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TROUBLED sports club on the brink of closure now looks likely to be saved
in a multi-million pound rescue package. Giffnock North Amateur Athletics Club and its 1350 members faced collapse after years of worrying their premises might slide into nearby Braidbar Quarry. Now, if given the go-ahead, £6million plans to stabilise the 63 acres of land around the 40ft quarry will end years of uncertainty for the club and 19 nearby homes. |
The
rescue package, by East Renfrewshire Council and developers Macdonald Estates,
will not only secure a future for the club, which was established in 1943, but
will also bring £3m of improvements to the facilities.
Due to the land problems two of the club's
pitches have been out of use for safety reasons and the club has been unable to
upgrade its clubhouse.
Under the proposals, which involve filling the quarry's voids and
lowering the ground by 7ft, the GNAAC's crumbling clubhouse will be demolished
and replaced by community sports facilities with
astro-turf
pitches, a 100m running track and floodlights.
Club president Billy Kirk said: "The club
was under threat because it didn't have enough finances to improve facilities.
"Our clubhouse badly needs upgraded, but
we would not have been able to bring it up to scratch as well as the playing
facilities.
"We have been trying to get a development
here for a number of years but even if we had money to spend on an upgrade, we
wouldn't get planning permission because it is built on a quarry.
"Experts investigating the quarry stopped us using two pitches and
we had to lease a park from the council.
"We also have a massive athletics section
but they must go elsewhere to train.
"If these plans are passed we will have
our two parks back again and a floodlit running track - it would be a vast
improvement and a tremendous asset to the area.
"There is a great deal of hope for the club now.
"We are just praying it goes ahead as it will definitely secure its
future."
The GNAAC's membership now consists of two
senior, two amateur, and three junior football teams, an athletics section and a
bowling club.
Mr Kirk added: "Everyone agrees something should be done and this
looks like the best solution, not just for the club, but also for the houses in
Forres Avenue that have been blighted and unable to be sold for 20 years."
Councillor Allan Steele, who lives in Forres
Avenue alongside affected properties, said: "Everyone appreciates there is
a problem and that it needs to be addressed.
"In that immediate area these pitches have got to be secured.
"The plans will save a club which has
served the community well and now it will continue to do so."
A spokesman for the council said: "The
solution to collapse the caverns will be less disturbing to the community and
will be a big boost to the Giffnock North sports club.
"Under the plans its ground will be restored to full sports and
community use.
"Both the council and the developers
accept it is a very large civil engineering project - one of the largest ever
carried out in the area - and we promise to keep the community informed at all
times."
Once the planning application is discussed by
East Renfrewshire Council later this year it will then be referred to Scottish
Ministers who will make the final decision.
The above report was taken from the Evening Times.
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