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Update regarding the latest position on the former NU Healthworks Sports Centre

The Save Healthworks Action Committee would like to update the public on the latest developments regarding Healthworks. Many people have been asking via the website etc

Council

After months of sporadic communication with Perth & Kinross Council it is very clear there will be no rescue package from PKC.

PKC have sited flaws in SHAC’s Business Plan and Financial Model despite being unable to offer any evidence of what these might be. They (PKC) have insisted Healthworks would be too costly to run, again without offering any evidence or their own Financial Model to back up their claims.

Furthermore Council leaders refuse to tell us what their future plans are for Perth with regard to sport and fitness provision in order to make up for the shortfall created by the closure of Healthworks. This policy of silence would indicate at worst there are none and at best access to affordable sports provision is not high on the councils agenda.

SHAC asked for guidance from Stewart Maxwell MSP on this, he states:

 “Local authorities have a statutory responsibility to ensure there is adequate provision of sporting and recreational facilities for their residents. The national sport strategy, Reaching Higher, sets out clearly the roles and responsibilities of local authorities in helping achieve the twin national outcomes of increasing participation and improving performance”

Unfortunately, if the council decides that hundreds of children unable to access swimming lessons and losing a third of Perth’s fitness provision is acceptable then there is nothing Mr Maxwell can do about it. The national government can set out targets for local authorities to reach but it’s up to local authorities whether they reach them or not!

It seems to be lost on our local politicians that, while a fit and healthy society needs investment in facilities, it repays the fiscal outlay many times over through reduced healthcare, more energetic and dynamic workforces and less kids on street corners.

Positives

There is a meeting taking place next week with several potential private investors and énergiescotland,

a very successful sports franchise company, all interested in re-opening the much needed/missed facility. This meeting will hopefully identify serious contenders willing to work in a possible partnership setup to not only re-open/rebrand the centre but exploit the massive potential the facility and surrounding site has.

Future

SHAC will post an update on the coming meeting and developments on the website www.savethegym.info

We are also interested to hear from anyone who has been unable or found it hard to access sport/fitness or who have given up due to lack of provision. Please leave any comments on the website and/or write to your Councillor/MP with your tale of woe!

See the comments left via the online petition here :

Latest Updates:

Latest updated added on 10th Sept 08.

July Press release added

May Press release added

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