Gairbraid Avenue

The Gairbraid Avenue public realm project was completed in October 2012. The project won through invited competition by rankinfraser landscape architecture in 2010, sought to enhance and build upon the recent regeneration of Maryhill Leisure Centre and Maryhill Burgh Hall. The creation of a new public space in front of the Burgh Hall and leisure centre, the restoration and reintroduction of forgotten streetscape elements and the introduction of new public art all contribute to the rediscovery of a sense of place and identity.

The reorganisation of the parking and vehicle access has created more space for pedestrians resulting in wider footways and the reintroduction of the gardens which used to enclose the Burgh Hall. The underground Victorian toilet has been consolidated and the railings and stone cope repaired.

The artwork Star Map created by WAVEparticle incorporates a constellation of names of the great and the good of Maryhill. The names came from conversations with local people, historians, shopkeepers, kids playing in the street and people walking their dogs in the park…

“The clients' aspiration was for Gairbraid Avenue to become a high-quality public realm which reflects its importance at the heart of a collection of public facilities in Maryhill. Hopefully through a combination of historic repair and contemporary intervention we have met this aspiration and contributed to the ongoing regeneration of the area.”
– Chris Rankin

“It has been our delight to have had this opportunity to get to know people in Maryhill and to involve as many as possible in the whole process of generating the names and places for the Star Map.”
– Peter McCaughey, lead artist and creative director of WAVEparticle