‘Accident waiting to happen’ worry at Blair rec

Sports club representatives have reacted with disbelief at proposals by designers of Blairgowrie’s long-awaited new recreation centre which would see parking at the existing facility moved to an area opposite a busy junction while construction work takes place.

The proposals were put to members of the Eastern Perthshire Community Sports Hub (EPCSH) at the group’s AGM and were described as“an accident waiting to happen”.

Concerns about whether the project team was taking on board suggestions from a user reference group – set up to represent the town’s views in relation to the long-awaited facility – were also expressed at the meeting.

Several members of the sports hub are also part of the reference group and are keen to gather as much feedback as possible on the proposals from potential users of the new centre.

Susan Whiteford from Blairgowrie Hockey Club and Blairgowrie Tennis Club shared the architect’s‘vision’for the complex and the constructors’proposals for the building work at the meeting, held online last week.

She reported that the user reference group has been told BAM Construction has said the current car park at the recreation centre will be“out of use”, although pedestrian access to the centre will be maintained.

The firm intends to turn the grass area at the side of the current hall into a car park for the duration of the work, removing the hedge alongside the pavement and levelling and surfacing the area.

Bob Ellis, the newly-appointed EPCSH chair, said:“I can see there being accidents with the junction at Park Drive there and with all the buses going to the school as well as all the traffic coming from the community campus and Berryfield Road.

“From a health and safety point of view, I just can’t see that working, particularly with the number of school pupils using that area.”

Sean O’Hara, depute head teacher at Blairgowrie High School, said they found the proposals for the parking“quite surprising”and that it was“disappointing” the school would be losing even more green space.

However, a council spokesperson said the design team was“confident”the car park would be laid out to provide a safe entrance and exit, and would separate construction traffic from members of the public.

They also said outside school hours, the bus bay will provide additional parking for Recreation Centre users.

They added:“The scope of the project and the budget was set at the council meeting of September 30,2020. The design team has taken account of comments made by the user reference group and has altered the layout of the foyer and upstairs landing to include proposals for booth seating and additional chairs.

“These layouts will continue to evolve throughout the detailed design of the building.

“However, the overall size of the building cannot be increased.”