This item was published during the term of a previous administration that ended in April 2007
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Revised sports strategy
08/03/2007
A revised nationwide Sports Strategy was launched today as final approval was given for work to begin on the £27 million Stirling Sports Village.
Sports Minister Patricia Ferguson said Reaching Higher: Building on the Success of Sport 21 took into account the need for greater participation and elite performance improvement, and recognised that strong leadership was required to deliver legacies from a London Olympics and a Glasgow Commonwealth Games.
Stirling Sports Village, with a regional nine court sports hall, 25 metre swimming pool, regional hockey pitch, ice rink and health and fitness facilities is the third of 10 projects to receive stage two approval under the Scottish government's £50 million National and Regional Sports Facilities Strategy (NRSFS), which includes £21.2m from sportscotland Lottery Fund.
The Executive is supporting the Stirling project with £2.5 million, through sportscotland, with Stirling Council providing the remaining £24.5 million.
The Minister also announced £6.3 million of additional capital funding to support other NRSFS projects.
She said:
"It is first of ten projects proceeding to stage two under the Executive's £28.8 million National and Regional Sports Facilities Strategy.
"The strategy is primarily about the improvement and development of Scottish sport but it is also about improving health, developing self confidence and improving quality of life.
"It is, I believe, a new strategic approach which provides clear leadership and direction for sport in Scotland.
"Having state of the art facilities can help realise our sporting ambitions. That's why the Scottish Executive and its partners are investing tens of millions of pounds in new sport training and competition facilities across Scotland."
Julia Bracewell OBE, Chair of sportscotland said:
"We welcome the launch of the revised strategy which provides a strong framework from which to increase participation and improve performance in Scottish sport. We look forward to working with the Scottish Executive and key partners in delivering it.
"We also commend the Scottish Executive's decision to provide an additional £6.3 million to further underpin the National and Regional Sports Facilities Strategy. The new sports facilities, including the one to be built here at Stirling, will play an important part in developing future successful sporting generations, supporting the pathways from participation to excellence."
Stirling Councillor John Hendry said:
"We are delighted with the support from the Scottish Executive and sportscotland for our pioneering sporting facility. This development will help us achieve our vision for facilities that will be second to none across the Forth Valley and will cater for the needs of all, whether casual leisure users or aspiring athletes."