National level sporting organisations have joined calls for Bell’s Sports Centre in Perth to be reopened as an indoor facility.
Nine major sports bodies, including Scottish Athletics and Netball Scotland, have made written representations to Perth and Kinross Council asking that the popular North Inch facility be reinstated.
Eight of these letters have been seen by The Courier and we understand from campaigners that a ninth has been sent.
The organisations are backing calls from 12 sports groups in Perth and Kinross who are also calling for the full reinstatement of Bell’s as an indoor facility.
The Perth and Kinross Community Sports Network (PKCSN) believes the indoor offering in the proposed Thimblerow complex is a step down from what was available at Bell’s.
Members are also against the local authority’s idea of turning Bell’s into an unheated event space with indoor sports pitches.
Another setback for Thimblerow plans
The letters backing PKCSN is yet another setback in for the local authority’s much derided plans for Thimblerow.
Perth and Kinross Council wants to build a watered down Perth leisure centre on the most popular car park in the city.
Plans for the long-awaited PH2O do not include a dedicated leisure pool or ice rink facility.
PKCSN, alongside Perth Civic Trust, Perth City Swim Club, former Live Active Leisure chairmen and Olympic champion Eve Muirhead have spoken out against the proposal.
A petition backing the dozen local sports groups who want Bell’s returned to its former glory has gained nearly 2,900 signatures since mid-February.
A separate petition protesting the overall Thimblerow plan saw the proposal brought back before councillors last month.
It was decided that the topic should now be debated again in June when more reports, including the results of a consultation on Bell’s, are presented to council.
The Courier has been campaigning for elected members should Say No to Thimblerow.
‘Responses will be considered’
The letters seen by The Courier are from Badminton Scotland, Scottish Indoor Bowling Association, Scottish Hockey, Scottish Squash, Table Tennis Scotland, Volleyball Scotland, Scottish Athletics and Netball Scotland.
The ninth organisation told campaigners they did not yet want to be named publicly.
The local authority says representations will form part of the consultation feedback.
A council spokesperson said: “Consultation on proposals for Bell’s Sports Centre has just closed and responses, including those of the Perth and Kinross Community Sports Network and other sporting bodies, will be considered before recommendations are put to council in June.”
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