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The story behind the new community garden in Glasgow's Silverburn

Silverburn community garden <i>(Image: Silverburn community garden)</i>
Silverburn community garden (Image: Silverburn community garden)

A man who grew up near Silverburn said the chance to create a community garden was turning “dreams into action”.

Darren Cryans, the founder and managing director of Instant Impact Group which he started when he was 16, won a contract with Silverburn to create a community garden meters from the popular shopping centre.

Ahead of the opening of the garden to the public, Darren has expressed how delighted he is to have had a chance to make an impact on an area he has envisioned since he was a teenager.

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Glasgow Times:

He said: “We have designed and developed (the area) to showcase wildflower, biodiversity and sustainability.

“It is about educating the community (the garden) whether it is local nurseries, schools or groups can come along and be part of it and get involved.

“Being local to Silverburn myself, with my family being from Pollok initially, it is nice to be part of an initiative that is going to give back to the community and get them involved.

“The company and sustainability was something I was passionate about since I was young. So, to be able to turn a dream into action is a great feeling.

“It has all came from coming past the area when I was younger, and I always looked at it knowing I wanted to make an “instant Impact”

Glasgow Times:
Glasgow Times:

Darren’s company specialise in ground maintenance services with experience in maintaining retail parks, industrial estates, office buildings, fast food outlets, government buildings, large private estates, healthcare premises and residential factored grounds

And that is a huge reason why Silverburn’s Environment and Community Coordinator (ECC), Kat McGinness was excited to have partnered up with Instant Impact Group as it has been a project they’ve been working on for some time.

Glasgow Times:
Glasgow Times:
Glasgow Times:
Glasgow Times:

She said: “The area was really left to ruin during lockdown and it was something that we wanted to change.

“And that is why a year ago we started to put plans into place to make a difference for the area, with the hard graft happening about three to four months ago.

“But now to have it complete and for it to be opening soon is fantastic, as we are all about biodiversity.

“The work that Darren and his company have done is great and it has been a real team effort.

“We look forward to it growing over the years as Scotland has always been at the forefront of sustainability, so it is exciting.”