The original Coats deed of gift contained a proviso that if ever the Philosophical Institution, who in 1880 proposed the establishment of the Observatory, should find itself unable to continue the Observatory, it should be offered to Paisley Town Council. Negotiations to this end were opened and in the meantime Museum staff took this over on an unofficial basis. Following local government reorganisation in 1975, and in preparation for the centenary of the Observatory, considerable works were put in hand by the Arts and Community Committee of Renfrew District Council. Internally the building was rewired, central heating installed and it was redecorated throughout. The Observatory technician was promoted to Meteorological Officer and equipment was renewed. The seismic equipment was updated, with the assistance of the Institute of Geological Sciences, to become the major seismic station in south west Scotland. In 1995, after a century of service, the original Observatory dome was replaced with a new one built to original specifications and using original materials.