The Dick McTaggart Sports Centre in Dundee will become a centre for gymnastic excellence in Tayside and Fife, thanks to a £1.2 million sports lottery grant.
As The Courier revealed in February, the plan for a £1.8m refurbishment depended on the project winning lottery funding, confirmed in Dundee on Monday.
Now the building, which has been closed since Dundee College gave up its lease in August, will provide a home for gymnasts at every level, from absolute beginners to the best talent in the area, as well as offering a range of other activities.
Announcing the cash, sportscotland chairwoman Louise Martin said, “This new centre in Dundee is hugely important for the sport of gymnastics and is another exciting development in the growing network of quality sports facilities across Scotland.
“Our investment is only part of the picture.
“What will be created here in Dundee will provide fantastic opportunities for people to try a whole range of fun activities as part of an active and healthy lifestyle while giving the region’s talented gymnasts the space and equipment they need to reach their full potential.”
Public health and sport minister Shona Robison said, “Gymnastics is a fantastically popular sport in Tayside and we want to capture that enthusiasm by ensuring that our local talent has access to quality facilities and give them the best opportunity to develop their talent further particularly in the build up to the Glasgow 2014 Commonwealth Games.
“This facility will not only help increase participation, from those just developing an interest in the sport to the elite level, it will also improve performance and deliver a lasting legacy from the 2014 Games.
“As well as the gymnastics there will also be excellent family orientated fun activities on offer, with everything from dancing to cheerleading to trampolining for those in Dundee and the wider community to try something new and get active.”
Gymnastics is considered a “priority sport” for Dundee, where participation levels are high but a lack of facilities has limited club development, forcing some aspiring gymnasts to train outside the region.
The new centre will change all that. With two sprung floor exercise areas, a wide range of gymnastic apparatus, a dance studio, changing rooms and a cafe, it will allow clubs to offer more disciplines to more young people, increasing participation in the sport.
Scottish Gymnastics chief executive Caitriona O’Shea said, “This is a fantastic development for the sport of gymnastics and the local community in both Dundee and the Tayside and Fife region.
“With gymnastics being a key fundamental sport, we are thrilled that we can now provide a complete gymnastics pathway in Dundee, from early years participation right the way through to performance level gymnastics.
“The joint funding of the project by sportscotland and Dundee City Council is testament to the huge demand for gymnastics in the Dundee area.”
The regional centre has also been identified as a coaching hub to support the development of young coaches in partnership with clubs, the region’s sports development teams and Active Schools.
“This is great news for sport in Dundee and will allow the city council, Dundee Leisure and Scottish Gymnastics to take forward plans for this regional centre for gymnastics,” said leisure, arts and communities convener Bob Duncan.
“Our concept is designed to help participants of all levels to develop their abilities, including facilities which can be used for the training of national gymnastic and trampolining squads.
“This grant will allow us to transform the centre and provide a modern building which will also include a dance studio and changing facilities.
“I am pleased to welcome the award of this money as an investment in sport in the city and also the health and well-being of the people of Dundee.”