Birkmyre Park Pavilion

Set on an elevated position overlooking open parkland, this attractive, Victorian, stonebuilt building with its pigeon-loft tower, presented a charming scene. It was located in the centre of Birkmyre Park, an open space of about eight acres on the southerly edge of Kilmacolm, which with its buildings, was entrusted to the village by a local benefactor at the end of the nineteenth century.
Dating from 1889, the single storey building was originally four small park-keepers’ cottages set in a square, back-to-back. Latterly, however, used partially as premises for a nursery school, with other rooms being used as changing facilities for the rugby and cricket clubs, it produced almost no rent and was badly in need of repair inside and out. The trustees (Inverclyde Councillors) were anxious to preserve the building for local heritage and produced a scheme for its renovation. Their objective was to find a use for the building which would involve a wide spectrum of the population and at the same time generate an income stream to pay for its upkeep.
To fulfil this requirement three purposes were identified:
1. a fitness gym
2. changing room for clubs using the playing fields in the park
3. a coffee shop

Too small to accommodate these and a reception area, the building was extended by dismantling much of the stonework and pushing the perimeter outwards, using the saved material and high quality new materials where necessary. The whole structure was covered by a grey slate roof at the same low pitch as the original. The final result is a delightful building maintaining the character of the original and in tune with its surroundings. Internally, the space is light and airy, admirably suited for its purpose. The fittings are entirely modern but in-keeping with the fabric. The flagged reception area is easily accessed by double, sliding glass doors and there is a low-gradient footpath from the forty space car park.

Included in the pavilion renovation scheme were the restoration of the adjacent contemporaneous public shelter (1904) and clock, the replacement of the nearby swings by a modern, safe children’s play area and the resurfacing of the approach road.

Overcoming legal difficulties posed by the Trust, Inverclyde Council raised the finance and produced a design in consultation with Inverclyde Leisure, their commercial arm. Inverclyde Leisure is now the manager of the facility. Planning Permission was granted at the end of 2005 and the building was officially opened in June 2008.

The project has proved to be a huge success with all ages of the local population. The gym is open and in use from early till late on weekdays and from 9.30am-5.00pm at weekends. Concessionary membership is available to pensioners and the disabled. The bistro is open 9.30am-5.00pm daily and is a popular meeting place for villagers, visitors, gym-users and parents of children at the nearby schools. It is especially popular in fine weather when the outside terrace is decked with tables and parasols. In dry weather the play park is swarming with children and older people often watch from the nearby shelter. The changing facilities are in regular use by rugby and football clubs.

A major spin-off of a staffed gym has been the development of other health-giving activities. The weekly guided walking group is well attended in all weathers and an annual running event has been heavily subscribed. The nearby putting green which had fallen into disuse has been reopened and is managed from the reception desk. Mini rugby has been started and the cricket club has been revived.
Altogether the project fulfils the Vitruvian principles of beauty, utility and soundness. It is “Our Place”.

Summary
The renovation and extension of the pavilion at Birkmyre Park have provided a superb recreational facility which enhances local enjoyment and well-being. Originally park-keepers’ cottages, the charming but neglected Victorian building was crumbling. Preserving the original character and materials, it has been sympathetically transformed into a delightful building, housing a fitness gym, changing facilities for clubs using the park, and a coffee shop. The adjacent public shelter has been renovated, a soft-surfaced children’s play area replaces former swings and the nearby putting green has been reopened.
The centre is a much enjoyed focus for local sporting and social life.

Architect: Inverclyde Council Architectural Services

In 2005 Inverclyde Leisure was appointed to work with the Kilmacolm Community to produce an outline business plan for the development of a state of the art gym facility within a proposed refurbished Birkmyre Pavilion. In June 2010 Birkmyre Park Fitness Centre will be celebrating its second year in operation. Since opening, there has been a healthy growth in membership and income targets have been met. Inverclyde Leisure is heartened by the income stream which is in line with the business plan.

The new gym was opened in June 2008. It includes a full range of cardio vascular equipment, fixed resistance, free weights and a selection of equipment accessible for wheel chair users. It boasts excellent changing facilities for the gym and, separately, for sports groups using the park. It has allowed the provision of Group Fitness Classes, Body Combat, Boot Camp, a running club and a very popular walking programme. The walking group attracts an older generation in Kilmacolm where the population age is higher than average - 23% of residents in Kilmacolm are of pensionable age, in contrast with 19% in Scotland as a whole. The addition of the Birkmyre Bistro Coffee shop was welcomed by gym users and villagers alike.

Within the first month there were 162 members, above the target of 100. The target for the first year was to reach 450 members and in May 2009, one year after the facility opened the membership base was 460. Inverclyde Leisure hosted a cocktail party at which over 250 residents attended to celebrate the first Birthday and over 20 new members joined as a result. On average over 550 people use the facility each week. The gym currently employs 10 staff with a further 6 employed in the Bistro.

In September 2008, Inverclyde Leisure brought a major sporting event to Kilmacolm centred on the Birkmyre Pavilion. The Annual Kilmacolm Race Day consisted of 3 events: a children’s walk in the park, aimed at pre school children over a 1km distance, a 3k fun run, aimed at all ages from 5yrs+ and a 10k road race. This family fun day was held at Birkmyre Park and the first year saw over 500 participants from Kilmacolm and beyond. Due to the success of the 2008 event, in 2009 Inverclyde Leisure introduced the first half-marathon which attracted an additional 150 runners. Money raised from the event goes to a local charity which supports four local schools with special needs.

Gifted to the village residents of Kilmacolm by Adam Birkmyre in 1889 the “Park Cottages”, commonly referred to as the Birkmyre Park Pavilion, were in desperate need of repair, having become increasingly dilapidated through vandalism, rising damp, and rot. Closure was threatened and with it the loss of sports changing facilities in the park.

The shelter and clock tower building adjacent to the pavilion, possibly unique in Scotland, had also become a target for vandalism and was in need of careful renovation.

Funding became available and studies were carried out to identify how best to develop the pavilion to provide maximum benefit to the community and to produce the most positive impact on the neighbourhood.

Through consultation with community groups a suggestion had been given to develop a fitness gym in addition to the existing amenities. Introducing such a facility with Inverclyde Leisure as operator would allow the facilities to be managed on a full time basis, generate an income for maintenance and create a more secure and welcoming environment.

A complete refurbishment and extension would be necessary to realise these two primary functions, namely a sports changing pavilion and a new fitness suite. The fitness gym would incorporate a fully manned reception area, high quality changing and showering facilities, accessible WCs and a café. For sports, two full-team changing rooms, an accessible changing suite and a third general purpose changing room would be fitted out to Sport Scotland specifications. The shelter would be fully renovated and separate proposals prepared for the future development of the children’s play park.

Centrally located in the park, surrounded by residential accommodation, the brief required the domestic nature of the building to be retained and the extension to be sympathetically designed utilising the traditional materials and detailing of the original. Significant architectural features were retained but the roof, floor and all internal walls were completely removed to accommodate the new structural frame and to create a fully accessible environment. Sections of perimeter wall were carefully dismantled and all the dressed sandstone retained and meticulously detailed for incorporation within the extended parts of the building.

The completed facility with its contemporary interior and entrance foyer retain all of the character and charm of the original building whilst bringing a superb modern amenity to the area. This, alongside the beautifully renovated shelter and the completion of the children’s playground, has created a wonderful place and a new focal point for the social and sporting activity within the village.