 |  | | | New Towns | There are 14 messages in this section. |
Stephen Miller from Perth. Posted 11 Mar 2002.
My family moved twice to Cumbernauld, once in the 1960s and then again in the early 70s. At first they absolutely loved it, my parents really thought that this was a town with a lot of potential to give a high quality of life. My mother in particular liked it, as she came from a village only a few miles up the road and so it was handy for her family. She also loved the fact that you never had to cross a road in the town, everything was underpasses and walkways, which was great for her pushing me about in a pram. The house we lived in was brilliant too, it was in Condorrat and backed onto an empty field which was amazing to play in.
Not everything in Cumbernauld was perfect though. Everything was contained in the town centre, so even if you only wanted a pint of milk you really had to head there and when you got to the centre there wasnt a great variety of shops on offer, nor was there much else to do for entertainment. | | |
|  | George Robertson from Cumbernauld. Posted 26 Mar 2002.
I've lived here since I was twelve but visited my grandparents all the time in Falkirk, it was great with its big shopping centre with Woolco and most of the big name shops. Now I would rather shop in Falkirk as it has less of a depressing atmosphere.
Funnily enough with its safe road system most of the kids in Cumbernauld don't know the "green cross code."
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| | Glennis. Posted 9 Jul 2002.
I came to Noddy Land (as we call it) when I was12 years old and have seen it go through many changes in the past years, as I am now 44. When we came here from Glasgow as a family of six children and two parents and were given a 6 apt flat we thought we had died and gone to heaven - wrong!!!!!!!!!!!
Numb and Cauld (another pet name) has degenerated to a soulless place with very little community spirit. The people are friendly but keep to themselves - not like when I was a child in Glasgow. There are no shopping facilities - we have been promised an upgraded town centre for the past 10 years and all they have done is to knock down part of it!!!!!!!! Unless you play sports or bingo or like to go to the pub there are no other leisure facilities - no wonder kids go off the rails - there is damn all for them to do except hang around the streets. Moan over!!!!
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| | Dave from Largs. Posted 10 Jul 2002.
First time I visited Cumbernauld was around 1972. We had friends who stayed there in a brand new flat. At that time we thought they are so lucky staying there, everything on hand, local shops, schools etc. Modern. Next year I got married (yes, 1973 was a great year). Being a Paisley lad we stayed local for a while, then in 1981 we moved to Abronhill. At first I did not like the house from outside but once inside I totally loved it. Everything was so handy for us as we had a little two year old with us and he loved to play around the local pathways on his bike. We loved shopping then in Woolco and I loved cycling through the local countryside. Only downside was getting my windows pelted with snowballs in the winter. We left 19 years ago (in Largs now) but we still have fond memories of Cumbernauld.
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| | warren mackeachan from cumbernauld. Posted 31 Aug 2004.
I have lived in cumbernauld from birth in 1984. I can see where some areas used to, but now never will again have the chance to flourish. There is nothing to do, most people in this town now completely avoid the town centre, the rent is at a poor rate for the stores so most open then again close sometime soon...or like most food outlets, lower in standards so much they can either attempt to make money or keep a job.
Its now the 2nd worst town in the uk, it's depressing to walk in. When the depression kicks in whilst your eyes are subjected to the sight that is cumbernauld, you can also sleep in peace knowing there will be no shortage of some idiotic neds to shout at you throughout your miserable stay. The fact that they mangled half of the town centre then took 8 (yes 8) years to clean the rubble alone shows how interested the council are.
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| | Tom MacDonald-Williams. Posted 31 Jul 2002.
When I was in London I saw on the wall of an Ancient Monuments Architect words that ring true...these people who designed the buildings of the fifties/sixties ought to be shot..they are the the inheritors of thousands of years of architectural heritage and the best they can bloody do is design another square box! Not an impossible task for an imbecile.
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| | David. Posted 6 Aug 2002.
Yes I agree with you Tom on the housing built circa 1960. Everything built then seemed to come out of a concrete bag. This was mass produced housing to give everyone a house of their own to rent post war. The ideas were good for the time. In 1960-67 when new towns were being built most ordinary people were still in rundown factored flats (some with outside toilets) so the chance to move to a new town in a new house with a garden must have like been a dream come true to some. 60s housing served their purpose for that time.
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| | Jim Murphy from Kilsyth Scotland. Posted 7 Feb 2003.
I helped build the first part of the new town Kildrum which was with JB Bennet; and it was supposed to be a new future for all who moved there; and it was; some lovely housing and green fields with cows and play-fields for the young; it was a good idea at the time; but local councillors have let the people down badly and should be ashamed at what it has become now; I still live in Kilsyth but I am sorry for the people of Cumbernauld they deserve better.
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| | AlanHenderson from Bonnybridge. Posted 24 Oct 2003.
My family moved from Dennistoun ,Glasgow to cumbernauld around the time of my birth{1971}.They left behind Poor employment and bad housing for the Dream of brand new front and back door houses and jobs for life.Carbrain looked bright and new everywhere.
This lasted a few years.Under investment and poor maintaince soon began to show.I left Carbrain some 5 years ago and it breaks mt heart to return.Cumbernauld has shifted,the main areas are now westerwood,balloch and eastfield areas.This has left carbrain and kildrum fall into disrepair.I can see the sadness in my mothers face now when she opens the frontdoor.The shiny new town has very poor housing and all the poverty issues that she had tried to flee some 30 years ago.So i say this, when the" new Cumbernauld "starts to creek and crack,sort the damage right away.Or in another 30 years we will have another Poverty stricken area like the one we just abandoned and the next generations broken dreams into the bargain.
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| | Alan Herd from Arbroath. Posted 3 Feb 2004.
As a teenager in the early 60's, I moved with my family to Cumbernauld from Dundee. There were real hopes and dreams then. We were given a new house in Glenhove Rd, Carbrain.
I recall walking up from Carbrain to the Shopping Centre which preceeded the current town centre. The town was being built around the residents and there were a few years of genuine hope.
Recently I was visiting the area and went on a nostalgic trip through Carbrain. How my heart sank when I saw what has become of the planners' dream housing initiative. Neglect and decay are visible for all to see. The memories are fine however.
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| | Stephen Shand from Aberdeen. Posted 4 Apr 2005.
What were the reasons for the new towns, such as Cumbernauld being built?
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| | Jim Murphy from Kilsyth scotland. Posted 4 Apr 2005.
I helped build the first part of the new town Kildrum which was with jJB Bennet; and it was supposed to be a new future for all who moved there; and it was; some lovely housing and green fields with cows and play-fields for the young. It was a good idea at the time, but local councillors have let the people down badly and they should be ashamed at what it has become now. I still live in Kilsyth but I am sorry for the people of Cumbernauld - they deserve better;
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| | John Townsley from Lancashire. Posted 1 Aug 2005.
We moved to Cumbernauld in 1967 when I was about nine, and lived there for a year in Craigieburn Road. I thought at the time it was the most exciting place I had ever seen. I loved the warrens of footpaths and all the different building sites that were all over the town at that time. They made wonderful playgrounds for boys of that age! Especially the town centre, which only had a few shops really and could be explored from top to bottom. Another memory that stands out was the big hurricane of 1968 which blew down parts of Carbrain Primary school. We were all sent home for a week!!
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| | Frank Giddings from Toronto, Canada. Posted 16 Oct 2006.
I was living in Cumbernauld from 1967 to 1976 then moved to Canada. It seemed like a nice place when I was growing up but I can't hear anyone say anything nice about it now.
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