FROM THE ARCHIVES

This week in 2003

A MONUMENTAL decision was made regarding Cumbernauld’s key thoroughfare after the Scottish Executive stated that the A80 would be upgraded to a two lane motorway with a hard shoulder. At Condorrat there would be three lanes with a hard shoulder. For local campaigners the timing could not have been worse as the announcement came two days before they were to present their arguments for reviving the alternative Kelvin Valley route to the petitions committee of the Scottish Parliament. Their ire was so great that they were talking about fielding anti-upgrade campaigners against Labour councillors at the elections in May.

This week in 1988

A CONTROVERSIAL design for a new showpiece hotel was scrapped. Architects who had dreamed up the multi-million pound leisure complex were told to go back to the drawing board after the plans were branded “absolutely atrocious” by the district council’s chief planning officer Roderick McKinnon. If that wasn’t enough, the blueprint was condemned as “unsympathetic and unimaginative.” A spokesman for the project confirmed that a new design was now being worked on - and that this would be ready for presentation by March.

This week in 1983

A GIANT poolside party was organised to celebrate the 10th Anniversary of the Tryst. This also marked the 10th anniversary of the exceptionally successful Cumbernauld swimming club who had notched up many victories at international level. Attendance figures at the pool had never waned over that decade and users were drawn from all across the Central Belt. Manager Danny McGowan said: “I believe this is because there is such a friendly atmosphere and that the staff area always willing to help.”

This week in 1973

ONE of Condorrat’s oldest and most respected citizens passed away. Labour stalwart John Mollison had devoted much of his life to helping others and had spent two terms of office as the president of the National Union of Farmers. When work was scarce in the local quarries, John had found work in America but had always been determined to return to Scotland. It was widely considered that Condorrat was much the poorer for the passing of this kenspeckle figure.