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£1 million for sports facilities
10/12/2007
sportscotland is spreading some early Christmas cheer to communities across the country with the announcement of an investment of over £1.1 million in local sports facilities.
The investment which totals £1,131,788 will see projects in Aberdeen, Paisley, Peebles, Torridon, Scone, Loch Tummel, Stirling, Stornoway and Hawick all benefiting. This brings sportscotland's total investment in sports facilities to £18.2 million for 2007.
Minister for Communities and Sport Stewart Maxwell said:
"This Government is committed to giving everyone access to high quality sports facilities. Not only are excellent facilities good news for the stars of tomorrow, helping to produce world class athletes who are fit to compete with the best, but just as importantly, it encourages wider participation in sport, which makes us all fitter and healthier."
Aberdeen City Council is receiving an investment of £450,000 to assist with pavilion and pitch development at Hazlehead. This key project in Aberdeen involves the construction of a new pavilion able to house ten 11-a-side teams as well as referee changing rooms and storage facilities. The Hazlehead project also includes the upgrading of 14 existing 11-a-side grass pitches to improve their drainage and wear resistance.
The new pavilion will provide high quality changing facilities for both male and female participants while the pitch improvements will reduce the number of games having to be called off due to poor pitch conditions. The development at Hazlehead complements the upgraded pitches and pavilion facility at Aulton which previously received an investment from sportscotland of £450,000 and has created a hub for pitch sports in that part of the city. Including the investments in the projects at Hazlehead, Aulton, Transition Extreme and the Grampian Regional Complex, the sportscotland investment in sports facilities projects in Aberdeen over the last two years exceeds £8 million.
Local councillor Martin Greig said:
"I am absolutely delighted with this award. Sport is a vital part of the school curriculum and people's everyday lives to keep them active, fit and healthy. We have done a lot of the past few years to improve sporting facilities in Aberdeen and it is fantastic to get the backing of sportscotland in this endeavour."
Additionally the Forestry Commission Scotland is benefiting from an investment of £200,000 for a new facility at Glentress Forest in the Borders. It will assist with the creation of a new changing, shower and WC facility at this established mountain biking and walking venue in the South of Scotland.
The new facilities will replace the existing limited changing available to the mountain bikers and walkers and are part of a bigger development for the site which includes improved access and car parking, lecture, information and orientation areas, and a bike wash.
Also receiving a £200,000 sportscotland Building for Sport investment is Renfrewshire Council for the Penilee Project in Paisley. The project involves the redevelopment of an existing Grade A listed pavilion, the creation of a new full-size synthetic pitch and the upgrade of existing grass pitches. The facilities will benefit the whole community including schools and clubs.
Other great projects receiving investments from sportscotland include: Shieldaig Sports Association in Torridon (£60,000); Loch Tummel Sailing Club, Tummel Bridge near Pitlochry (£97,625); Scone Tennis Club (£48,000); Stirling County Rugby Club (£31,163); Back Football and Recreation Club near Stornoway (£35,000); and Teviotdale Harriers (£10,000). (More details of these projects including contact numbers are included in 'Notes to Editors' below).
Julia Bracewell OBE, Chair of sportscotland said:
"This significant investment of £1,131,788 from sportscotland's Building for Sport programme demonstrates our commitment to providing communities with quality, accessible facilities that meet local priorities. We strongly believe this is vital if sport is to thrive in Scotland.
"It is great to see a wide variety of sports and communities from all over Scotland benefitting. On completion, the different projects will not only assist in widening the sporting opportunities available locally increasing participation in a range of sports, they will also support those with aspirations to compete at a higher level."
Launched in March 2004, the Building for Sport Programme (BfS) is divided into two strands: Community Facilities and Training and Competition Facilities.
Applications for the Community Facilities Programme covers the provision or upgrading of facilities for the local community.
The Training and Competition Facilities Programme concentrates on the provision or upgrading of centres designated as a national or regional facility by the relevant national governing body for sport.
sportscotland Building for Sport Programme - December 2007
Community Facilities Strand
Applicant: Aberdeen City Council
Project Title: Hazlehead Pavilion and Pitch Developments - Investment: £450,000
To assist in the construction of a pavilion for 10 11-a-side teams with associated referee changing and storage facilities.
Applicant: Forestry Commission Scotland (c/o Forest Enterprise Scotland)
Project Title: Glentress Peel - Investment: £200,000
To construct new changing, shower and WC facilities at Glentress Forest, The forest is a major mountain bike and walking venue in the Borders.
Applicant: Renfrewshire Council
Project Title: Penilee Project - Investment: £200,000
Redevelopment of existing pavilion to provide four team and two general changing spaces as well as two aerobics/dance studios. Includes the upgrading of existing natural grass pitches and the provision of a new full size third generation synthetic grass pitch with floodlighting.
Applicant: Shieldaig Sports Association (Shieldaig, Torridon)
Project Title: Shieldaig All-Weather Sports Court - Investment: £60,000
To help provide an all-weather floodlit sports court which will serve the needs of this rural community and will be used by the local school and community for a wide range of sports.
Applicant: Scone Tennis Club (nr Perth)
Project Title: Scone Tennis Club Community Project - Investment: £48,000
To assist in the replacement of three existing concrete tennis courts with three upgraded all-weather courts and install floodlights helping the club continue to grow and develop. The club is also celebrating its 75th anniversary in 2007.
Applicant: Loch Tummel Sailing Club (nr Pitlochry)
Project Title: New changing and toilet accommodation and clubhouse refurbishment - Investment: £97,625
To purchase two existing chalets into male and female changing rooms, training room, small kitchen extension to clubroom and provision of accessible ramp. The conversion will help the club expand its activities and continue its excellent work with young people.
Applicant: Stirling County Rugby Football Club
Project Title: Upgrading of training/pitch area - Investment: £31,163
To assist with the upgrading of a grassed training pitch by installing drainage and re~seeding the whole area, this will improve training facilities at the club for all age groups.
Applicant: Back Football and Recreation Club, Back, by Stornoway
Project Title: Golf driving range - Investment: £35,000
To help construct an 8 bay golf driving range with a 200m x 40m range area, incorporating teaching facilities, disabled access and three target greens. This new facility will support the development of golf and clubgolf, Scotland's national junior golf strategy, for Harris and Lewis.
Applicant: Teviotdale Harriers (Hawick)
Project Title: Alterations to building to make new clubrooms - Investment: £10,000
The investment will assist Teviotdale Harriers, a road running club in Hawick, with alterations to premises the club have acquired to create changing rooms and a meeting room helping them expand and develop their activities.
9 investments totalling £1,131,788