About Urban Agriculture
The Urban Agriculture strand of our Food and Climate Action project focuses on 2 main elements:
- supporting and promoting pre-existing urban agriculture sites in Glasgow through our Urban Growing Open Days and;
- the exploration of Ruchill Golf Course as a possible food growing site for Glasgow.
Urban Agriculture is defined as urban or peri-urban growing sites used for the cultivation of food which is distributed at a city-wide level. These sites can be managed by:
- individuals e.g. back gardens and allotment plots;
- communities e.g. community gardens, community orchards & food forests and;
- businesses or social enterprises e.g. market gardens and other local food producers.
All these activities have the potential to contribute to the overall food system, as well as help close the loop of the food system by feeding into local economy, education and sustainable waste management projects.
Kyle Baldock is leading on this strand as maternity cover for Project Coordinator, Ebany Dohle. For more information, contact Kyle on kyle.baldock[at]glasgowfood.net
What Have We Been Doing?
A new year update from Ruchill Golf Course
A new year update from Ruchill Golf Course
Women's Safety in Ruchill
We talk to Wise Women and Scottish Canals about Plans for the Old Golf Course
Introduction to Ruchill - what have we been doing?
Trips, visits, consultations - why are we excited about Ruchill?
What's The Story?
News items and blog posts which feature our work or give background on Ruchill Golf Course.
How golf courses can be repurposed to meet the needs of people and planet
Back in April 2020, shortly after the UK had gone into lockdown for the first time, Guy Shrubsole, the campaigner and author of Who Owns England (2019), set out to map and investigate London’s golf courses. While a natural continuation of his wider work on land ownership, it was also given particular urgency in the moment – not least for those living in densely populated cities – as the nation began to ask questions about use of, and access to, green space.
Out of curiosity, I visited the other day ( writes a correspondent ) what is now known as the Ruchill golf course. A big tranformation has been affected in the area. In place of trees and allotments there stand streets of imposing three-storeyed tenements, while on the higher ground numerous blocks of workmen’s houses are in various stages of completion. The remnant of the ground which has been set apart for a municipal golf course is on the North side, beside the canal.
There are nine holes, the longest ( 345 yards ) being the first and old seventh. Though there are many changes in the old course, fortunately the tricky mashie shot at the side of the water is unchanged. Practically all the greens will require careful attention if a good covering of grass is desired next season. Some of the tees, particulary the ninth and the fourth, were stretches of mud. These are inexcusable, as there is plenty of ground in the vicinity for frequent changes. It struck me that the greenkeeper will be well advised to cut the holes occasionally in other places than the centres of the greens.
The Hilton Park Golf Club, Glasgow, was formed in 1928 and was the amalgamation of two clubs, the Glasgow North Western Golf Club, one of the oldest in Glasgow and the Bankhead Golf Club. The courses of both of these clubs were acquired by Glasgow Corporation for housing schemes.
When the North Western club moved to Hilton Park the corporation laid out a nine-hole course on what land remained after houses had been built. This new club was called Ruchill Golf Club.
In 1928 the North Western club was dispossessed of its ground by the Greater Glasgow Housing association for housing development and the members joined with those of Bankhead GC to form Hilton Park GC. The course was taken over by the Corporation , reduced to 9 holes, and remained open till recently ( 2019 ) as Ruchill Park Golf Course.