A gentle slope leads upward. It’s the ziggurat on the site of former Plean Street flats. This wasn’t always a grassy hill. Once two twenty-story tower blocks stood here. They were built in 1964. The Glasgow Corporation hoped to solve the city’s housing crisis. These high-rises promised a new life for many. Families were moved from slums. They traded cramped rooms for modern apartments. For some residents it was heaven.
The ziggurat subtly reminds us of this past. The hill was formed from the rubble. The spiral path winds to the top. It’s a unique feature a testament to the area’s transformation. The flats started out as a symbol of hope. In time the promise faded. By the late 1990s they were called the “Towers of Terror”. Crime and antisocial behavior spiraled. Many families felt unsafe. The authorities struggled to address the issues. It became an embarrassment to say you lived there.
In 2007 residents petitioned for demolition. The high-rises were brought down in 2010. John a former resident returned. He counted 14 floors. He saw the remains of his former home exposed to the elements. His feelings were bittersweet. He reflected on the lost community spirit. He lamented how the flats’ initial potential was squandered. The ziggurat stands now. It’s a silent tribute. It’s a reminder of how a community’s fate can change. It’s a mixture of progress and loss. This small hill is much more than meets the eye. It preserves a piece of Glasgow’s complex past. It prompts reflection on urban development and social issues. The view from the top though is breathtaking.