The next item of business is a members’ business debate on motion S4M-04470, in the name of John Mason, on Glasgow 2014, Scotland’s time to shine. The debate will be concluded without any question being put. Members and those in the public gallery should be as quiet as possible to allow the debate to proceed.
Motion debated,
That the Parliament notes the third and most recent visit to Glasgow of the Co-ordination Commission of the Commonwealth Games Federation (CGF) to receive a progress report on preparations for Glasgow 2014; welcomes the comments of CGF Vice President, Bruce Robertson, who said “the fact that a number of venues are either completed or are nearing completion, provides the CGF with significant confidence in the ability of Glasgow to deliver a successful Games”; considers that Glasgow 2014 is significantly regenerating Glasgow’s east end, as well as the city itself, and that it will provide tangible economic, social and cultural benefits for Scotland, which it considers will be ready to host this great event.
12:32
I will speak more loudly if there is any noise in the background.
I thank all members who signed the motion and the Deputy Presiding Officer and his colleagues for allowing the debate to take place.
The Commonwealth games in 2014 must be among the most exciting events in Scotland for a very long time. The games will run for 11 days, from 23 July to 3 August 2014, and will involve 17 sports at 14 venues. We expect that more than 4,500 athletes from 71 nations will take part. Scotland will take part in her own right, of course.
With the London Olympics now in the past, the attention of many people is switching to Scotland for the 2014 games. I certainly felt that on 3 October this year, when we had a games reception in Holyrood. Many of us met the games mascot for the first time at that reception. I noted that evening that, given Glasgow’s footballing history, it is appropriate that a thistle is the mascot and that it is called Clyde.
The venues are coming along well—they are on time and on budget. The motion refers to the fact that the Commonwealth Games Federation has been extremely positive about how things are going in that respect.
One of the reasons why Glasgow won the games in the first place was the excellent facilities that were already in place. Other cities would have had to do much more to catch up, let alone match the progress that we have made since we won the bid. However, we must not be complacent, of course. Some of the venues inevitably have to come on stream quite late. Hampden Park is an example of that. Queen’s Park will leave the stadium, and the athletics facilities will need to be installed immediately before the games.
I am delighted that five of the 14 venues are in the Glasgow Shettleston constituency. The velodrome and the Commonwealth arena are now operational and Tollcross pool is coming along. There will be hockey at Glasgow Green, and Celtic Park will be used for the opening ceremony. Of course, not least of the facilities is the athletes village, which is transforming that part of the east end of Glasgow hugely and which will leave us with social rented housing, a care home and private homes.
Other venues in Glasgow will include Ibrox for the rugby; Hampden for athletics; Kelvingrove for the bowling; Scotstoun for squash and table tennis; the Scottish Exhibition and Conference Centre for six sports; and Cathkin Braes for the mountain biking. Of course, the games are not just Glasgow games. I re-emphasise that there is activity outside Glasgow, at locations that include Strathclyde country park for the triathlon; the Commonwealth pool in Edinburgh for the diving; and Barry Buddon in Angus for the shooting.
A particularly topical issue this week is the start of the volunteer programme. Around 15,000 volunteers are required, and it is now possible to register interest in being a volunteer, which I did yesterday, although the formal application process will start in January. I gather that interviews will run from April next year, possibly through to the beginning of 2014. Each volunteer will receive around three days’ training. The volunteering has a variety of strands. Last Friday, I attended the launch of more than gold in Glasgow, which is the umbrella campaign for the churches’ involvement in the Commonwealth games. At previous games, churches have offered hospitality for the families of athletes, some of whom frankly would not be able to afford accommodation unless they are given help.
No major event such as the Commonwealth games would be complete without a few questions being asked along the way. One question that constituents sometimes ask me is whether the resources could be better used elsewhere. I touched on that when I said that, because Glasgow already had many venues in place, the investment has not been as big as other cities might have had to make. That is a real plus point. I am the first to argue for more investment in housing at every opportunity, but we must realise that, historically, housing in itself is not sufficient. The examples of areas such as Easterhouse in the north-east of Glasgow and other post-war schemes show that even good-quality housing on its own is not enough to give life to a community and a city. We need jobs and other activities to help us to meet the targets on issues such as improving physical activity and health.
