Public Health Minister Shona Robison’s glowing endorsement of Montrose’s new £9 million swimming pool was last night described as an “embarrassment” for Angus SNP councillors who opposed the project.
A ground-breaking ceremony got under way on Thursday to mark the start of the Angus alliance-led project in Marine Avenue, which has come in £1 million under its £10 million budget.
Ms Robison said she was “delighted to see work under way on this exciting project which will be a superb addition to the leisure facilities in Montrose.”
Angus Council made the decision to build a brand new venue on the existing sports centre site.
However opposition councillors repeatedly hit out at the plans, arguing that other burghs in the county will be frozen out of future investment as a result of the council’s commitment to the pool’s huge price tag.
“It must be of some embarrassment to the Angus SNP councillors who opposed this project up to the 11th hour, that their own Scottish Government minister for public health and sport Shona Robison has endorsed this project and I am delighted by her supportive comments and that the Scottish Government are fully supportive of the Angus alliance’s decision to build this new swimming pool in Montrose,” said Mark Salmond.
Councillors approved the lowest tender of £7,052,597 from Ogilvie Construction for the works.
The project, which will comprise an integrated sports and swimming venue, will cost around £8.9m to which sportscotland will contribute £1m.
The venue will be joined to the existing Montrose Sports Centre and will have a main six lane pool, a viewing gallery and a studio pool with moving floor.
“It is well documented that a small minority of people were opposed to this project, as well as some who doubted that the funding would ever be found,” added Mr Salmond.
“I always had confidence that this was the correct design and location for this project and that the funding package would be put together to deliver this 21st century facility for Montrose.
“The argument put forward by a small group of residents and opposition councillors was that the new pool should not be attached to the current Montrose Sports Centre, but be a stand alone pool.
“I was therefore delighted that the chair of sportscotland Louise Martin at the ground breaking ceremony confirmed that the way forward for sports facilities in the 21st century was to have a hub facility, where all the wet and dry facilities are in the one building, as this project does.
“She also confirmed that sportscotland had been involved in the design of the project from the start and were fully supportive of the six lane pool.”
When completed the venue will also have a health suite with sauna, steam room and relaxation area, a fitness suite and multi-purpose rooms for meetings and training.
Montrose Sports Centre closed last month for a maximum of 21 months while the combined complex is created.
Alternative venues have been identified that, as far as possible, will allow school, sports centre and town hall activities to continue.