Our Story
Our project has been at the heart of the community since 1994. Originally called Maxwelltown Information Centre and based in a shop unit in the old Maxwelltown area on the Hilltown. Our centre sat between the Seahorse Chipper and the Highwayman pub. When the council took the decision to demolish the building the project moved to St Salvador Halls opening on 18th July 2007, it had been our home ever since.
Our landlords approached us in 2012 asking if we would like to lease and use the derelict builders at the back of the centre. At this time the surrounding multi – story blocks of flats and factories were being demolished and the area around the centre was very bleak. Suggestions of what we could do included setting up a community garden. We commissioned a large community consultation of local residents, neighbours, schools and other organisations in the area and there was a huge appetite to create an attractive green space to grow food that would be open to everyone. Funding from the Scottish Government Climate Challenge Fund meant that within a year the derelict builder’s yard was transformed into a green oasis.
100’s of people of all ages and backgrounds attended our opening party in June 2014. Community engagement with the garden project has been absolutely fantastic, at times overwhelming.
The garden provides the whole community with the skills and confidence to grow food and the equipment and resources to do so. It also allows food and locally grown produce to be central to the way we successfully connect with so many people.
Our thriving project now has an average monthly footfall of over 2,400 each month.
The MAXwell Centre and Garden over the last 10 years has evolved into the successful, community led, award winning place it is today that is showcased all over Scotland as an example for good practice.
