Ambitious plans to create a major sports centre in Dundee’s Fairmuir Park have been announced by Dundee United Community Trust (DUCT).
The trust has revealed its long-term goals for the park, which include an all-weather, floodlit 3G football pitch.
It also proposes to build a new pavilion and “fantastic” training facilities.
Announcing the project, DUCT’s chief executive, Jamie Kirk, said the group is about to kick off an extensive community consultation ahead of the major upgrade in Fairmuir Park.
Asset transfer
Jamie said the trust is aiming to complete a community asset transfer of the current pavilion and grass football pitch in the park.
The aim is to to build a base to expand the work the trust already does in the Coldside area, for the benefit of the whole of Dundee.
It is hoped the facilities can also be used for non-sporting events, to tackle inequality in the city.
He said: “As part of the ambitious project, DUCT is aiming to initially refurbish but eventually replace the existing football pavilion with a significantly upgraded building.
“We will provide improved changing facilities and a multi-purpose community space for delivery of non-sporting projects, tackling key local issues such as food insecurity, isolation and loneliness and employability, among many others.
3G Floodlit pitch
“The long-term vision is for the eventual upgrade of one grass pitch to an all-weather, floodlit 3G surface, which will bring fantastic training facilities for existing users of the pitches and allow the community trust to even further enhance its impact on the local community.”
Jamie added that the trust’s latest strategy outlined its ambition to invest in facilities in the local area.
He said: “We’re really excited about the potential for achieving this within Fairmuir Park.
“This isn’t just about a football pitch and pavilion, this is about improving the park for everyone and increasing opportunities for local people.
“We want the community to be actively involved in this project and the upcoming consultation allows us to take on board ideas from local residents, users and beneficiaries that we might not have thought of otherwise.”
Jamie said the trust is is all about improving the lives of people in Dundee so the upcoming public consultation is crucial to making sure it gives the people of the community what they want and need.
While the primary aim is to improve access to sporting and non-sporting facilities in the area, ensuring the project is as environmentally friendly as possible is also important, Jamie said.
One area the trust hopes to explore is supporting biodiversity in the park.
David Dorward, chairman of the community trust, said: “The trust already provides an extensive range of services in the local community, but having the type of facility we plan at Fairmuir Park would allow us to deliver even more services to the local community.
“This is an exciting opportunity and we are really looking forward to working with the local community.”
The trust’s recent annual report highlighted that it has has already invested more than £1 million into the community since its relaunch in 2017 and this proposed new project would significantly increase this.
Further details of the consultation will be announced in the near future and anyone wishing to get involved can email enquiries@dundeeunitedct.co.uk