Clydebank re-built

Canal

The Forth and Clyde Canal runs through Clydebank Town Centre between Argyll Road and Kilbowie Road. The north canal bank benefited from an award winning environmental upgrading completed in 2008. Funded through the Cities Growth Fund, ERDF URBAN II and Clydebank re-built, the project was managed by Clydebank re-built on behalf of West Dunbartonshire Council. The canal-side is now more user-friendly for shoppers and others passing through the town centre and in addition to providing attractive, secure and easier access to adjacent car parking; the works included new hard and soft landscaping as well as new moorings for boats using the canal. The Bankies Benches comprise granite seating with integral heating that allow use all-year and the hard landscape has several features that result from work with local schools, including the goldfish story.

At the same time as the north canal bank works were being undertaken, a new canopy was erected over the main pedestrian bridge linking the northern and southern parts of the Clyde Shopping Centre. There was an architectural competition to design the canopy that attracted entries from abroad as well as from different parts of the UK. The "Swan in Flight" design from Glasgow-based architects RMJM was successful and the feature subsequently won design awards.  In conjunction with these various works, West Dunbartonshire Council undertake several initiatives to upgrade surrounding canal-side accesses, signage, interpretation panels, seating and public artworks, including the "Bankie Bike".

 In 2009, the Scottish Government awarded West Dunbartonshire Council £ 1.825m its Town Centre Regeneration Fund for the complementary refurbishment of the south canal bank. Clydebank re-built assisted in the funding application and undertook the management of the project on behalf of the Council.

The works were completed in early 2011 and Provost Denis Agnew formally opened the enhanced south canal bank.  The project comprised three distinct but related elements:

• 3 Queens Square is being turned into a modern, attractive civic and event space. Already home to a twice a weekly market, the quality environment will prove attractive for formal and informal public events. The paving in the Square reflects the historic use of the site as a rails goods yard, with darker paving picking out the location of rail lines indicated on a historic Ordnance Survey map. Power and water are now available for events and an attractive interpretation board tells the story behind the Square's name.
• The Orchard lies to the west of Sylvania Way South and the tress in this area have been planted in a regular pattern similar to an orchard. This will be a haven of quiet away from the hustle and bustle of the nearby shops.
• The informal play area lies between the Abbotsford Church and the canal. The key feature in this pocket park is scaled-down granite structures that mirror the outline of the three famous Queens built at the the John Brown shipyard - Mary, Elizabeth, QEII. This area is expected to be popular with parents with young children.