Another question has been about sponsors. One problem when we had the games previously in Edinburgh was the serious lack of sponsors, which led to challenges right up until shortly before the games began. Therefore, the number of sponsors that are already on board is encouraging, and I believe that more are to come. The sponsors include Scotland-based companies such as Harper Macleod, SSE and AG Barr, whom people might know as the makers of Irn-Bru. Just yesterday, Emirates was announced as an official sponsor for the games, which is in addition to its naming rights for the Emirates arena. For clarification, that includes the Chris Hoy velodrome and the Commonwealth arena. There can sometimes be a bit of confusion about all the names and what they mean. However, we have not lost the Chris Hoy velodrome—it is part of the Emirates arena.
It has been suggested that only good companies should be sponsors, while bad companies should be excluded. The problem with that is how we define a good and bad company. I guess that no company is wholly good and probably no company is wholly bad. If we put our pensions and savings only into good companies, I suspect that there might not be many places to put them. I suggest that, just like people, most companies are a mixture of good and bad. It is encouraging that sponsorship is coming in.
The profile of the word “legacy” has increased hugely as a result of the Olympics and Commonwealth games. Obviously, the physical infrastructure, including sporting, housing and transport infrastructure, will be the main lasting legacy, but we want more than that—we want to encourage more people to be active. Interestingly, the Age Scotland briefing for today’s debate points out that only 9 per cent of older people do the recommended levels of physical activity. Can we increase the figure and encourage more activity? I certainly hope so. We are not always good at that in the Parliament building. We have beautiful staircases, but many of us use the lifts. The games give us the opportunity to increase physical activity in general and specifically sports participation.
I thank the Parliament for the opportunity to debate the issue. I hope that we can join together in looking forward to and working towards the Commonwealth games in Scotland in 2014.
12:40
I congratulate John Mason on securing the debate. It is always a pleasure to talk about sport in the Parliament, and it is a particular pleasure to talk about the Commonwealth games, an area on which there is cross-party consensus and co-operative working to make our 2014 games the success that I am sure they can and will be.
I attended the reception in the Parliament to which Mr Mason referred and I, too, was intrigued that we have a mascot named Clyde who happens to be a thistle. As a Partick Thistle supporter, I am not 100 per cent sure that that was a good idea—all joking aside, we have a fantastic mascot and I congratulate the young citizen of Cumbernauld who made it possible. She and Clyde are terrific ambassadors for the games.
John Mason is right to say that many venues were in existence before Glasgow made its bid to host the games. I was involved in the preparation of the bid and I am acutely aware that a strong deciding factor for the then Scottish Executive in taking the bid forward was that 80 per cent of the venues that would be needed were already available to us. Some venues might need refurbishment, but we had comparatively little to do to make venues suitable for 2014.
It is fair to say that over the years, from the days when Glasgow aspired to be a bid city to its becoming the host city for 2014, the Commonwealth Games Federation’s assessment reports have been consistently good. We do not give that achievement sufficient recognition. It has not just happened; it has required a great deal of work on the part of the Government, Glasgow City Council and the people whom we tasked to take forward the bid and the preparations for the games.
Commonwealth Games Scotland’s significance in the Commonwealth games family should not be underestimated, because its reputation helped us to get to where we are today. Commonwealth Games Scotland is known to be a strong supporter of the federation, and that has paid off for Glasgow and Scotland.
I look forward to welcoming athletes and their families and supporters to Glasgow. I am confident that they will have the time of their lives and that they will enjoy everything that Glasgow and Scotland have to offer. Like John Mason, I would very much like to volunteer at the games, not just because I have always had an interest in the games and have been involved from an early stage but because I was a recipient of the hospitality that Melbourne offered in 2006 to those of us who were fortunate enough to be able to visit the city, and I would like to return the compliment. I, too, am signing up to be a volunteer in 2014. Perhaps we can get an all-party group of MSPs to do that; it might be interesting. I am told that only people who really want to work need apply.
