The Scottish Civic Trust (SCT) My Place Awards, supported by the Scottish Government, celebrate community-led built environment projects that have transformed their locality, with the winning and commended entries were announced at a ceremony at The Trades Hall, Glasgow on 13th March.
… The Corner is an impressive low-cost, high-impact project…
The Scottish Civic Trust writes:
The winner of the My Place Awards 2024 Community-led Project category is The Corner, Darvel in East Ayrshire.
Local volunteers from Darvel Area Regeneration Team (DART) have converted the formerly abandoned site of the Darvel Industrial Cooperative Society into a new gathering place for the community.
After embarking on a community-asset transfer, DART informed their plans by issuing questionnaires and hosting activity groups with the community. The build process was then entirely managed by a project team of local volunteers, who successfully secured the £500,000 required for the build.
Today, the Corner has a sloping site with upper and lower terraces, with the transitional site becoming an amphitheatre. The lower terrace also contains the Canopy, an all-weather shelter.
Since its opening, The Corner has become a popular venue for regular events and markets, as well as a place for people to gather and chat. In its first 6 months of operation, it has hosted 12 formal events involving over 200 local vendors and over 4,000 visitors. Events have included a Halloween Special, Christmas Fayre, as well as meetings of Brownies, Scouts, walkers and cyclists.
Joe FitzPatrick MSP, Minister for Local Government Empowerment and Planning, said:“The shortlisted projects for the My Place Awards 2024 share a commitment to collaboration, inclusivity and empowering local people. It is fantastic to see examples of community-led regeneration from across the country. Everyone involved should be proud of their achievements.
The Corner is an exciting project and worthy winner – transforming an abandoned site in Darvel and giving it renewed purpose as a community gathering space. A huge amount of work by a dedicated group of volunteers has ensured it will be a valuable local asset for all to enjoy and an inspiration to other projects.”
Gordon Murray, a member of the My Place Awards 2024 Judging Panel, said:“This year the My Place Awards jury shortlisted six projects from a long list of high-quality entries across the country. The Corner, Darvel scored top marks due to the degree to which it created a meaningful place that is both usable and memorable. The Corner is an impressive low-cost, high-impact project that has created a multi-purpose facility already much loved by the town. It is an exemplar for others – every town should have a Corner!”
