New Hall, New Memories – 3rd Shotts Celebrate Opening Of New Hall

Exactly four years later, 3rd Shotts Scout Group open their new Scout Hall at the same location as the hall that once lay in pieces after a devastating fire was started by local arsonists. The local community showed fantastic support by filling the new hall to watch the cutting of the ribbon to open their new hall.  Designed by WC Blair Associates, the new hall is a spacious, environmentally friendly building with close to zero carbon emissions. The building is designed with Scouting at heart.

The hard journey started when leaders Mary Lees and Robert Hague learned that the hall that they based their Scout Group out of had been set on fire. Although they managed to salvage most of their equipment, the building was left in a horrendous state. First they learned that it required a re-build from the foundations up. Robert, in the halls opening speech, said “we didn’t know what to do after the fire”.

Next came the many committee meetings that were had to establish what to do next. Meeting in the Committee Room of Hartwood Home Farm they quickly put in place the designers Derek and Fiona of WC Blair Associates who designed the new hall with the needs of modern Scouting in mind while adopting a traditional feel in the inside of the main hall. With wooden beams supporting the diagonally arched roof, it has a welcoming feel for every meeting that takes place inside. This along with two rooms which can be used for meetings and activity sessions, a fully equipped kitchen and plenty storage space for all equipment that a Scout Group could need, 3rd Shotts realised that this was the point where “the dream became reality”.

From there, the builders arrived. Lead by Cameron McCracken and his team. Robert held Cameron in high regards within his speech, thanking him “for solving the problems and the sleepless nights building the hall”.

At the start there were problems with the building process. “If anything could go wrong, it did. Like the amazing grace, with many smiles come the stares” it was said. But they battled through the pain.

Speaking of Mary Lees, Group Scout Leader – it was mentioned that she had amazing faith and confidence. She sleeps, eats and drinks Scouting.

Finally came the completion and opening of the new hall. With a fantastic cake, designed to be the very hall it sits in, Marion Rankin, Regional Commissioner of Clyde Scouts said “If you are in scouts and guides it has been been proven that being in Scouting gives you resilience and this shows that resilience. Congratulations for doing such a fantastic job and it is a delight to cut the cake.”

Delighted by this, various Beavers, Cubs, and Scouts of 3rd Shotts spoke of how amazing and fortunate they are to have such a well designed Scout Hall. “It’s brilliant! New hall, new memories”.

3rd Shotts Scout Group meet on a Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday evening in the Scout Hall in Shotts. Please contact us for more information and to join their adventure.