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Lotto Stories » Lottery funding ‘to boost Glasgow’s Kelvin Hall’ – February 1st 2012
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One of Glasgow’s cultural quarter’s most recognisable buildings is being given an injection of lotto financing thanks to the Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF).
Since its foundation in 1994, the HLF has supported some 32,000 projects across theUK, allocating £4.7 billion to good causes in this time – and this figure continues to grow every year.
According to the BBC, Kelvin Hall has been awarded a £5 million grant from the lotto organisation that will transform the building into a research and training centre.
The venue will also be used as a safe home for Glasgow’s university museums collections, providing easy access to the city’s cultural legacy.
Kelvin Hall was once home to the Museum of Transport, but this has since been relocated to the Riverside Museum, while its international athletics track is also due to close when the Commonwealth Arena and Sir Chris Hoy Velodrome are opened, however the Glasgow Club leisure facilities are expected to remain where they are.
Councillor George Redmond, chairman of communities group Glasgow Life, said: “Glasgow is blessed with an abundance of cultural treasures and by working with our partner organisations, we now have an opportunity to safeguard these collections for future generations.”
Kelvin Hall gets £5 million in lotto funding
The HLF and city decision-makers want the lottery funding to make Kelvin Hall one of the UK’s leading university museums, boosting the city’s reputation for being the cultural capital of Scotland.
And Scotland’s heritage is being given a double lottery boost, as a £4 million grant has also been awarded by the HLF to construct a Battle of Bannockburn visitor centre.
Planners hope the venue will attract millions to the site of the historic skirmish and its doors are due to open in time for the 700th anniversary of when the Scots clashed swords with the English in a fight for independence at the site.
Chief executive of the National Trust for Scotland Kate Mavor explained the visitor’s centre will be state-of-the-art and aims to bring tourists face-to-face with the gruesome spectacle of medieval warfare, as well as putting it in context with conflicts in the 21st century.
“We are creating a stimulating experience that does this historic place justice and tells the complex story of this crucial battle as accurately as possible,” she added.