As I look around Glasgow, I am delighted to see the new velodrome and arena, which are wonderful facilities, but I am slightly concerned that the north of Glasgow, which I represent, will have no tangible legacy from the games. I hope that we find ways of making the games meaningful for people in the north of the city. Since the idea of using Firhill stadium, Partick Thistle’s ground, was dropped, there has been no proposal for the north of the city to replace it. We need to think seriously about that. There is currently an excellent proposal to make Pinkston Basin, in my constituency, the home of a paddlesports facility. Such a facility would be an excellent complement to the games but perhaps would not be part of the games themselves.
I am sure that the Glasgow 2014 games will be a huge success and that their success will be a catalyst for what I hope will be a successful bid for the youth Olympics in 2018.
12:44
I congratulate John Mason on bringing the debate to the chamber. The 2014 Commonwealth games is a great opportunity for Scotland to showcase exactly what the great city of Glasgow—my home city and constituency—has to offer. I am talking not just about the buildings, but the people who live there and—as John Mason said—the whole of Scotland.
I will mention some of the regeneration that has been happening in my Kelvin constituency. One project that has benefited directly from the 2014 games is the upgrade of the subway stations. That work—particularly the Hillhead upgrade—has been fantastic. I must mention the mural at Hillhead, although I will not dwell on it too much.
I would like to spare Sandra White’s blushes, so I thank her for taking my intervention. She would not, of course, want to draw attention herself to the fact that she features in the mural, so I thought that I would do that on her behalf. Very fetching it is too, and I recognised her from the artistic representation.
I thank Patricia Ferguson very much for mentioning the mural, and I congratulate Alasdair Gray on the fantastic work that he has done. The mural is hugely popular in the area—that is all that I will say.
The next step of the upgrade is the Kelvinhall subway station, which is the gateway to the Kelvingrove art galleries and Kelvingrove park, where we have excellent grass facilities. The bowling competitions will be held in Kelvingrove park, and I was there—along with the minister—to open the new bowling greens. They are wonderful, and people talk about them all the time.
We also have the walkway along the River Clyde, which is getting an upgrade, and there will be transport along there. I would like more money to be spent on that particular project, especially on the part at Custom House Quay. The idea is that people will be able to cycle or walk all the way from the SECC to Glasgow Green and on to the east end. I look forward to that walkway being completed, as it is a fantastic project.
John Mason mentioned volunteering. That is an excellent project, and I am sure that we will get even more volunteers than we ask for. I point out to the minister—I have raised this with the 2014 Commonwealth games teams—that I have been approached by a number of groups in my constituency, as I am sure other MSPs have, that want to find out how they would go about taking part in the opening ceremony.
There are some excellent groups in my Kelvin constituency. There is a dance group called Indepen-dance that includes people with various levels of disability. It has performed in the Parliament, which was fantastic, and it would be wonderful for the group to take part in the opening ceremony.
Another group is called—I will say this very carefully—the Partick pluckers. It is a wonderful group of elderly people who play the banjo and sing, and it is based at Stewartville Street in Partick. There is also the Glasgow Old People’s Welfare Association, and many other groups. Perhaps the minister can let me and other members know how those groups might be able to get involved in the opening ceremony.
As I have only 40 seconds left, I ask the minister if she could possibly get in touch with Glasgow City Council about the regeneration of George Square. A lot of constituents have come to me to discuss that issue. The square will be closed for something like two years, and it seems crazy that, while we are thinking about regeneration, we are not considering traffic-calming measures around the square. Perhaps the minister can take that suggestion on board; I have put it into the consultation. People are concerned that the square itself will be closed off for two years and may not be ready in time for the Commonwealth games.
12:48
I congratulate John Mason on bringing the debate to the chamber. I am delighted to be given the opportunity to speak about an exciting event that can bring the nation together in a positive way, behind a common purpose, in 2014. It is an event that will give Scots across the nation an opportunity to express what is great about this country, and the opportunity to promote our national identity while celebrating competition with and respect for our friends in the home nations.
