fbpx

One of Scotland’s largest and most successful athletics clubs, Kilbarchan Amateur Athletics Club (AAC), are set to build a £2.1m state-of-the-art indoor facility designed to increase participation in sport and support the achievement of sporting excellence.

Councillors will this week be asked to approve the allocation of £500,000- in two tranches of £250,000- to support the proposed development which will provide facilities for over 525 male and female athletes as well as the Renfrewshire community.

Plans have been developed, with the support of Scottish Athletics and Sport Scotland, to build an indoor athletics training centre adjacent to the outdoor track and field facilities at Linwood’s On-X sports centre.

The proposed indoor training centre would provide the club with:

-60m running track;

-Horizontal and vertical jumps;

-Pole vault;

-Indoor throws cage- including javelin;

-Club room;

-Strength and conditioning area

Scottish Athletics have identified the proposal as an important project within the National Facilities Strategy- which aims to provide athletics with numerous top class facilities throughout the country that will continue to maximise participation and increase standards of performance in all disciplines.

The successful completion of the development would significantly enhance the quality of the athletic training facilities available within Renfrewshire and support the continued development and success of Kilbarchan AAC.

Renfrewshire Council Leader, Mark Macmillan, said: “Kilbarchan AAC are a credit to Renfrewshire and provide a fantastic platform for athletes to develop onto the elite stage.

“However, they also extremely inclusive and ensure that athletes of all ages are able to participate in the sport of their choice.

“This new facility would be a tremendous addition to Renfrewshire as we look to advance sporting opportunities for our communities and support the achievement of sporting excellence.”

Kilbarchan AAC are in the Premier Division of the Scottish Athletics league structure and its members include Olympians Callum and Derek Hawkins who represented Great Britain in the marathon at the 2016 Rio de Janeiro Olympics.

Councillors will consider the proposals at the full Council meeting on Thursday 23 February.