Greenock Telegraph Archives: High flats demolition drew crowd

Hundreds of people gathered to watch Octavia Court, which was built in 1970, crumple to the ground.

Demolition experts hit the button at exactly 2.30am — and the crowds cheered and clapped as the massive building fell.

Many former residents were reunited for the first time in years at the poignant event, while families with no formal link to the flats turned out simply to witness the end of an era.

Jean Robertson who lived next door to the block, said at the time: “I had a tear in my eye when it came down.

“It’s like a piece of history being taken away.”

Meanwhile, rumours circulating about the redevelopment of Gourock’s famous outdoor pool had been quashed.

Bulldozers had moved into the site in 2010 ahead of a major £1.8 million revamp, but speculation had been rife that the money for the project had run out and no contractors had been put in place to take it forward.

But local councillor Ronnie Ahlfeld had moved to set the record straight and said it was all just speculation.

He told the Telegraph at the time: “It appears some people are concerned that the project has stalled or that it won’t now go ahead.

“I don’t know how these rumours start, but the current situation is clear — £1.8 million pounds is committed to the project and is completely safe.”

Elsewhere, a guide leader had found a ‘novel’ way of charting the organisation’s 100-year history in Inverclyde — by releasing a very special book.

The publication took locals on a walk down memory lane, recalling some of the movement’s most important events.

And the collection of memories was dedicated to Larkfield District Guider and Greenock Division Secretary Joyce Gardner, who passed away following a long illness just after Thinking Day in 2010.

The book, compiled by Guider Eunice Lynch, was released by Girlguiding Greenock Division to mark the centenary of the local youth organisation.

In other news, there was something fishy happening as kids embarked on a science project to discover the different species that inhabit the Clyde.

Senior pupils from St Joseph’s Primary in Greenock took part in Clyde in the Classroom — an initiative that gave youngsters the geography and history of the great river and the fish that live there.

Trout eggs were also brought into the school in a makeshift hatchery and the youngsters got the chance to prepare the fish for their life-changing journey into the open waters.

In sport, horrified Ton boss Allan Moore admitted to being stunned after seeing his side blown away by Queen of the South.

David Weatherston slammed home a hat-trick as Queens romped to a 4-0 win, and Moore said at the time: “I’m shocked more than anything. I just couldn’t see that coming today.”

Willie McLaren opened the scoring with an early penalty, but it was Queens’ whippet winger who stole the show by using his electric pace to repeatedly beat Ton’s awful offside trap and score a memorable treble.