Viewpark Gardens Trust Awarded Community Asset Transfer

That the Parliament congratulates the Viewpark Gardens Trust on its successful appeal to Scottish Ministers for a Community Asset Transfer of the historic Viewpark Gardens from North Lanarkshire Council, under the Community Empowerment (Scotland) Act 2015; understands that the gardens were originally associated with the 19th century Viewpark House and, following demolition of the house in the 1950s and a period when the site was used as a market garden, the gardens were redesigned for public use by the local council, but that North Lanarkshire Council stopped maintaining the site in 2019; further understands that the Trust plans to restore the gardens to be an attractive open space for local community use, with initiatives to improve community health, enhance wellbeing and encourage volunteering; commends the small group of activists who, it understands, have worked on applications and appeals to save the gardens, as well as the community volunteers from Viewpark, and further afield, who kept the gardens open for as long as possible during the application and appeal process; notes that membership of the Trust has reached more than 1,000 since the appeal to save the gardens was lodged, with, it believes, 70% of members living locally; considers that this community achievement would not have been possible without the Community Empowerment (Scotland) Act 2015, which has allowed the Trust to save an important community space and place its stewardship into the hands of local people; applauds everyone at the Viewpark Gardens Trust for their passion, determination and resilience, all of which, it believes, were essential in making this transfer a reality, and wishes the Trust every success as it begins the journey of restoration of the Viewpark Gardens.