Looking back with Ian Scott on the history of Falkirk's new arts centre site

Last week I wandered round to the east end of the town to see the remnants of Callendar Square scattered across the nearly empty site. In my mind’s eye I could see rising before me all over that venerable corner of the old burgh, a new beginning for our community after a long, long period of bad news. A new Town Hall / Arts Centre and municipal suite for a town with a fantastic history of cultural achievement stretching back over more than a century. In my long life I have seen the very best that this place had to offer including of course the fantastic Children and Youth Theatres, the focus of much local attention following the recent publication of Craig Murray’s excellent book ‘House Full’. Falkirk really needs this space and until we have it we will limp along with our eyes forever on some far distant future. I for one haven’t that long to wait!

The loss of the Town Hall especially was a huge blow to the many companies who work so hard every year to bring us high quality music, drama and many other art forms. So many fantastic young talents are missing out on the chance to perform in modern, high quality spaces. We should never underestimate the value of the arts in all their forms to the health and happiness of our home town.

Now we are within touching distance of a great revival with the planned arts centre, library, town hall and the rest. It was a very bold and imaginative decision to solve a long standing problem which deserves the support of the whole community. Apart from the cultural benefits it will surely bring people flocking to the town and boost local business. It is also a big vote of confidence in the future of Falkirk and the surrounding area which we badly need in these testing times.

For us oldies who remember the old Silver Row with its theatre and school, followed by the unloved Callendar Centre and finally the recently demolished Callendar Square, it is a chance to wipe away memories of disappointment and replace them with dreams of what will be. Back in the 1980s the ‘Think Falkirk’ campaign helped to overcome the damage done by the closure of the foundries and led to the restoration of Callendar House and the High Street and pointed the way to the reopening of the canals and the Falkirk Wheel. I believe the current developments will have a similar effect.

After seeing the early plans I sense a rising feeling of excitement – did we believe it would ever happen? Too often we thought we were there but something always cropped up at the last minute and it was back to the drawing board. This time our elected representatives have been true to their promises and the officers have carried forward the project much faster than I had expected. Now one final push to complete the job is imminent. Let’s hope that in a few years we will be sitting in the auditorium of our own theatre watching our own talented performers raise the flag for the arts in Falkirk once again.

Those who make this happen will win high praise for their determination to overcome mighty problems, and in the future some historian will recall their endeavours with pride, and our children and grandchildren will be the beneficiaries.