The National Lottery Heritage Fund has announced an investment of £1.4 million in our Rediscovering Airdrie project.
A key element of the project is the restoration and redevelopment of the historic Airdrie Library, home to Scotland’s first library under the Public Libraries Act. A shopfront improvement scheme will also boost the town centre.
Council Leader Jim Logue welcomed the announcement, saying: “Our Rediscovering Airdrie project is helping to regenerate the town by protecting and celebrating its history, and the fantastic support from The National Lottery Heritage Fund will allow us to continue to promote the people and places of Airdrie for the future.
“Airdrie was the site of the first public library in Scotland and a key part of our project is the development of the current Airdrie Library, which is also home to the only public observatory held in a public library in Europe.
"The project will create a resource for all our residents, offering facilities and services at the heart of the town.”
With the funding from The National Lottery Heritage Fund, as well as significant investment from the council, building work will commence this year to improve access to all areas of the library, install up to date facilities and better spotlight the heritage of the building and Airdrie in general.
Building works include replacing the old building at the back of the library with a new one that includes a viewing platform surrounding the observatory, relocating the lift to enable access to all areas of the library including the observatory, installing modern toilets and changing facilities and extending the ground floor and first floor meeting rooms.
The main library and local studies room will be redesigned to allow easier access and the heart of the improvements will be to improve the display of museum pieces already in the library and local studies area so that everyone can explore them more easily and get a better understanding of them and Airdrie town.
The funding was part of an investment of over £7 million from The National Lottery Heritage Fund to help revitalise four projects in Airdrie, Girvan, Tarbert and Glasgow’s Sauchiehall Street. The funding will breathe new life into historic buildings in need, helping boost local economies while strengthening connections between communities and the heritage on their doorstep.
Eilish McGuinness, Chief Executive, The National Lottery Heritage Fund, said: “This marks an exciting moment, with fantastic investments in places that connect communities with their heritage gems. From Glasgow’s iconic Sauchiehall Street, a place woven into decades of shared memories, to transforming the oldest public library in Scotland to celebrate the stories, people and places that shape us.
“Understanding how communities feel about their heritage is vital to meaningful regeneration, and we’re proud to invest in four exceptional places where historic buildings will be restored and repurposed for everyone to enjoy, now and for generations.
“Thanks to National Lottery players over the last 30 years, we’ve invested over £1bn in 5,100 projects in Scotland ensuring heritage is valued, cared for and sustained. These projects will boost wellbeing, create learning opportunities for young people and make heritage a powerful driver of local pride and prosperity.”