Restoration of historic Falkirk dovecot to be completed after funding found

dailyrecord.co.uk:

A project to restore the nineteenth-century dovecot in Falkirk's Dollar Park has been awarded nearly £60,000 from Falkirk Council's Common Good Fund so it can be completed.

Work started last week on the first phase of the project, which is being led by the volunteers' group, Friends of Dollar Park.Last year, the group successfully applied for Community Choices funding of £80,000, which they hoped would be enough to do the work. Read more: Falkirk rat problem prompts meeting with council to demand return of pest controlThe original plan was to restore the actual dovecot and demolish the two outbuildings on either side, as it was assumed these were later additions.However, more research revealed that the outbuildings and dovecot were all built in 1834 - three years after the mansion, Arnotdale, which was the home of Falkirk solicitor James Russell.As they are in a conservation area, and on the Buildings at Risk register, it was not possible to get planning permission for one part of the structure on its own.That left the Friends group with the problem of raising a further £58,822 to complete the work.The dovecot is a Common Good asset, as it once belonged to the old burgh of Falkirk, so it was natural to apply to the fund for help.Pat Reid, of Friends of Dollar Park, said he was grateful to the Common Good Fund committee for agreeing to fund the full amount.He said: "I think for lots of people of a certain generation, it was very much a part of their childhood."The distinctive building and its white doves were a great attraction for generations of visitors but has become increasingly rundown over the years.The Friends of Dollar Park hope the work will make it an attractive feature for the park once again, adding to lots