Glasgow park elephant sculpture vandalised with Rangers graffiti

The 10-tonne elephant from sculptor Kenny Hunter sits near the Charles Rennie Mackintosh-designed House for an Art Lover gallery and was installed in 2015.

But what was hailed as ‘a new symbol for Glasgow’ when it was created has now been defaced by vandals, while the area around it – including a nearby playpark – has deteriorated.

Now local community councillors are calling for action to restore the “grotty” site, and repair equipment at the play area in Bellahouston Park which is broken and fenced off.

Resident Ruth Maltman said the play park at House for an Art Lover used to be “beautiful” but it is now “appalling” and becoming “quite wrecked.”

The Dumbreck Community Council member said: “The wonderful elephant sculpture has been covered in football graffiti.

“The wooden play elements are broken up with bits missing.”

Speaking at the Pollokshields Area Partnership meeting on August 31, she said: “It is just grotty, horrible and broken and not a nice place.”

The concerns emerged as the partnership discussed how to spend allocated funding in the area on parks and open spaces.

Asking if money could be used to repair equipment, Ms Maltman said: “We are not keeping what we have already up to scratch.”

The community councillor also claimed another small play area in the vicinity is “dirty” and “untidy” and is being shunned by parents.

Taking note of the complaint, council landscape design and development manager, Rachel Smith said: “I appreciate that will be disappointing for families visiting those.”

She told the meeting the Scottish Government will be committing £60 million for the renewal of play areas across the country.

Ms Smith said a city wide plan will be brought forward for Glasgow play zones.

The meeting heard about proposals for Bellahouston Park and other areas. But residents said there was a lack of consultation on the ideas before a paper with plans was presented at the meeting.

It was claimed Glasgow City Council officials had not been in touch with group Friends of Bellahouston Park and other community representatives.

One option to convert bowling greens in the park into spaces for growing vegetables was met with dismay.

Partnership chair Baillie Norman MacLeod said: “I do know Craigton Community Council are very angry as the possibility of converting the bowling greens at the far end of the park for food growing.”

The partnership heard it was just an option at this stage.

The partnership is still considering how exactly money should be spent to improve Bellahouston Park and other green spaces.