Leases planned for two Glasgow sports facilities including Cathkin Park

Council officials have negotiated a 20-year lease at £750 per year with the Jimmy Johnstone Charitable Trust for the grass pitch at Cathkin Park.

Councillors will be asked to back that deal on Thursday, when they could also approve beginning talks over renting out Glasgow Club Drumoyne.

Negotiations would take place with Park Villa Football Development, a registered charity, which wants to manage the council-owned facility.

Both proposals have been made under the People Make Glasgow Communities programme, a scheme which allows residents, community groups and third sector organisations to “express an interest” in “having a greater involvement in the management of local venues”.

Cathkin Park, originally opened in 1884 by Queen’s Park, is currently used by the Jimmy Johnstone Academy.

Council officials said the academy has “demonstrated experience and a track record of maintaining the asset to a high standard”.

“They have engaged in partnership work with communities of interest. It is now intended to place the occupation on a more formal basis.”

Friends of Cathkin Park and Third Lanark AC had asked about leasing the pitch but the council ruled “neither of the bodies had sufficient standing” to enable the council to consider them as tenants.

The report added the academy’s track record in “maintaining and managing the pitch gives confidence that the long-term sustainable future of this pitch will be secured”.

Glasgow Club Drumoyne, which has a floodlit 3G pitch, two grass football pitches, a grass rugby pitch, a four-court sports hall, gym and dance/fitness studios, was built in 2010 as part of the Drumoyne Campus, which also includes Pirie Park Primary School.

The venue, off Langlands Road, is owned by the council and occupied by Glasgow Life, which is yet to reopen the indoor facilities while it reviews “any potential options to re-establish service provision”.

Before the closure, the centre was used by Park Villa as well as Pirie Park Primary School, Govan High School, Govan Family Learning Centre and the local community.

Park Villa, which has more than 200 members, has been running for 24 years. As well as offering football coaching to children from the age of 18 months, the club also works with local community organisations, including Linthouse, Govan and Elderpark Housing Association.

It intends to employ two experienced venue managers if the lease goes ahead, a council report revealed.

The report added: “It is envisaged that the venue will provide a base for Park Villa to expand their services and support to the local community. They also intend to maintain access to other groups and schools.”

Park Villa is working with advisors “in terms of their business planning and funding strategies” and plans to “secure any capital costs required through grant funding”.