When John Mason listed venues and what was happening at them, I was mentally ticking them off. I have played table tennis and badminton in Scotstoun, done a bit of crown green bowling at Kelvingrove and used the ranges at Barry Buddon for shooting in my previous life in uniform. Although I am, like most Scots, a very far cry from Commonwealth standards, it will still be a thrill to be able to see those venues being used on the television and say, “I’ve been there, I’ve done that.” I think that people throughout Scotland will share that thrill.
The motion notes the latest progress on the games from the Commonwealth Games Federation co-ordination commission and I am pleased that it reports that a number of venues are either completed or are nearing completion and that the CGF has confidence in the ability of Glasgow to deliver a successful games. I share that confidence—the new facilities speak for themselves.
We have, I believe, 622 days to go and we appear to be ahead of schedule. I am sure that Scotland’s largest, friendliest city—my home city and one that I am proud to represent—will step up to the challenge of filling the 15,000 volunteering spaces that are needed to help run the games. I concur with Ms Ferguson that perhaps a cross-party group of MSP workers could be attached to that volunteering project.
Glasgow 2014 will be a global event. It will involve 71 nations and territories representing one third of the world’s population and it will attract an estimated television audience of more than 1.5 billion people from across the globe. Just yesterday, it was announced that Emirates Airlines is to be one of the major sponsors of the games, which is again a reflection of Glasgow 2014’s international reach. The games will be good for Glasgow and they will help to cement its reputation as a truly world-class city.
I note that the para-sports programme will be fully integrated in the games, which will help para-sports athletes achieve greater exposure on the international sports scene. We are fortunate in many ways that the Commonwealth games can learn from and build upon the London 2012 Olympics and Paralympics in that regard. At the recent Commonwealth games reception, which has been referred to several times, I was struck by how appreciative the Glasgow 2014 organisers were of the access, the support and the co-working with the London Organising Committee of the Olympic and Paralympic Games that has been on-going. We know that 41 per cent of Scots are more interested in the Commonwealth games because of London 2012 and we need to build on that.
For me, the games will be much more than a sporting event. They represent a real opportunity to use sport to benefit businesses, organisations and communities across Scotland and to instil a lasting legacy for young people in Scotland. The venues will continue to be used after the games by a variety of athletes, from elite competitors to young people who have been inspired by the games to take up a new sport. EventScotland’s games for Scotland initiative has already seen 40,000 people trying Commonwealth games sports and activities in 2010 and 2011, and I hope that that trend continues.
The legacy of the games can and should extend beyond the physical infrastructure of the houses, the events and the venues. Every person who gets off the sofa, every child who is inspired to try a new sport, every Scot who is proud to cheer on our athletes and every inch of progress that we make as a nation to see and practise the benefits of exercise in our own communities is a legacy worth competing for. I congratulate the member on securing the debate.
12:53
I thank John Mason for bringing the debate to the chamber. John is part of the reason why I am so happy to take part in the debate. When I first became a councillor, John was a council group leader. One of the first things that we did was discuss the outside bodies that we would like to be on. I was fortunate enough to get on to Glasgow’s culture and sport board. There were many benefits to that: I saw parts of Glasgow and treasures in the city that I did not realise that we had.
I was fortunate also in my timing because I managed to meet a lot of the Commonwealth delegates. Every delegate I met was incredibly positive about Glasgow. They were positive about the facilities that we had and the legacy that we were looking for after the games but, mostly, they were positive about Glaswegians. They were positive about the warm welcome that they got and the enthusiasm from people in the city for the games, what they could bring to the games and what the games could bring to the city.
I firmly believe that, if it had not been for that well-known warm and generous Glaswegian spirit, we may well have struggled to get the games to Glasgow in the first place. I cannot count the number of times that the delegates spoke to me about the welcome that they received. That is why I am so confident that the games will be a massive success.
I want to speak about what the games will mean to my constituency of Cathcart and to the visitors to my constituency. I am fortunate to have three of the biggest events in two of the great venues in my constituency. Hampden, home of Scottish football and just a javelin throw away from my constituency office—which is not a suggestion, by the way—is hosting the track and field events and the closing ceremony, which I am confident will be something to behold.
