Monday 21 March 2011
sportscotland today announced investment of £1.2 million in a new Tayside and Fife regional gymnastics facility to be based in Dundee. A major refurbishment of the Dick McTaggart sports hall will provide the home for the new regional centre for gymnasts at every level from absolute beginners to the region’s best talent.
Announcing the funding Louise Martin CBE, Chair of sportscotland said: “This new centre in Dundee is hugely important for the sport of gymnastics and is another exciting development in the growing network of quality sports facilities across Scotland.
“Our investment is only part of the picture. We worked closely with our partners in Dundee City Council and Scottish Gymnastics to develop plans for a centre that really would meet the needs of both club and community. What will be created here in Dundee will provide fantastic opportunities for people to try a whole range of fun activities as part of an active and healthy lifestyle while giving the region’s talented gymnasts the space and equipment they need to reach their full potential .”
Minister for Public Health and Sport Shona Robison said: “Gymnastics is a fantastically popular sport in Tayside and we want to capture that enthusiasm by ensuring that our local talent has access to quality facilities and give them the best opportunity to develop their talent further - particularly in the build up to the Glasgow 2014 Commonwealth Games.
“This facility will not only help increase participation, from those just developing an interest in the sport to the elite level, it will also improve performance and deliver a lasting legacy from the 2014 Games.
“This centre will be a superb addition to leisure facilities in Dundee. As well as the gymnastics there will also be excellent family-orientated fun activities on offer with everything from dancing to cheerleading to trampolining for those in Dundee and the wider community to try something new and get active.” /P>
Gymnastics is a priority sport for Dundee where participation levels are high but a lack of suitable facilities limited club development while aspiring gymnasts often had to train outside the region to gain access to the right facilities. All that is now set to change.
The new centre - which will provide two sprung floor exercise areas, a wide range of gymnastic apparatus, a dance studio, changing rooms and a café will allow clubs to offer more disciplines to more young people, increasing participation in the sport.
Caitriona O’Shea Chief Executive of Scottish Gymnastics welcomed the news: “Scottish Gymnastics is delighted with the news that this Regional facility is to be located at the Dundee Dick McTaggart Centre. This is a fantastic development for the sport of gymnastics and the local community in both Dundee and the Tayside and Fife region.
“With gymnastics being a key fundamental sport, we are thrilled that we can now provide a complete gymnastics pathway in Dundee from early years participation right the way through to performance level gymnastics. The joint funding of the project by sportscotland and Dundee City Council is testament to the huge demand for gymnastics in the Dundee area and recognition of the contribution that the sport of gymnastics makes to local communities.“
But it’s not just about the gymnasts; the centre will provide other activities too. Capitalising on interest generated by the hit television series “Glee”, the new centre will cater for dance clubs, trampolining and cheerleading squads; all activities with huge participation potential.
The regional centre has also been identified as a coaching hub to support the development of young coaches in partnership with clubs, the region’s sports development teams and Active Schools. Strengthening the coaching network, will support the sustainable development of gymnastics throughout Tayside and Fife.