Oban Communities Trust (OCT) was awarded Stalled Spaces Scotland funding by Argyll & Bute Council to create a temporary garden and seating in the centre of the town. This project linked to a larger campaign to open a community venue in Oban known as The Rockfield Centre.
Originally written in 2017 to document the community engagement work and funding from Stalled Spaces Scotland, the full case study is available for download.
Background
The community-owned organisation purchased The Rockfield Centre in May 2015. The site then consisted of two huts, a car park and a large former primary school building. But the communities plans stretched beyond its original purpose. Being at the heart of a creative community was the overall vision; providing a cultural hub which doesn’t currently exist in Oban. When OCT purchased the site, the huts were boarded up, the garden areas were overgrown and the main building was in serious danger by dry rot. The garden and seating funded by Stalled Spaces helped to highlight, to the local community, work already carried out by the trust to reopen the disused 1950s huts by making the exterior look more attractive, and providing an area people could use and enjoy.
Quotes
‘The timing of this project was just perfect: we’d just got the keys and we wanted to do something with the outside, so I think that was probably why we went for Stalled Spaces funding.’
Eleanor MacKinnon, Oban Communities Trust
Further Information
Case Study Stalled Spaces: Renfrew Development Trust Multi-generational Exhibition
Stalled Sties Scotland Project
Glasgow City Council Presentation from Stalled Spaces Scotland Surgeries
Glasgow City Council Stalled Spaces Information
CSGN Stalled Spaces Glasgow Case Study
About A&DS Case Studies
Our case studies series shows the benefits of good design in Scotland’s built environment. We highlight the processes behind our built environment as well as the finished result, to grow our collective understanding of good design practice. More of our case studies are available here. We want to build this resource. So, if you have a question or comment about our Case Studies series, email us at info@ads.org.uk.
[Last updated: 17th of April, 2020]
