Strathmore Rugby Club is expanding its role as a community hub with a new £250,000 extension at its base beside Forfar Loch.
The Inchmacoble outfit has doubled the number and capacity of its changing rooms from two to four.
Strathie hopes that will meet the needs of rapidly-increasing playing numbers – including its two male and one female senior teams.
There are more than 180 children and youths in its junior section.
The changing rooms are also used by the club’s community partners.
Those include the award-winning Strathmore Community Rugby Trust, Andy’s Man Club, Jogforfar and Forfar parkrun, which starts at the club on Saturday mornings.
A bespoke referees’ room and injury treatment/player conditioning room have been created on the ground floor.
On the first floor two state-of-the-art physiotherapy treatment rooms used by club partners Angus Physiotherapy and specialist rehab business CK Intensives have been built.
There is also a new multi-use space.
An upgrade to the Shark Tank bar has made the first floor wheelchair-accessible.
And toilet facilities at Inchmacoble are now Changing Places gold standard.
Outside, the car park and adjoining area can become Forfar’s biggest beer garden – licensed to 530 guests.
This has enabled it to host outdoor events such as The Strathmore Sessions music festival.
700 a week use facilities
Up to 700 people from the local community already use the club’s resources each week.
Club president Bob Baldie hopes Strathie’s role in aiding health and wellbeing will grow substantially.
He said: “The completion of the new extension 20 years since the clubhouse started being built marks the end of our 90th anniversary year.
“And it renews our commitment to investing in the club’s future, in particular through women’s rugby, as well as our progression from being a club in the community to a community club and asset.
“Provision of disabled toilets to the Changing Places standard and making the upper floor fully wheelchair-accessible further demonstrate our desire to make the club as accessible and inclusive to all as possible.”
Bob added: “We’re very proud to have completed the project despite spiralling material prices, escalating labour costs and the cost-of-living crisis, keeping the workforce local where possible to support local jobs and firms recovering from the effects of the pandemic.
“The key to the project’s success has come from the many generous offers of in-kind support from our members and the wider community.”
‘Can do’ approach pays off
The two-storey extension has been built to the west side of the existing clubhouse.
Work began in July 2022. It was supported by grants of £74,000 from SportScotland, £37,500 from the SRU and £30,000 from Forfar common good fund.
It came alongside fundraising by the club and vital in-kind local support.
The club said it was hugely grateful to Peter Allison, Jim Laird, club members and local companies including S&D Taylor Haulage, Sime Design, Splash Out Bathrooms, Gary Durward Plumbing , MAK Electrical, Forfar Roof Truss Ltd, SGH Joiners and D. Ogilvy Plant Hire for their backing.
“We’d also like to thank Les Coupar, Andrew Coupar and Simon Jones for the execution and management of the build,” added Bob.
“This values-based ‘can do’ approach resonates throughout our membership.”
“We’ve also cemented our relationship with Strathmore Community Rugby Trust and welcomed more organisations into our community hub.
“Our desire for continued improvement is strong.”
He revealed the focus is now turning to flood defences.
And the club is looking at the potential development of the old canning factory nearby as an indoor sports facility.
Conversation