A green-fingered Rutherglen group has been given a boost after securing the support of a civil and environmental engineering company to help with its plans.
Grow 73 is aiming to transform three bowling greens into a community garden at Overtoun Park.
Now independent engineering consulting specialists, Dougall Baillie Associates (DBA), have announced they will provide technical help and guidance for the initiative.
The firm has been instructed to help create the shared facilities – close to Rutherglen Lawn Tennis Club, which it is also advising on renovation plans – for Grow 73 by providing access design plans and structural designs for a shelter.
Proposals for the garden include a community area with a biodiversity zone, a woodland zone with a play area, a growing zone and a social zone, which would include a picnic area.
Eugenie Aroutcheff of Grow 73 is delighted to have the help and said: “We have been looking to develop our social space for the community garden and needed an engineering firm’s input to get the structural drawings done.
“They don’t come cheap, especially for community groups who rely on donations and funding grants to be able to carry on with their work so we are really pleased that DBA is helping.
“This is on an long list of pro bono support we’ve been getting from local firms and we are ever so grateful to receive such help . It makes us feel that our project is worth supporting for our community.”
Fergus Adams, managing director of DBA, said: “This group wants the garden to be a lovely addition to Rutherglen’s amenities and it hopes to create a beautiful space for the whole community.
“It has been trying for some years now to secure land for community growing and it was very welcome news when the use of the three dormant bowling greens was approved by the local authority earlier on in the year.”
Recent public interest in growing food, together with concerns from local and national government regarding food security, has led to increased demand for community gardening.
Mr Adams added: “Growing your own food has a number of benefits, including keeping food bills lower, improved freshness and flavour, reduced food miles, increased food security, and the positive role of gardening in reducing stress and increasing physical activity.
“The team at DBA is very pleased to
be able to provide assistance and guidance to a community group which, with the help of its volunteers, has
been growing local food for three years and now wants to establish a larger facility.”
DBA is an East Kilbride-based firm, which employs 41 people and specialises in transportation infrastructure projects, particularly complex motorway and road projects.
