The Circle, Present and Future - The Stones and the Stars: Building Scotland's Newest Megalith - page 289

F IG . 10.5 Mural unveiling, July 2000 (Courtesy of the Springburn Herald )
Jim Campbell and I resurrected that plan, and it found approval
first with the Glasgow North Regeneration Agency, and then with
the City Council, who added a requirement for better access to the
circle - specifically, renewing the staircase leading to the circle
and creating wheelchair access for the first time (Fig. 10.6 ) . Highly
constructive meetings were held with Land and Environment Ser-
vices (formerly the Parks Department).
In 1999, to my dismay, the stones had been cleaned of graffiti
and painted white, possibly another example of the 'City of Archi-
tecture and Design,' but destroying the first 20 years of natural
patina they had accumulated. By 2001 the weather had again
cleaned them off, and I secured a promise that there would no
repetition. Plans were drawn up for the restoration, and the bud-
get was agreed, with just two conditions. Jim and I had to obtain
written support from community organizations in the area, and
we had to obtain separate funding for community events involving
the circle once it had been restored.
Almost immediately, the answer to both was provided. In
response to rising tensions in the area, Strathclyde Police orga-