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Wednesday, March 08, 2017

Forlorn hopes in Govanhill

SOUTHSIDE Central contains what are two of the most notorious areas of the city – the Gorbals and Govanhill.

With high levels of poverty, overcrowding and fly tipping, it’s easy to overlook the many positives - community spirit, excellent amenities, great transport links. Jim Monaghan is a community campaigner who works for Govanhill Community Baths said: “The best thing about Govanhill is the mix of people. You’ve got the kind of hipster artists and working class people who have been in the area for decades and migrants who have just come here. The diversity is not just in terms of race but also social cultures, which makes it a really interesting place to be a place that no matter what your community or culture is, whether ethnic or social, you’ll find someone like you.” 
On the other hand, Jim says poverty is a huge issue.
He said: “What I like least is the poverty, which you see in the overcrowded housing. Because of the mix of housing here being low rent, poor quality and easy to get, people who struggle to get references or deposits gravitate here and so it becomes a cycle. 
Poverty, lack of opportunity, poor housing – everything is linked. People will say the problem is the Roma or landlords but the issues are linked to the same thing: poverty.”
To fix the problems in Govanhill, and the ward more widely, Jim believes a joined-up political approach is necessary.
He said: “The ward needs housing. It needs people to be serious about it. People use the area as a political football most of the time...'
Looking to the future, Jim believes things can get better.There’s an opportunity to make it that 20 years from now people will say ‘Look at that wonderful place’.”
Jim understands the problem but does he realise the cure? Can he trust that the capitalist system can fulfil what he hopes for.

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