Phased reopening of Falkirk Community Trust sites planned as lockdown restrictions ease

Play parks will reopen in the coming weeks
Play parks like the one at the Helix could be open again from June 29.  (Stock pic taken before Covid-19 lockdown).Play parks like the one at the Helix could be open again from June 29.  (Stock pic taken before Covid-19 lockdown).
Play parks like the one at the Helix could be open again from June 29. (Stock pic taken before Covid-19 lockdown).

Falkirk Community Trust is preparing plans for a phased reopening of it properties as lockdown restrictions begin to ease across Scotland.

The organisation has already opened some of its sites – Grangemouth Golf Course reopened on May 29 with support from Grangemouth Golf Club, and the tennis courts at Dollar Park and Zetland Park are open and “operating well”.

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The area’s parks – Callendar Park, Kinneil Estate, Muiravonside Country Park and the Helix – remain open to visitors.

However following the First Minister’s announcement on Scotland entering phase two of the ‘route map’ out of lockdown, there may be more changes to the trust’s sites in the coming weeks.

It is anticipated that from June 29 the play parks at the Helix Park, Callendar Park and Muiravonside will re-open, and the Trust said this week it is looking at the viability of opening the Plaza cafe at the Helix and Callendar Park Kiosk to coincide with this date.

However, the toilets at the sites will remain closed in line with government guidelines.

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Maureen Campbell, chief executive of Falkirk Community Trust, said: “Our plan to reopen takes into account the needs of our community as well as the financial uncertainty and risk to the Trust in costs associated with the facilities reopening, while customer capacity is restricted due to government guidelines and the time required to rebuild customer confidence to take part in sport and culture activities in public buildings.”

Further changes would not be made to the trust’s sites until phase three, which is currently anticipated from July 9 at the earliest, but no date has been set.

At that time the plan would be to reopen a small number of sites with modified and limited changes to ensure government guidelines on social distancing can be followed.

It is anticipated that access and visits to these sites will likely require advance booking.

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The Trust also plans to open all libraries for a limited time for a collection service bookable online and the Home Library Service would restart again following relevant protocols.

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