Clydebank Post | News | Church closure fight taken to Parliament

Monday, 8th September, 2008

Published: Wednesday, 19th September, 2007 16:30

Church closure fight taken to Parliament

By Lorna Caitens

THE FIGHT to retain a landmark Clydebank church has been taken to the Scottish Parliament.

Clydebank MSP Des McNulty has submitted a motion to save Our Lady of Loreto (OLL) in the hope that other MSPs will back his efforts.

He wants the Scottish Government to work with the Archdiocese of Glasgow, West Dunbartonshire Council (WDC) and residents to find an alternative use for the historical building.

OLL — which survived the Blitz — closed its doors at the end of last month after serving the Dalmuir community for around 100 years.

The Archdiocese wants to demolish the building because it claimed parishioner numbers were falling and the building was surplus to its requirements.

Mr McNulty told the Post OLL is unique and needs to be protected.

He said: “I think it’s worth doing everything we can to draw attention to the importance of this [OLL] building.

“It’s a beautiful building and I know that many parishioners were devastated when it was announced that the parish would have to amalgamate with a neighbouring parish.

“However, many of them are extremely keen that the building be maintained and I think there is a strong support for this within the wider community.

“I know that Dalmuir Park [Housing Association] has been looking into this very carefully along with Tom McKendrick and WDC has a role, given its planning responsibility.

“I would hope that everyone works together to ensure that the building can be retained.

“It’s early days yet, I have only just submitted the motion and I hope because it’s significantly a Clydebank issue, I can attract support from other MSPs from all parties so I can draw attention to the unique building in Dalmuir.”

Proposals to close the church were announced earlier this year sparking anger amongst the community which has been fighting to reverse the decision.

Along with Bankie artist Tom McKendrick, members of the church set up The Save Loreto Committee, to try and fight the plans which will lead to the church’s demolition.

Tom told the Post he welcomed Mr McNulty’s Parliament motion to help stop the bulldozers.

He said: “This is where the issue of Loreto’s survival rightly deserves to be.

“The Save Loreto Committee applaud [Des McNulty’s] actions. I was also delighted to hear that funding has been found for an extensive and detailed feasibility study into the uses of Loreto as a community asset.

“It is my understanding that the Archdiocese has been informed and that this would be conducted at no expense to them whatsoever.

“A local organisation has made the offer of working closely with the Archdiocese in an attempt to bring about a favourable outcome to the satisfaction of all.”

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