Evening Telegraph (First Edition)
Doubts cast over sports centre plan
FEARS were raised today that a £21 million sports centre in Caird Park may not go ahead — after Dundee FC withdrew its backing for the project.
The football club was a key partner in the regional performance centre for sport, which would have offered training facilities for players as well as facilities for sports including badminton, basketball, netball, rugby and volleyball, athletics, golf and track cycling.
The move means Dundee City Council will revisit the plans and potentially move the centre to a different location within the park.
Work has already begun on a new access road for the centre, but full planning permission has yet to be granted.
Dave Combe (pictured), sprint coach for running club Hawkhill Harriers, said he feared that the project would be put in jeopardy — with the club “desperately” relying on the facility to train future athletes. He said: “We have been going on the basis that in April 2018 we would have the new facilities to work in.
“We are desperate for it to go ahead — we are currently working with an arm tied behind our backs in comparison to other clubs around the country.
“There are fears that it won’t go ahead.”
Kevin Keenan, leader of the opposition Labour group on the council and councillor for the Caird Park area, says the public need answers on the centre’s future.
He said: “Council leader Ken Guild needs to come out and say whether this will impact the project financially.
“It is a big worry now that this is now going to cost more.
“It seems very strange that one person pulling out of the project is going to lead to a complete revamp.
“This needs to be explained more to people. This is a massive blow to the original plan and it will make a big difference to running costs — we need answers on what those differences will be.”
Mr Guild said the football club’s withdrawal had given the council “an opportunity” to see if the facilities could be laid out in a “more efficient way”, as well as moving them away from “potentially sensitive areas within the park”.
He added: “Council officers will now be working hard with our partners in sportscotland to provide a top-class facility. I am keen that as many people as possible benefit from the centre.”