Viewpark facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Viewpark
|
|
|---|---|
| Village | |
 St Columba's Roman Catholic Church |
|
 Viewpark
|
|
| Population | 15,830 (2020) |
| • Density | 767.5/sq mi (1988/km2) |
| OS grid reference | NS712612 |
| • Edinburgh | 35 mi (56 km) |
| Council area | |
| Lieutenancy area | |
| Country | Scotland |
| Sovereign state | United Kingdom |
| Post town | GLASGOW |
| Postcode district | G71 |
| Dialling code | 01698 |
| Police | Strathclyde |
| Fire | Strathclyde |
| Ambulance | Scottish |
| EU Parliament | Scotland |
| UK Parliament |
|
| Scottish Parliament |
|
| Councillors | Margaret Boyd - Scottish Labour Helen Loughran - Scottish Labour Barry McCluskey - Scottish National Party |
Viewpark is a community located in North Lanarkshire, Scotland. It is just north-east of Uddingston and about 2 kilometers (1.2 miles) west of Bellshill. In 2016, Viewpark and its nearby areas like Birkenshaw and Tannochside had an estimated population of 13,916 people.
Contents
History of Viewpark
Viewpark gets its name from an old country estate. Close by was the Viewpark Colliery, one of many coal mines in the area. Miners lived in small villages like Thorniewood and Tannochside. Other old buildings included large houses like Thornwood House and Fallside House. A piece of an ancient Roman road was even found near Fallside House in 1952!
The Viewpark House mansion was built in the 1830s. It was home to the Addie family, who owned the local mines. Over the years, it was used as a women's refuge and even housed Belgian refugees during World War I. The house was taken down in the 1950s. However, its beautiful grounds, now called Viewpark Gardens, are still there. People use them as a park, for gardening, and for taking wedding photos. The gardens once had many sculptures, but only two, Hercules and Athena, remain.
After World War II, many new houses were quickly built in Viewpark. This housing project, known as "The Scheme," started in the late 1940s. The main street in northern Viewpark, Laburnum Road, was built by 1956. Most homes there were ready by the early 1960s. In 1956, the local council also started the Burnhead Bowling Club.
A shopping area was added in the center of the new housing, called Market Place. This area now has the Burnhead Community Centre, Viewpark Library, a sports complex, and a health center. Viewpark is special because it still holds a "Gala Day" each summer. This is a fun community event where kids play games and get treats.
New factories, like Ranco Motors and Caterpillar Tractor Company, came to Viewpark in the 1950s. This helped the population grow. However, Ranco closed in 1973, and Caterpillar closed in 1987. When Caterpillar announced its closure, workers held a sit-in protest for over 100 days. This protest helped them get better redundancy terms, even though the factory still closed. Today, new houses and business parks have been built on these old factory sites. Many people now live in Viewpark and travel to work in Glasgow or other nearby cities.
Viewpark Glen and Douglas Support Estate
North of Viewpark's older houses is a wooded area called "Viewpark Glen." Its official name is the Douglas Support Estate. This area once stretched across many towns. In the Glen, you can find the remains of Rosehall House and old Roman ruins, including a bridge over the North Calder Water. There are also very old tombs.
In 2019, a local group got a large grant to buy parts of this estate. They wanted to protect it and make sure the community could use it for recreation. This was important because some land had been lost to new roads and business parks.
Education in Viewpark
Viewpark has several schools that have changed over the years.
St Columba's Primary School used to be on Old Edinburgh Road. The original building was damaged by fire, and its replacement was later taken down and replaced by homes.
St Catherine's Junior Secondary was built in the late 1960s. Before this, local children had to travel to other towns for secondary school.
St John Paul II Primary school opened in May 2006. It was formed by combining St Columba's and St Gabriel's primary schools. It is located on Laburnum Road and Old Edinburgh Road.
Tannochside Primary School and Nursery Class opened in August 2006. It was created by joining the old Tannochside Primary and Burnhead Primary schools. It is on Douglas Street.
Fallside Secondary School is a smaller school for students who need special educational or behavioral support. The building dates back to 1911.
Sports in Viewpark
Viewpark is home to several sports clubs.
Thorniewood United is a local football club. They play at Robertson Park, just off Old Edinburgh Road. Other local amateur football teams include Viewpark United and Calderbraes FC.
Viewpark Boxing Club started in 2004. It is run by the Murphy family, who are well-known local boxers. The club is based at the Burnhead Community Centre.
Notable People from Viewpark
.jpg)
- Margaret, Duchess of Douglas was connected to the Douglas Support estate. She left money in her will to buy land that would be called Douglas-Support.
- Sir James Hamilton, 2nd Baronet bought Douglas Support in 1691. He had plans for Rosehall Estate, where he lived.
- General Sir Thomas Monteath Douglas took over the Douglas Support estate later. He was a high-ranking general in the British army.
- Jimmy Johnstone, known as 'Jinky', was a famous footballer. He played for Celtic and the Scotland national team. Jimmy was born and lived in Viewpark his whole life. A memorial garden with a statue of him opened in 2011 at his old primary school.
- John Robertson is a Scottish former professional footballer and assistant manager. He played for Nottingham Forest and helped them win the 1979 European Cup Final and the 1980 European Cup Final. He also played for the Scotland national team, scoring important goals. Later, he was an assistant manager for Celtic and Aston Villa. He is considered one of Nottingham Forest's best players ever.
- Kevin Budinauckas is a football goalkeeper. He played for several senior clubs like Stenhousemuir and Partick Thistle. He also played for many junior football teams.
- Charles "Chic" McSherry OBE (born 1958) is a Scottish rock guitarist, songwriter, author, and businessman. Chic grew up in Viewpark. He has released five music albums with his band La Paz. He is also a successful businessman and has written two crime novels. He received an award from the Queen in 2018 for his achievements.
See also
In Spanish: Viewpark para niños
