Ambitious plans for Dumbarton's oldest building given green light by councillors

dailyrecord.co.uk:

Ambitious plans to transform Dumbarton’s oldest building into a state-of-the-art library and museum have been given the go-ahead by councillors.Glencairn House, in the town’s High Street, will undergo a major transformation which will include the construction of a three storey extension to create extra space to house the library and museum.The works will be part-funded by a £19million grant from the UK Government’s Levelling Up fund, which is also set to transform the High Street with the demolition of the Artizan Centre and redevelopment of the main shopping hub in the town.The property with its well-known arch windows has stood vacant for the last several years and will undergo a meticulous restoration of the existing structure while preserving its historic elements.

As well as dedicated spaces for children and families, it will provide access to computers, quiet study areas and meeting spaces.In addition, a standalone children’s library pavilion will be created at the back of the building, opening out onto a library garden centred on the existing tree which will become the garden’s ‘storytelling tree’.Museum displays will be integrated throughout the building, featuring key objects from the Council’s museum, archive, and local history collections that tell stories of Dumbarton.Items on display will include some of the oldest in the Council’s collection, including a Roman Medallion from 193AD and the bronze ‘Skellat Bell’ from around 900AD.Sections of the building are set to be clad in a colourful ceramic tile, which architect Suzy Brown said is closely linked to the history of the area.She said: “The key colour is a turquoise colour that comes from the glass objects made in the glassworks but we see this repeated in