FROM THE ARCHIVES

1996

RANGERS and Scotland star Ally McCoist and sports pundit Chick Young reopened the newly-refurbished Phase 1 of Cumbernauld Town Centre. More than £600,000 had been spent on repair and renovation of the Forth Walk mall, and around 2500 people turned out for the gala reopening. As fans and young children clamoured to meet “Super Ally”, assistant mall manager Clair Leven said she was overwhelmed by the public response. The refurbished mall boasted a street theme with trees and shrubs, as well as floor lighting and improved seating areas for the public.

1986

More than 200 pupils at St Joseph’s Primary School in Carbrain were sent home when teachers went on strike rather than cover for an absent colleague who was on maternity leave. The teachers were following union instructions not to provide the cover on the fifth day of the absence and Strathclyde Regional Council docked them a day’s pay. The dispute was resolved when a new teacher came in to work full time during the maternity leave.

1976

A CUMBERNAULD News campaign to collect Green Shield Stamps reached its successful conclusion with the presentation of a caravan to Stobhill Hospital renal consultant Alasdair Macdougal. The paper and Seafar Primary School had worked together to collect three million stamps to purchase the caravan, which was to be fitted with a kidney machine and installed at a West of Scotland holiday resort, thereby allowing patients to be able to go on holiday.

1971

THE fight against the scrapping of the Cumbernauld-Glasgow Sunday rail service was not over, vowed campaigners. British Rail officially terminated the service on November 7, but the Town Council approached Cumbernauld Development Corporation seeking funds to keep it running. The Cumbernauld service already received government subsidies of £192,000 per year, but British Rail said this did not cover Sunday operation.

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