger stage area, and a movable roof that can double-up as a film screen.

The design for the new Arena was created by ZM Architects (Glasgow) who won an open competition in 2010.

Queens Park achieved Green Flag status in August. This is a national standard which recognises the best parks and Gardens in Britain. Park Management plans are a key part of the Green Flag application process and the public’s input helps to ensure that the Management Plans reflect the needs of our customers.

When the park was opened in 1862 by Bailie Gemmell, the Convener of the Park Committee, he planted a commemorative chestnut tree that still stands today at the entrance to the Wellcroft Bowling Green.

The park’s first Bandstand was originally a circular cast and wrought iron construction by the famous Saracen Foundry of Walter Macfarlane & Co. By 1912 it had been moved to the present site becoming a focus for concerts, public meetings, political rallies and many other events. In 1920 the bandstand was moved to Duchess Park in Motherwell and the Queen’s Park site lay vacant for around 10 years.

In 1930 another bandstand and amphitheatre was built with a south facing stage. Wide terraces were carved to accommodate folding chairs in the natural amphitheatre formed by Camp Hill.

During August and September 2012 contractors will be on site completing the first stage of the restoration of the former bandstand site and the creation of the Queen’s Park Arena as a flexible community–led venue. It will host all sorts of events – music, dance, film, drama and family activities.

In October, as the Park celebrates its 150^th anniversary, we plan to run some opening events in the Arena. The initial programme will be announced in September.

This project has been developed with extensive community engagement by local community councils (Crosshill/Govanhill, Langside, Battlefield and Camphill, Mt Florida and Shawlands and Strathbungo). A new charity, Queens Park Arena (SCO42014) will take the project forward and manage the site and events programme. Enquiries about sponsorship, donations and volunteer support welcomed.

What would you like to see happening? Music from up and coming bands? Shakespeare in the Park? Performances by local dance groups? The School play? Screenings of classic films? We already have some intruiging responses from our survey carried out in summer 2009 but we’re always ready to listen.

The space will be an asset to the whole city of Glasgow not just the south side. It will be unique; attracting touring companies and events to the city and enabling the area to take part in city wide festivals.