A call has been made for Perthshire’s gold-medal winning curlers to be given the Freedom of Perth.
Earlier this week the Perthshire Advertiser called for Perth’s proposed new ice rink to be named after Team GB’s women curlers while Liz Smith MSP called on Eve Muirhead to be made a Dame.
The latest honour request was made as councillors met today to set the Perth and Kinross Council 2022/23 budget.
Prior to setting the budget, councillors took the opportunity to congratulate Eve Muirhead – from Blair Atholl – and Mili Smith – from Guildtown – and the rest of the team on their victory in Beijing.
Provost Dennis Melloy began the tributes by congratulating the women’s GB curling team on their “emphatic” win at the Winter Olympics.
He said: “”These past two years we have never had much to cheer about. Eve Muirhead and her team have a brought a much-needed smile to our faces.”
Highland Perthshire Conservative councillor John Duff congratulated the team on a “marvellous gold-medal-winning performance”.
He said: “As one of the councillors covering the Blair Atholll and Pitlochry area where Eve Muirhead was raised and first became involved in the sport of curling I was absolutely delighted to watch Eve and her Team GB colleagues winning the Olympic gold medal.”
‘Very special moment for Perth and Kinross’
Highland Perthshire independent councillor Xander McDade – who went to school with the Muirhead family at Pitlochry High School – smiled: “One of my proudest sporting moments was coming second to one of the Muirheads in a curling competition.”
Cllr McDade added: “This is a very special moment for our constituents up here.
“I hope the council might consider giving our two gold medallists the freedom of the city which I think they so rightly deserve.
“I think this is a very special moment for Perth and Kinross and I join Cllr Duff and yourself in expressing the council’s pride in our athletes. I hope that we will recognise them in a suitable way in the near future.”
Kinross-shire Lib Dem councillor Willie Robertson paid credit to Great Britain’s curling captains Eve Muirhead -“originally a Kinross-shire girl before they moved to Blair Atholl” – and Bruce Mouat and their teams on how they conducted themselves.
He said: “They made us proud to be both British and – for myself – a curler.”
SNP Strathtay councillor Grant Laing congratulated all five members of the women’s team on their success.
He said: “I think if we are going to give an honour we should give an honour to the whole team because one part of the team cannot win a medal without the others.
“As a team together they did fantastically well.”
Highland Perthshire SNP councillor Mike Williamson echoed the request any honour bestowed by the council should be “for the whole team and not just individuals”.
Council asks for ‘breathing space’
Provost Melloy called for the public and members of the press to give PKC a “bit of breathing space” in calls to honour the Olympic stars.
He said: “We are all a bit astounded that so many people are shouting for an award for them – which is absolutely correct – but it’s just a little bit early yet.
“It’s only been three days. But council officers and everyone is working hard and will be looking at this at some time very soon. Members of the press just give us a little bit of breathing space.”