With its extraordinary panoramic views of the city, Cathkin Braes—as has already been mentioned—will host the mountain biking events. It will be Glasgow’s first international-standard mountain bike course and will give the city a world-class venue to watch the sport in during the games and to have as a community facility for the rapidly growing sport once the games are over.
Hampden is likely to see many of the Olympic champions that we were all feting after the recent games. Stars such as Jessica Ennis, Usain Bolt and our very own Eilidh Childs have committed to appearing. Of course, many years ago Hampden used to host athletics events. The great Eric Liddell’s last win on British soil took place here in 1925—no, I was not there. However, I suspect that this event will be of a slightly grander scale.
While the welcome influx of visitors is in Cathcart, it could do worse than to spend time looking at all we have to offer. There is the last conservation village in Glasgow city boundary at Carmunnock, which dates back to the early Christian missionary St Cadoc and which passed to the hands of the Stuart family in 1700. The Stuart family also owned large swathes of Castlemilk. If visitors visit Castlemilk stables, as I believe the minister may have done, they will see some of the remnants of that and later periods. That place, which is now owned by a housing association and well used by the community, is well worth a visit.
At the other end of the constituency we have Pollok park, which was named Europe’s best park in 2008 and the United Kingdom’s best park in 2006 and is home to the magnificent Burrell collection. Just down from there is the A-listed Pollokshaws burgh hall, which was built and paid for by Sir John Stirling Maxwell in time to celebrate Queen Victoria’s jubilee. It hosts a magnificent Wurlitzer organ, which I saw just the other day on the 200th anniversary of Pollokshaws becoming a burgh. Close by is Sir John Maxwell school, which was built in 1854 and, much more importantly, is famous for the fact that the great John McLean used to teach Marxism there to packed night classes.
Probably the most important part of Cathcart’s history lies in the battle of Langside. It is no exaggeration to say that if that battle between the forces of Mary Queen of Scots and her half-brother James Stewart had turned out differently and Mary had not had to flee to England to seek refuge from her cousin Elizabeth—we all know what happened then—many of the constitutional debates we have been having and will continue to have over the next two years might not have been necessary. Historic Scotland is considering whether to make the Battlefield area of my constituency part of its historic battlefields, which is a proposal that clearly has my full support.
I would be grateful if you could draw to a close, please.
Due to time constraints I have had to miss out so many great places to visit in my constituency, but I will say that if all someone wants from a visit is a nice meal, a quiet drink or an evening out, Cathcart constituency also has those things in abundance. I am confident that Glasgow is going to host a magnificent games and I have no doubt that my constituency will play more than its fair share in their forthcoming success.
Excellent.
12:57
I am delighted to contribute to the debate on the 2014 Commonwealth games and I thank John Mason for bringing to the chamber the issues of Glasgow’s preparation for the event and the legacy that the games will leave behind.
I, too, am excited by the huge opportunities that hosting the Commonwealth games will bring to the city of Glasgow and all of Scotland. Already, we can see sport and extra-curricular activities becoming a focus for many schools and community groups. In Drumchapel, Camstradden primary school has recently been awarded a grant of £2,000 by the Big Lottery Fund, which it will use to develop sporting activities and opportunities for all their pupils. Parents, pupils and teachers worked together to secure that funding, and together they will enjoy the benefits that it will bring to the wider community in Drumchapel, and indeed to Glasgow.
That is not an isolated example of the enthusiasm that is building for the Commonwealth games, and I know that many of my constituents will be keen to volunteer for the duration of the games in a variety of different roles. Organisers are now advertising more than 15,000 voluntary positions that are similar to the games makers of the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic games—and I am glad that a few members have already signed up for them. Already there has been significant interest from members of the public in being involved in the same way.
I am also delighted at the preparations that are already on-going to ensure that there is a strong and meaningful legacy for Scotland after the games end. The youth legacy ambassador programme is a joint initiative by the Scottish Government, Young Scot and others that will promote the wider involvement of communities in Commonwealth games events. It will seek to host events all over Scotland to make the games of 2014 relevant to all those who want to be involved.
