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| Glasgow 2014: Red Road flats demolished for opening ceremony | Glasgow 2014: Red Road flats demolished for opening ceremony |
| (about 11 hours later) | |
| Blocks of flats which have been part of Glasgow's skyline for almost 50 years will be blown up as part of the Commonwealth Games opening ceremony. | Blocks of flats which have been part of Glasgow's skyline for almost 50 years will be blown up as part of the Commonwealth Games opening ceremony. |
| Five of the six remaining Red Road flats will be brought down in just 15 seconds in the biggest demolition of its kind ever seen in Europe. | Five of the six remaining Red Road flats will be brought down in just 15 seconds in the biggest demolition of its kind ever seen in Europe. |
| The event will be shown live on a 100m (328ft) wide screen at the Celtic Park ceremony and to a huge TV audience. | The event will be shown live on a 100m (328ft) wide screen at the Celtic Park ceremony and to a huge TV audience. |
| The 30-storey structures were built in the mid 1960s. | The 30-storey structures were built in the mid 1960s. |
| The original eight tower blocks housed more than 4,000 people and were once the highest flats in Europe. | The original eight tower blocks housed more than 4,000 people and were once the highest flats in Europe. |
| Regeneration project | Regeneration project |
| They are being demolished as part of a Glasgow Housing Association (GHA) regeneration project. | They are being demolished as part of a Glasgow Housing Association (GHA) regeneration project. |
| Eileen Gallagher, chairwoman of the Glasgow 2014 ceremonies, culture and Queen's Baton Relay committee, said: "By sharing the final moments of the Red Road flats with the world as part of the opening ceremony of the Commonwealth Games, Glasgow is proving it is a city that is proud of its history but doesn't stand still, a city that is constantly regenerating, renewing and re-inventing itself." | Eileen Gallagher, chairwoman of the Glasgow 2014 ceremonies, culture and Queen's Baton Relay committee, said: "By sharing the final moments of the Red Road flats with the world as part of the opening ceremony of the Commonwealth Games, Glasgow is proving it is a city that is proud of its history but doesn't stand still, a city that is constantly regenerating, renewing and re-inventing itself." |
| "Glasgow's story is always one of its people; their tenacity, their genuine warmth, their ambitions. Marking the end of Red Road is very much a celebration of all of those things." | "Glasgow's story is always one of its people; their tenacity, their genuine warmth, their ambitions. Marking the end of Red Road is very much a celebration of all of those things." |
| The first tower block was brought down in June 2012. The second demolition took place in May last year. | The first tower block was brought down in June 2012. The second demolition took place in May last year. |
| Homes evacuated | Homes evacuated |
| The five tower blocks will be brought down simultaneously during the opening ceremony on 23 July. | The five tower blocks will be brought down simultaneously during the opening ceremony on 23 July. |
| One tower block will remain which is currently used to house people seeking asylum in the UK. | One tower block will remain which is currently used to house people seeking asylum in the UK. |
| As part of the ambitious operation, 887 homes will be evacuated from the surrounding area with an exclusion zone around the whole site. | As part of the ambitious operation, 887 homes will be evacuated from the surrounding area with an exclusion zone around the whole site. |
| Letters from Glasgow City Council leader Gordon Matheson are being hand delivered to local people in the surrounding area on Thursday morning informing them of the plan. | Letters from Glasgow City Council leader Gordon Matheson are being hand delivered to local people in the surrounding area on Thursday morning informing them of the plan. |
| Mr Matheson said Glasgow was going to "wow the world" during the opening ceremony. | Mr Matheson said Glasgow was going to "wow the world" during the opening ceremony. |
| "Red Road has an iconic place in Glasgow's history, having been home to thousands of families and dominating the city's skyline for decades," he said. | "Red Road has an iconic place in Glasgow's history, having been home to thousands of families and dominating the city's skyline for decades," he said. |
| "Their demolition will all but mark the end of high-rise living in the area and is symbolic of the changing face of Glasgow, not least in terms of our preparations for the games." | "Their demolition will all but mark the end of high-rise living in the area and is symbolic of the changing face of Glasgow, not least in terms of our preparations for the games." |
| Residents from homes being evacuated will be invited to watch the opening ceremony at one of two events organised in the local area, or at an event at Glasgow Green. | Residents from homes being evacuated will be invited to watch the opening ceremony at one of two events organised in the local area, or at an event at Glasgow Green. |
| 'Special place' | 'Special place' |
| The Red Road flats have been a iconic presence on the Glasgow skyline for almost 50 years and inspired many books and films. | The Red Road flats have been a iconic presence on the Glasgow skyline for almost 50 years and inspired many books and films. |
| In 2006, director Andrea Arnold used the flats as the setting for her Scottish Bafta-winning film, Red Road. | In 2006, director Andrea Arnold used the flats as the setting for her Scottish Bafta-winning film, Red Road. |
| Alison Irvine's 2011 novel This Road is Red was based on interviews with people living there. | Alison Irvine's 2011 novel This Road is Red was based on interviews with people living there. |
| GHA chairman Gordon Sloan said: "The Red Road flats were very popular in their day and hold a special place in many people's hearts. | GHA chairman Gordon Sloan said: "The Red Road flats were very popular in their day and hold a special place in many people's hearts. |
| "But they are just no longer viable as modern homes and GHA made the decision to demolish them as part of the wider regeneration of the north of Glasgow. | "But they are just no longer viable as modern homes and GHA made the decision to demolish them as part of the wider regeneration of the north of Glasgow. |
| "We will bring them down in strictly controlled conditions, with the expertise of our contractor Safedem." | "We will bring them down in strictly controlled conditions, with the expertise of our contractor Safedem." |
| Games organiser Glasgow 2014 said the demolition would only take place during the opening ceremony "if and when it is safe to do so". | Games organiser Glasgow 2014 said the demolition would only take place during the opening ceremony "if and when it is safe to do so". |
| Safedem plans to use more than 1250kg of explosives to bring the five tower blocks down. | |
| 'Bold statement' | 'Bold statement' |
| Commonwealth Games Minister Shona Robison said: "This spectacular start to the games within the opening ceremony will send a strong signal about the power of the Commonwealth Games. | Commonwealth Games Minister Shona Robison said: "This spectacular start to the games within the opening ceremony will send a strong signal about the power of the Commonwealth Games. |
| "For many people, these games are more than sport, they are a chance for regeneration, renewal and having better places to live and work." | "For many people, these games are more than sport, they are a chance for regeneration, renewal and having better places to live and work." |
| David Zolkwer, head of ceremonies and artistic director for Glasgow 2014, said the demolition would be "a bold and confident statement". | David Zolkwer, head of ceremonies and artistic director for Glasgow 2014, said the demolition would be "a bold and confident statement". |
| "By sharing the blow down with the rest of the world, I hope it will be seen as the noble, respectful and celebratory send-off that it is intended to be," he said. | "By sharing the blow down with the rest of the world, I hope it will be seen as the noble, respectful and celebratory send-off that it is intended to be," he said. |
| The opening ceremony of the Commonwealth Games will be held at Celtic Park on 23 July. The games will run until 3 August. | The opening ceremony of the Commonwealth Games will be held at Celtic Park on 23 July. The games will run until 3 August. |