The Press and Journal (Inverness, Highlands, and Islands)
Law on ball with all-weather activity area
The opening of Scotland’s inaugural Cruyff Court in Aberdeen has been hailed as a development which can improve the health of people in the city.
The dilapidated Catherine Street facility has undergone a huge transformation into an all-weather activity area.
The refurbishment work was done by the Denis Law Legacy Trust, the Johan Cruyff Foundation and Aberdeen City Council, with a combined £200,000 being spent on the initiative, which will be known as the Cruyff Court Denis Law.
The late Dutch football legend, Johan Cruyff, came up with the idea of the eponymous courts as a means of providing safe play areas for children and young people in urban areas to encourage fitness and wellbeing.
Aberdeen City Council leader Jenny Laing believes the amenity will be great for the Granite City and can also improve the health of Aberdonians.
She said: “It will be a wonderful asset. And to be allowing people to take part in physical activity is important because it is about the future well-being of our population.
“If you get people started in sport at the very beginning, they tend to continue with it throughout their lives and that improves health in the long term.”
Graham Thom, chairman of the Denis Law Legacy Trust, added: “I’m very excited about the benefits of this facility.”