Every local authority in Scotland has two youth legacy ambassadors who undertake the work of promoting activity and involvement in sport among their peers. Only time will tell whether the programme will be successful, but if the young people’s hard work and enthusiasm are any indication we can look beyond 2014 with optimism.
I believe that communities not only in Glasgow but across Scotland will benefit hugely from the Commonwealth games. Their impact could last for generations and it falls on us to secure the benefits for our children and grandchildren. Parts of Glasgow’s east end have already been transformed by much of the new infrastructure and stadia and we must ensure that the process does not slow down or falter between now and 2014.
I look forward to the Commonwealth games with anticipation, optimism and, most importantly, pride in my city of Glasgow and Scotland’s ability to host a fantastic international sporting event.
13:01
I, too, congratulate John Mason on securing this debate. I understand why there is great excitement in my native city of Glasgow about the forthcoming games; 2014 is obviously going to be an important year for the city.
A lot of regeneration work is already being undertaken with, for example, the transformation of the east end that John Mason mentioned and the social housing that will be left; the work on Dalmarnock railway station; and the tremendous facilities that the city of Glasgow will be left with. Ruth Davidson mentioned what is now known as Scotstoun leisure centre, which has been transformed over a number of years. Back in the day, it was known as Scotstoun showground, and I can certainly confirm that it has had a great transformation since my days as a schoolboy when I rather reluctantly had to do cross-country running there. It will be one of many fantastic facilities for the city.
Of course, it is not just Glasgow that is looking forward to the Commonwealth games; as John Mason rightly recognised in his speech and motion, it is an event for the whole country and “Scotland’s Time to Shine”. Many folk across the country will have a chance to play their part as one of the 15,000 volunteers who are being sought, and I particularly wish John Mason and Patricia Ferguson well with their applications.
My own constituency has already made its mark on the games. As mentioned earlier, AG Barr, which is based in the Westfield industrial estate in Cumbernauld, will be a sponsor of the event. It would also be remiss of me if I did not point out that the mascot Clyde, which has merited a mention, was designed by 12-year-old Beth Gilmour from Cumbernauld. She did very well, given that her design was selected following a UK-wide competition that attracted more than 4,000 entries. Indeed, the competition was described as UK-wide, but I understand that entries were received from across the world. I am sure that members will join me in congratulating Beth on having had her design chosen.
I also note that the mascot shares its name with the only senior football team in my constituency—I am sure that as a supporter of the team John Mason will be happy to hear me to say that—and that I warmly welcome the fact that Clyde is a thistle, as it reflects my own footballing loyalties. Patricia Ferguson, too, will welcome that.
I had not planned on mentioning this because I did not know about it until I came into the chamber, but I found on page 4 of Colin Keir’s copy of the Edinburgh Evening News a rather touching photograph of Clyde in a very warm and tender embrace with our First Minister. I encourage all members to have a look but, of course, only the First Minister himself can say whether that betrays any of his political preferences.
As I have said, it is not just Glasgow that is looking forward to or which will secure a legacy from the Commonwealth games. I am very glad that, according to the “Legacy 2014: Be part of it” booklet we have all received,
“Over £13.5 million has been invested in the Active Schools initiative”,
which is giving school-aged children the opportunity to participate in a wide variety of sports outwith their formal physical education classes at school. Moreover, there will be 150 community sports hubs “in place by 2016”. Such moves will be fantastic for the whole country.
I close by coming back to my own constituency. The legacy for my area is that the Cumbernauld railway line will be electrified in time for the Commonwealth games to allow people to get in and out of Glasgow with greater ease. The line will be there for the long term, and my constituents will benefit from it. The fact that Glasgow will host the Commonwealth games in 2014 is good news all round and, again, I congratulate John Mason on securing this debate.
13:05
I, too, thank John Mason for this timely debate, which has had some good speeches and suggestions. I will try to respond to as many as possible but, in case I miss some, I assure members that they have all been noted.
I am glad that many members noted in their speeches the third successful of visit of the co-ordination commission for the 2014 games. I was pleased that the chairman of the commission expressed his view that our preparations for the games are the best that he has seen in 20 years. That is reassuring, but we will not be complacent as there is more work to be done. That work will step up a pace as we get into the home straight.
