£2.9M Lottery boost to Scottish sports facilities

Thursday 1 September 2005

Scotland’s National Equestrian Performance Centre is to be redeveloped as part of a funding boost for Scottish sports facilities totalling almost £3 million fromsportscotland’s Lottery funded Building for Sport programme.

Sports Minister Patricia Ferguson announced the funding today during a visit to the Centre, based at Oatridge College in West Lothian, which will benefit from an award of £450,000 towards an indoor riding arena, covered warm-up area, all-weather exercise gallops, 600 seater viewing gallery, control and commentary box, cross country fencing, storage areas, changing facilities and offices.

Ms Ferguson said: "Quality sports facilities, provided locally, are essential both to encourage wider participation in sport, and to producing athletes with potential to perform internationally. The 12 projects benefiting from this funding will help make this possible.

"The new National Equestrian Performance Centre will provide an excellent base from which to develop Scotland’s Equestrian athletes – and will also be used to encourage greater participation in the sport, particularly for people with disabilities."

This brings the total Lottery funded investment in the development and renewal of sports facilities to £139.3m since 1994.

Additional funding for the facility of £450,000 has been awarded by Scottish Enterprise Edinburgh and Lothian.

Oatridge College currently provides education and training for a wide range of land based activities, including full and part-time equestrian programmes, with farriery and veterinary facilities on site.

We are delighted to be supporting the development of the Scottish Equestrian Performance Centre at Oatridge College with an award of £450,000, which will provide a valuable facility for the development of equestrian sports in Scotland.

The equestrian centre will not only benefit students at the college but also local community riding groups and schools who will also have access to the facilities.

The centre will host a variety of events, competitions and activities including, national and regional training sessions, riding club, pony club and riding for the disabled sessions and specialist training for pursuits such as equestrian vaulting. It will also be used as a training base for stewards, course builders, volunteers and teachers.

The college hopes to raise the profile of equestrian sports in Scotland by establishing the centre as a national base for equestrian sports at all levels, encouraging increased participation and the development of talented competitors.

David James, the Principal and Chief Executive of Oatridge College, said: "The development of the Scottish Equestrian Performance Centre here at Oatridge is great news for the College, for the West Lothian area and for everyone involved in equestrian sports throughout Scotland.

"It is our ambition to become the National Centre of Excellence for equine education and training. I know that the Scottish Equestrian Association supports us 100 percent, because it is believed that these magnificent new facilities will provide a focal point for developing world-class competitors for Scotland. They will also be of enormous benefit to our students and the wider equestrian community.

"We are very grateful tosportscotland, the Scottish Executive and Scottish Enterprise for turning our vision into a reality."

Julia Bracewell OBE, Chair,sportscotland added: "We are delighted to be supporting the development of the Scottish Equestrian Performance Centre at Oatridge College with an award of £450,000, which will provide a valuable facility for the development of equestrian sports in Scotland.

"This round of awards, totalling £2.9m, is yet another example ofsportscotland’s commitment to providing communities across Scotland with quality, accessible facilities, to ensure that more people have the opportunity to be more active, more often."

• The new equestrian centre will be based at Oatridge College, Ecclesmachan, Broxburn, EH52 6NH.
• Oatridge College is a member of the Scottish Equestrian Association.
• 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 will mainly be led by local authorities, clubs and trusts and covers the provision or upgrading of facilities for the local community.
• The Training and Competition Facilities Programme will concentrate on the provision or upgrading of centres designated as a national or regional facility by the relevant national governing body for sport.

sportscotland Lottery funded Building for Sport Programme - August 2005

Training and Competition Facilities Strand Renfrewshire Council
Project Title: Regional Sports Facility: Lagoon Leisure Centre
Award:£750,000
Contact for Press:John McKenzie, Press Officer
Tel:0141 840 3312

To provide a 6 court hall and changing facilities with retractable seating for 500, augmented fitness suite and new strength and conditioning area.

Fife Council
Project Title:Pitreavie Sub-Regional Indoor Athletics Facility
Award:£500,000
Contact for Press:Lesley Ratomska, Communications Officer
Tel:01592 413984

For the provision of an indoor athletics facility to include an indoor track, jumps area, throwing areas, weights and associated warm up areas.

Oatridge College
Project Title:Scottish Equestrian Centre
Award:£450,000
Contact for Press:Penny Skett, Assistant Principal
Tel:01506 864800

National equestrian training and competition venue with indoor and outdoor facilities for horses, riders and spectators.

Heriot Watt University
Project Title:Strength and Conditioning Supercentre
Award:£286,011
Contact for Press:Frances Williams, Public Relations Officer
Tel:0131 451 3618

Ground floor addition to existing free weight facilities plus ancillary equipment.

4 awards totalling £1,986,011

Communities Facilities Strand

Angus Council
Project Title:Saltire Leisure Centre
Award:£300,000
Contact for Press:Moira Naulty, Press Officer
Tel:01307 473021

To provide a games hall with storage accommodation, fitness suite, changing facilities, multi-purpose/warm up/fitness room, official’s changing room, tutorial/media/meeting room, staff office, plant room and first aid room.Bearsden Ski Club (East Dunbartonshire)

Project Title:Refurbishment and Extension of Bearsden Ski and Board Club
Award:£200,000
Contact for Press:Charles McCreath, Manager
Tel:0141 943 1500

The provision of a new snowboard park and beginners area with built in features and fitness suite. Refurbishment of ski hire areas, changing rooms, toilets, bar and catering facilities.

The Waterways Trust Scotland (Falkirk)
Project Title:Action Outdoors
Award:£173,917
Contact for Press:Rita Crowe, Project Development Manager
Tel:0141 354 7559

Construction of a fully accessible modular building to be used as a base for outdoor sports and activities instruction on the adjacent Union Canal and its towpath, incorporating showers, toilets, wash basins, drying and changing areas, a training room and offices for staff.

Orkney Islands Council
Project Title:Stronsay Healthy Living Centre
Award:£94,500
Contact for Press:Lynette Webb, Communications Officer
Tel:01856 872228

The project is part of a network of Healthy Living Centres comprising of fitness rooms and community changing aimed at promoting good health practices in the community and encouraging participation in physical activity as part of a healthy lifestyle, helping to raise the standard of health and physical fitness in Orkney.

Orkney Islands Council
Project Title:Rousay Healthy Living Centre
Award:£74,702
Contact for Press:Lynette Webb, Communications Officer
Tel:01856 872228

The project is part of a network of Healthy Living Centres comprising of fitness rooms and community changing aimed at promoting good health practices in the community and encouraging participation in physical activity as part of a healthy lifestyle, helping to raise the standard of health and physical fitness in Orkney.

Glenfarg Community Amateur Sports Club (Perth and Kinross)
Project Title:Tennis Court Resurfacing and Floodlighting Project
Award:£44,465
Contact for Press:Cameron Gaudin, Chairman
Tel:01577 830608

To provide three all-weather sand filled, synthetic grass courts with floodlighting. Courts will be marked for tennis, 5-a-side football, hockey and netball.

Rothie Rovers AFC (Aberdeenshire)
Project Title:Community Playing Field/Football Pitch Resurfacing
Award:£26,137
Contact for Press:Karin Burt, Secretary
Tel:01651 821908

Upgrading of pitch, including piped drainage system and regrading to improve playability.

St Andrews Sailing Club (Fife)
Project Title:Boat Development
Award:£7,318
Contact for Press:Graham Paterson, Development Officer
Tel:01334 477129

For the purchase of two topaz and one laser stratos dinghies.

8 awards totalling £921,039

TOTAL AWARDS: £2,907,050