Turn council HQ into new ‘town hall’ for Kirkintilloch
TJ HOUSE 8.2.10 PICTURE BY JAMIE FORBES
A CAMPAIGNING councillor is calling for Tom Johnston House in Kirkintilloch to be transformed into a community facility if the derelict town hall building is demolished.
The council is moving its offices to Southbank Marina later this year and TJ House will be added to its ‘for sale’ list.
However, Councillor Kennedy says the bottom floor of the building could be transformed into a town hall or community centre, with committee rooms.The second floor could be used as a base for some council services and rooms for councillors, and meeting rooms could be created on the top floor of the building.
Councillor Kennedy recently called on the council to demolish the derelict town hall buidling that was closed back in 2004.
He said: “If the town hall is beyond repair, as many of us believe it is, then there needs to be an alternative meeting place.
“The idea of demolishing Tom Johnston House when the council moves out is appalling, as is the suggestion that councillors, in particular, should move to the remote and anonymous buildings at the marina.To demolish the town hall without providing an alternative community meeting place is totally unacceptable. For a majority of people I think the notion that Tom Johnston House should be demolished, just 25 years after it was opened, is simply not acceptable in these days of economic restraint.”
Grace Irvine, head of assets and property services at East Dunbartonshire Council, said: “Consideration will be given to Councillor Kennedy’s letter and a response provided in due course.”
Email to a friend
Print this page
Looking for...
Featured advertisers
Jobs
Search for a job
Motors
Search for a car
Property
Search for a house
Weather for Kirkintilloch
Thursday 24 May 2012
Today
Sunny spells
Temperature: 13 C to 28 C
Wind Speed: 8 mph
Wind direction: North east
Tomorrow
Sunny
Temperature: 12 C to 24 C
Wind Speed: 16 mph
Wind direction: East
Comments
There are 1 comments to this article
Page 1 of 1
peter58
Friday, January 27, 2012 at 09:14 AMCllr Kennedy should think long and hard before committing the Council to keeping on TJ House as some type of reserve accommodation and general purpose community centre. If the Council have had a good offer, then flog it off! It's hardly a building of any architectural merit and if the Council can make full use of the spare capacity at the Marina development then it makes perfect sense. As much loved as Charlie Kennedy is, I do believe he is well wide of the mark on this one. No doubt if the Council were arguing the cause he now espouses he would be berating them for grandiosity and wasting money that could be better spent elsewhere. Think this one through Charlie and get behind a commonsense proposal.
Page 1 of 1
Your view
Please sign in to be able to comment on this story.