Importantly, the chairman also said that our legacy preparations are a model for other countries to follow. Members have said that the legacy is as important as having a fantastic games, which of course they will be. We must ensure that there is a legacy for the whole of Scotland from the games. I have sent a copy of the progress report to all members, and I hope that they will have a chance to look at it in detail.
Members noted in their speeches recent events related to the games. For example, there was the completion of the Commonwealth arena and the Sir Chris Hoy velodrome. I encourage those who have not had a chance to go and look at those venues to do so, because they are absolutely fantastic. We have also had the unveiling of the games mascot, Clyde, which received unanimous praise. He is absolutely fantastic and one of the best mascots that I have seen for any games.
A lot of sponsors have come on board, with the most recent partner, Emirates Airlines, joining the Commonwealth games family just yesterday. Sponsorship is an important part of the raising revenue for the games, with the target being to raise £99 million through it.
Earlier this week, I attended the opening of the volunteer centre at Commonwealth house in Glasgow. The target is to have 15,000 volunteers for the games, and I encourage members to go and have a look at the volunteer centre. It was pleasing to hear so many people wanting to volunteer themselves.
We remain firmly on course for the games, but we are not going to be complacent, because there is a lot to be done over the next 20 months. As Ruth Davidson said, the Olympic games experience gave us an opportunity to learn all the lessons that we can. That has been helpful, and it is important that we keep the momentum going for the next 20 months.
I will respond now to as many members’ comments as I can. John Mason made an important point about the churches’ involvement in the more than gold campaign. It is fair to say that some countries that will send athletes are poor countries that struggle, so any support that can be given to such athletes and, indeed, their families when they are over here will be welcome.
John Mason also made the point that housing is not enough for the regeneration of an area and that the games are important as a catalyst for regeneration, particularly for the east end of Glasgow. I have seen tangible evidence of that important aspect.
Patricia Ferguson made a point about the importance of the Commonwealth Games Federation picking up on the issue of co-operation and partnership working. That is important to all of us.
Patricia Ferguson also made a point about the north of Glasgow. A lot of work is going on in relation to the Pinkston paddlesports centre, and the youth Olympics bid is having a direct benefit elsewhere in the north of Glasgow. Even if we do not win the bid, that work will have been a catalyst for the early regeneration of that part of the north of Glasgow. I hope that the member will take comfort in that and in the £10 million active places fund, which all communities can make applications to.
Sandra White talked about the upgrade of the subway. I want to see the mural that she mentioned—I have not seen it yet but I am going to now that she has told me about it. She asked about how organisations and groups can get involved. The contracts for the ceremonies have been awarded, but I will pass on her comments about how to involve the wider group of people and organisations who want to be involved in some way.
The regeneration of George Square is slightly outside our remit, but I will certainly make the point to our games partners in Glasgow City Council about the need for that work to be completed in time for the games.
Ruth Davidson said that the new facilities speak for themselves. I agree. The fact that many other events have booked those venues in the period before the Commonwealth games tells its own story.
James Dornan did a fantastic job of promoting his constituency but also reminded us of the athletics history of Hampden, mentioning Eric Liddell’s achievement in 1925.
Anne McTaggart highlighted the youth legacy ambassador programme, which offers young people an opportunity to be involved and to involve other young people. That is a great success story.
Jamie Hepburn talked about the games being an event for the whole of Scotland and paid tribute to 12-year-old Beth Gilmour, who did a fantastic job of designing the mascot. He also talked about two important things that are going on in our schools. The active schools network is a real success story and, added to that, there is the programme to establish 150 community sports hubs, which is a key legacy ambition. Half of those hubs will be based in schools, which will ensure that schools are open after school hours. We want to get the school estate open for business.
There will be an opportunity to go into these matters in a bit more detail before the end of the year, because I want to have a wider debate in the chamber on the games preparations. I hope that that will enable more members to be involved in discussing the preparations for the Commonwealth games and the legacy benefits for the whole of Scotland that will undoubtedly flow from our hosting of the games.
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