Centre to close for 18 months

A community hub in Perth is preparing to close for up to 18 months to undergo extensive renovations.

Live Active Letham at Tweedsmuir Road will be redeveloped as a community health and wellbeing centre on behalf of Perth and Kinross Council.

The development will see the 25-year-old leisure facility closed from Thursday, reopening in April 2019.

The work is being paid for with £2.8m of council funding, having failed to secure an additional £1m Scottish Government grant.

The new facility will include childcare provision, NHS drop-in clinics, health and social care, adult learning, bereavement care, therapies, parenting services, IT training and Perth and Kinross Credit Union.

It will also offer meeting rooms and spaces for community events, as well as a dedicated gym space and flexible three-court sports hall.

It is being designed by McLaren Murdoch and Hamilton, an awardwinning architectural firm which has a base in Perth.

Councillor for Perth City North, Dave Doogan, said: “This is undoubtedly a massive capital investment and will clearly be most felt in Letham.

“It is tremendously important that it meets the needs of the people and community groups in Letham and focusing on this was our priority.”

He added: “Perth and Kinross Council has worked carefully to ensure that every group that relies on the Letham Centre is relocated to a suitable temporary venue.

“I’m really pleased that after the initial controversy everyone is behind the project and fully engaged.

“Expectations are high and I’m looking forward to it.”

The local area housing office has moved to new premises on Rannoch Road and Letham Community Hub is moving to the warden’s office on Dalreoch Place until the renovations are complete.

Letham Residents’ Association is holding a meeting in the Letham Centre on Thursday at 7pm.

Anyone who would like to attend should contact the Facebook page or email secretary_ lethamresidentsassoc@ yahoo.com.