College of the Future Receives Frank Roy MP’s Gift From the Past
Motherwell and Wishaw MP Frank Roy joined members of staff and students at the new Motherwell College campus on Friday 26 February 2010 to unveil a piece of Ravenscraig history.
During the demolition of the Ravenscraig steelworks, in his role as local MP, Frank visited the site many times to see how the work was progressing. As a steelworker there himself for fourteen years, he knew he was watching a piece of Lanarkshire history disappearing and wanted to be there right to the end of the road. And that’s exactly where he was – at the end of Melting Shop Road, when the demolition crew took down the last street sign on the site and handed it to him as a Ravenscraig memento.
Over the years, he kept the sign, knowing that at some point he would want to return it to the Ravenscraig site and have it displayed in an appropriate place.
As Motherwell College – the first new build on the Ravenscraig site – took shape, Frank knew where he wanted the Melting Shop Road sign to go. He had attended the College at the old campus as a student after leaving the steelworks. It was his stepping stone to university, so he couldn’t think of a better home for the sign.
Frank Roy MP said: " I wanted to put the street sign back on the site - a bit of the past being placed in the future for the area. Motherwell College is providing support for the future of the people of Lanarkshire and beyond. I can’t think of a better place for the sign to go."
Hugh Logan, Principal and Chief Executive of Motherwell College added: " We are delighted to be able to have this piece of Ravenscraig history at our new campus. The new College has been designed to provide 21st century facilities to match the demands of education provision for the future. However, it is right that we recognise our strong foundations are built on the forges of the past."
A small stretch of Melting Shop Road remains on what was the Ravenscraig steelworks site. It can be seen at the north east end of the roundabout close to Motherwell College – at the opposite side from the start of Enterprise Way, on which the College sits. The original road ran from the roundabout, between the BOS Plant (Basic Oxygen Steelmaking) and the slab mill where moulding took place at Ravenscraig.
As befits its name, it ran to the ‘Melting Shop’ where steel was often ladled from large furnaces, into casts.
The street sign will be housed in the workshop building of Motherwell College campus, which is used by Automotive Studies and Engineering students.
Motherwell College moved to a new campus at Ravenscraig in July 2009. More than 20,000 students and 500+ staff continue to take advantage of the high quality education programmes the College offers in the new 21st century £70 million facilities.
Release Date: 1 March 2010
Press Contacts:
Mon-Wed inc: Lesley Falconer, Motherwell College
Phone: 01698 23 26 50 or email lfalconer@motherwell.co.uk
Wed-Fri inc: Fiona Hainey, Motherwell College
Phone: 01698 23 23 66 or email fhainey@motherwell.co.uk
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