Ambitious plans for a community takeover of Lochside Park in Castle Douglas have taken a step forward.
The council-owned site includes a caravan park and an outdoor centre which was mothballed in 2019.
Now Castle Douglas Development Forum (CDDF) has unveiled proposals to breath new life into both facilities.
If its asset transfer request succeeds, CDDF would rename the park The Crannog Campus and run it for the community.
Forum chairperson Carolyn Yates said a survey carried out in 2020 showed overwhelming local support for the bid.
The boarded up centre was described as an eyesore and the park and caravan site as unloved and neglected.
Ms Yates told the News: “We are saying we can run the caravan park better – just as Kirkcudbright did with Silvercraigs.
“And any profits we make would be back into the town in general and the park in particular.
“We want to create an eco-friendly place for everyone in our community as well as visitors to our town to play, create and thrive together.
“CDDF board has received notice from the council that our business plans for the outdoor centre and caravan site have been validated.
“They will be presented to the Castle Douglas common good sub-committee within eight weeks.
“That time will allow the public to ask questions and receive CDDF’s response.”
Initially, CDDF applied for one community asset transfer and the right to buy it, integrating the caravan site and outdoor centre.
On council advice, the board decided to pursue two separate but inter-linked bids and lease both sites for 25 years.
Ms Yates said: “The council has six months to progress our requests.
“In January, we will know if we can move to stage two, when we hope to contract a design team to develop The Crannog Campus.
“The project will include the redevelopment of the outdoor centre, slipways and pontoons, the former curling hut, the caravan and camping site and the Islewood block.”
She added: “It’s an ambitious project and we’re really looking forward to making our vision for the town become a reality.
“Lochside Park is a designated Field in Trust and a place of natural beauty with easy access to the town centre.
“The board wants to develop the park too so that it would provide activities for local families and be a safe, inclusive place to reduce isolation, tackle food poverty, increase life and employability skills and improve health and wellbeing.
“Although our plans were delayed by the pandemic that has actually been a good thing.
“We have come out the other side with a more robust plan and a much clearer idea of what we want to achieve.”
