POLITICIANS on all sides have warmly welcomed news this week that the Blairvadach outdoor centre near Helensburgh will not be closed.

The Advertiser’s sister paper, the Glasgow Times, reported on Monday that the SNP administration on Glasgow City Council, which owns the facility, had reversed a decision to close the centre after it received extra money from the Scottish Government.

The closure move, agreed before the extra government cash was announced, was backed by Green Party councillors in the city in exchange for measures to tackle climate change.

The decision to close it sparked anger among opposition councillors and staff at the centre.

A petition was set up immediately which gathered more than 12,000 signatures with many wanting to protect an educational experience they enjoyed for future generations.

READ MORE: Blairvadach outdoor centre's future secured as closure move is reversed

The Helensburgh and Lomond area’s MSP, Jackie Baillie, said: “I welcome the U-turn by the Scottish Green Party on Glasgow City Council and the news that they will back the Labour group on the council as they vote to save the centre.

“The Greens had the opportunity last week to back a Labour budget which would have saved the centre in the first place, but disappointingly chose to back the SNP budget instead which included the closure of Blairvadach.

“It’s clear that the public do not support its closure.

“The Blairvadach Outdoor Centre has been part of the community for 45 years, providing generations of children from Glasgow with outdoor education opportunities.

“Its closure would be a huge blow to the many children who would benefit from the centre, never mind the local jobs that would have been lost.”

READ MORE: Helensburgh's MSP slams 'short-sighted' move to close Blairvadach outdoor centre

It was revealed this week that the centre still needs millions of pounds of investment to bring it up to required standards.

The decision to save it for the next year is to buy time to find an alternative operating model that will allow the investment to be found.

Scottish Green MSP Ross Greer, who spoke in last week’s Advertiser about his hopes that the centre could still be saved, said: “I’m delighted that Glasgow City Council have seen sense and used the additional funds won by Green MSPs last week to reverse the decision to close Blairvadach.

“We pushed hard at Holyrood for £95 million more for councils around Scotland and I’m pleased that our success has had such a direct impact here.

“It’s clear that Blairvadach needs more investment in the next few years, and I know that Green councillors in Glasgow will continue to fight for this.”

READ MORE: Green MSP tells Advertiser Blairvadach 'could still be saved'

The wide range of activities taught at the centre include sailing, hillwalking, orienteering, canoeing and gorge-walking.

Since it opened in 1974, as many as 110,000 people across three generations of Glasgow’s citizens have been to the centre as children.

Lomond North councillor George Freeman, whose ward includes Shandon, where the centre is located, said: “Thankfully we have won the battle this time but this is likely to arise next year.

“It may be that the furore this year will benefit Blairvadach as it may now force Glasgow City Council politicians to invest the large capital sums of money that the facility requires to bring it up to a modern standard.”

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