Thursday 11 October 2007
sportscotland’s mission to enhance community sports facilities across the country continues with an investment of £267,521 from the Building for Sport programme. This investment, of which £119,276 is sportscotland Lottery funding, will benefit four communities in Acharacle and Spean Bridge in the Highlands, Birkhill in Angus, and Maybole in South Ayrshire.
Spean Bridge Golf Club near Fort William is set to benefit from an investment of £83,976 to assist in the construction of a new clubhouse which will consist of a clubroom, male and female locker rooms, kitchen and toilets. Currently the club use a timber shed that has no electricity or mains water which has restricted the development of their membership, activities and the use of the course. In particular the club is keen to develop its junior membership and expand the junior coaching programmes it is delivering to local schoolchildren through clubgolf, Scotland’s national junior golf strategy.
The clubhouse will complement the challenging and picturesque nine-hole course at Spean Bridge which offers great views of the surrounding mountains, including Ben Nevis. The club was formed in the 1950s by families in the village, some of who included veterans of the Second World War, who then went on to design and build the original course.
George Carson, Clubhouse Project Convener, Spean Bridge Golf Club said: “The committee and members of the club are extremely pleased to learn of the maximum award and thank sportscotland for recognising the aims of this small community golf club. The club has had the foresight to plan an inclusive clubhouse that can also be available for small community groups in addition to golfers. When built, the club will have achieved a watershed towards continuing sound development for the future. As a community asset the club is confident that all golfers, from beginner and juniors to accomplished players, will be attracted to golf in our expanding community.”
The Highlands are benefiting from another investment of £100,000 to Highland Council to assist in the construction a new grass pitch for the village of Acharacle. The new pitch, being built next to a new village primary school, will be used by both the school and the local community with changing facilities being provided as part of the new school. The local community has been campaigning for a pitch in the village for the last 10 years as currently there is no such facility. Development activities planned with the creation of the new pitch include the establishment of a local senior football team as well as both primary and secondary school football competitions and coaching. The pitch will also provide an area which can be used for athletics and other sports as well village sports days and activities.
Additionally Crosshill Thistle Amateur Football Club in the village of Crosshill near Maybole in South Ayrshire is benefiting from an investment of £48,245. The investment will help create a new two-team changing pavilion to replace a very run-down changing block which the club currently use. The new changing pavilion will be built in the grounds of Crosshill Primary School and adjacent to the club’s existing full-size natural grass pitch and will not only be used by the club but also the school and the wider community.
Also benefiting from a sportscotland Building for Sport investment is Muirhead and Birkhill Bowling Club in Angus. The club are set to receive £35,300 to build an extension to their existing clubhouse providing all members and visitors, in particular women and juniors, with adequate locker and changing facilities. The extension will allow the club to undertake a planned membership expansion and growth in their junior development.
Julia Bracewell OBE, Chair of sportscotland said: “This investment of £267,521 from sportscotland’s Building for Sport programme demonstrates our commitment to providing communities with quality, accessible facilities that meet local priorities. This is vital if sport is to thrive in Scotland.
“It is great to see communities from all over Scotland benefit from this investment which will widen sporting opportunities locally, increasing participation in a range of sports and supporting 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 – October 2007 Community Facilities Strand
Applicant: Highland Council
Project Title: Acharacle Sports Field
Award: £100,000
Contact for Press: John O’Kane, Area Community Learning & Leisure Manager, Highland Council
Tel: 01397 707350
To provide a new grass pitch with drainage and perimeter fence.
Applicant: Spean Bridge Golf Club, nr Fort William
Project Title: New clubhouse
Award: £83,976
Contact for Press: George Carson, Clubhouse Project Convener
Tel: 01397 712916
To construct a new clubhouse consisting of clubroom, male and female locker room, kitchen and toilets including disabled toilet. New mains electricity, private water supply and waste water facilities.
Applicant: Muirhead & Birkhill Bowling Club (Angus)
Project Title: Bowling locker area and changing facilities
Award: £35,300
Contact for Press: Grahame MacMaster, Past President
Tel: 01382 580007
Construction of a clubhouse extension to provide adequate locker area and changing facilities for all members and visitors.
Applicant: Crosshill Thistle Amateur Football Club (by Maybole, South Ayrshire)
Project Title: Crosshill Anniversary Pavilion Project
Award: £48,245
Contact for Press: David McDowall, Secretary
Tel: 07977 582123
Creation of a new two-team changing pavilion.
Community Facilities Strand – four awards totalling £267,521