Towns are in line for a major leisure boost

Feb 28 2008 By George Topp

COUNCILLORS are planning to spend more than £6.5 million over the next year on improving leisure facilities in Lanark and Carluke.

South Lanarkshire Council leader, Councillor Eddie McAvoy, said the ambitious spending programme was part of the council's aim to support local communities through the provision of quality community and leisure facilities.

Their plans include confirmation that Lanark will get a replacement swimming pool and leisure centre.

This will be linked to the recently-opened Harry Smith complex in Lanark and will provide a 25m pool with floating floor, a new fitness gym offering cardio vascular and resistance equipment to suit all ages and fitness levels, a dance studio, sauna and steam rooms located at the pool side, indoor and outdoor changing accommodation, and a café area.

Work starts this year and the pool should be completed in 2009.

Carluke gets an integrated community facility providing a new community hall and a wide variety of activity/ meeting, a new library and ACTIVE IT learning centre, daycare provision, community café and rooms for visiting services.

This will be linked to the new St Athanasius Primary School. Site preparation work has already started and completion is expected in the summer of 2009.

There is also to be a major refurbishment for Carluke Leisure Centre. The entire building, formerly part occupied by the school, will receive a £1.4m refurbishment and conversion of all areas for community leisure users. A new health suite, development of activity studios, refurbishment of the main hall and the development of a new fitness gym with state-of-the-art equipment are only a few of the improvements which will be made. The refurbishment programme is expected to take about nine months to complete,

The future of the Grade B-listed Lanark Memorial Hall is being safeguarded by a £5m conservation and refurbishment package. The Edwardian building will be restored to original condition and improved through modern services and access. The main hall and theatre will be restored and act as a strategic arts venue for the town and surrounding areas with improvements in both front of house hospitality and back of house support accommodation, giving the venue the prominence it deserves. Work is scheduled to start in October and will be finished by the spring of 2010.