Five of the 30-storey residential blocks will be razed to the ground as part of the live Opening Ceremony at Celtic Park on July 23, which will be witnessed by thousands in the Stadium on the 100 metre wide LED screen and an estimated global television audience of more than one billion.

Originally built in the 1960s, the eight Red Road tower blocks housed nearly 5,000 people and were once the highest flats in Europe.

Two of the blocks have already been demolished while one will remain standing - 33 Petershill Court - as it currently houses asylum seekers and is due to be removed at a later date.

The blocks are owned by Glasgow Housing Association (GHA) and were originally due to be demolished over the next two years as part of the wider regeneration plan for Glasgow. 

However, GHA was keen to explore the possibility of bringing five down at once to minimise the number of times residents had to be evacuated.

As a result, the opportunity to bring the five blocks down during the Commonwealth Games arose, and Glasgow City Council, Glasgow 2014, GHA and demolition contractor Safedem have been collaborating on bringing the two projects together.

The demolition of the remaining five blocks will take just 15 seconds and use 1,250 kilogrammes of explosives.

"It's such a privilege to be able to share this historic and dramatic moment with the people of Scotland and the watching world," said head of ceremonies and artistic director at Glasgow 2014 David Zolkwer.

"Over the course of just a few seconds the city's skyline will be transformed forever.

"It's a bold and confident statement that says "bring on the future" but it will also be an important opportunity for us to contemplate the many lives lived in the tower blocks over the last 50 years.

"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."

The Red Road tower blocks were once the highest residential flats in Europe when they were completed in 1969 ©Glasgow 2014



Residents living in 887 homes close to the Red Road site will be temporarily evacuated during the event and will be invited to join in the Commonwealth Games opening celebrations, either by soaking up the atmosphere at the Commonwealth Games Live Event within Glasgow Green or by attending local venues that will be open to them throughout the evacuation period.

The demolition will be carried out under strictly controlled conditions by Safedem who will be working alongside a number of key stakeholders including NG Homes, Police Scotland, British Transport Police, Network Rail and First ScotRail and the Health and Safety Executive.

Safedem were in charge of demolishing the first two tower blocks in 2012 and 2013.

"The Red Road flats were very popular in their day and hold a special place in many people's hearts," said GHA chairman Gordon Sloan.

"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 would like to thank everyone in the local community for their continued support and co-operation throughout the demolition of the blocks and we hope as many people as possible will enjoy the great Commonwealth Games celebration events on July 23."

So far, GHA claims that tens of thousands of former council homes have been refurbished in a £1.2billion ($2 billion/€1.5 billion) modernisation programme which is the biggest of its kind in Europe.

The demolition of the tower blocks will take 15 seconds and be broadcast live on the 100 metre wide screen in Celtic Park during the Opening Ceremony ©Glasgow 2014



While the demolition of the tower blocks is intended to signal how Glasgow is confidently embracing the future and changing for the better, according to Glasgow 2014 organisers, they say it is also intended to serve as a respectful recognition and celebration of the role the Red Road flats have played in shaping the lives of thousands of city families.

"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," said Eileen Gallagher, an Independent director on the Glasgow 2014 Board and chairman of the Ceremonies, Culture and Queen's Baton Relay Committee.

"[Glasgow is] 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."

A short video with more information on the announcement can be viewed here.

Contact the writer of this story at [email protected]


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