The Kintyre Forum

Brilliant news - official press release from Argyll & Bute Council confirming sportscotland have confirmed funding of £316,000 which will now see the delivery of a 3G All Weather Pitch in Campbeltown. More on this later but keen to share the good news!

Campbeltown's All Weather Pitch is on the way!

The dreams of many sports enthusiasts in Kintyre came true this week following sportscotland’s announcement that Argyll and Bute Council’s bid for funding for Campbeltown’s all weather pitch had been approved.

The council committed £480,000 of CHORD funding in February this year to go towards the £796,000 project which will transform Kinloch Green. The third generation (3G) synthetic turf pitch will be big enough for two seven a-side pitches. And, because the pitch will be floodlit, matches will be able to take place on winter evenings.

In addition the existing two changing room pavilion will be completely refurbished to become four changing rooms, complete with showers and referee rooms. This will be done with advice and guidance from sportscotland.

We are now going to start the tendering process before the work can start. Because it is not recommended to lay the pitch surface during the winter months we expect that the project will be finished by June 2012.

Spokesperson for Third Sector and Communities Councillor Rory Colville said, “This is fantastic news for Campbeltown and Kintyre. This funding means that we can now get to work creating an all weather pitch which our footballers and sports people can train on all year round. And I’m confident it will result in a big increase in people taking part in sports in Campbeltown. This new pitch will make a real difference, not only to the way the way people train, but also the planning process. They will be able to organise events confident that bad weather will not always stop play!”

sportscotland Chief Executive, Stewart Harris said: “The development of a 3G pitch and pavilion in Campbeltown will have an enormous impact on sport in the local community, by providing clubs and schools with access to a high-quality, all-weather facility. This exciting project will undoubtedly boost participation in the area, and I am delighted we have been able to provide design and specification expertise, along with an award of £316,000 from our Sports Facilities Fund.”

“There is huge support for the development in the community, and it will eventually become home to a number of local groups. Our partners at Argyll and Bute Council have been instrumental in getting the project to this stage along with the South Kintyre Sports Council and local community groups; and we are all looking forward to seeing the work get underway.”

A spokesperson for South Kintyre Sports Council’s All Weather Pitch Campaign said “We are absolutely delighted with the news from sportscotland that they have supported Argyll and Bute Council’s application for funding towards the provision of the all weather pitch in Campbeltown. This offer of award, along with the funds already allocated by the council’s CHORD project in March 2011 will now ensure the delivery of a top class third generation synthetic pitch on Kinloch Green and brings us in line with other communities throughout Argyll and Bute. Sport plays an important part of lives to many, many people in Kintyre and we have no doubt this will create a legacy for sport that sportscotland and the council’s CHORD project will be proud of for many years to come”

Just BRILL !

Great news and not before time. Well done to everyone involved and to the council for finally seeing common sense.

Great news, well done to all involved in securing this decision.
I have Referred many games on the A.W. P.,3G, surface at Gosforth Fields in Dronfield. Chesterfield, both Sheffield Teams, Nottingham Forest, QPR, Sheffield FC have all played on the surface, each Team has comented on how fast it makes the game.
Every Football player in Town will enjoy the game, wether it rains, frosts over, or once the snow is cleared, there are no excuses as the ball runs true, without any ''bobbles'' to blame for shots which go way off target!

Perhaps I may get an invite to officiate at a game in Town some day?,

I'm sure everyone will enjoy this facility once it is opened.

fROSTY

Well done to all those who have worked so hard for this!

Super news and well done to all of those involved. Having brought our family up in Kintyre it is so vital to the community as isolated as ours to have these types of facilities. Great news indeed and I must admit it is refreshing to see the Council investing in projects that are sustainable. Surely the school has to be the next campaign for Campbeltown? Although my children have now left school I know first hand how bad the condition of our current secondary school is. Lets hope we don't have to wait years and years for that too.

great effort - good news!

Yes, brilliant news. Well done to everyone involved in campaigning for this over the years and especially the local community who supported the project. By 2012 we will will have a facility that will help transform various sports and bring us in line with other communities in Argyll & Bute.

Frosty wrote:Perhaps I may get an invite to officiate at a game in Town some day?,

Good idea Frosty. Post again when it is open and you are up.

One more winter of this!! Good riddance!

is this really going to happen or is it just false hopes again?

Kintyre Forum News wrote:The third generation (3G) synthetic turf pitch will be big enough for two seven a-side pitches. And, because the pitch will be floodlit, matches will be able to take place on winter evenings.

Just in case anyone is wondering the picth will be a full size pitch similar to the one in Oban (shown below) and will be split in to two seven a-side pitches to maximise use. Only difference is the one in Campbeltown will be even better as it will be new and be the latest synthetic surface to UEFA standards. We hope to work with the Council to maximise the use of the All Weather Pitch and will be actively encouraging all sports who can make use of what will be a wonderful facility for our community. Thanks to everyone for their continued support over the years - great community spirit! More on this later.

bud wrote:is this really going to happen or is it just false hopes again?

100% yes bud! No ifs and buts this will go ahead and be delivered by June 2012. Unfortunately sportscotland dragged their heels on their decision when Argyll & Bute Council were ready to go and hopes of having this up and running this year were delayed by sportscotland. However, it will be in place for next year.

This is the best news in generations for sport and, in particular for football in the community. From the point of view of the the Pupils Football Club, it will give us the opportunity to train and play on a first-class facility, a park with floodlights - the mind bogles! After decades of training under street lights, at last we will have facilities to match the best in the country. I look forward to seeing a massive improvement in standards, a true surface that should improve touch and control.

Football at anytime of the day or night - a great opportunity for everyone from schools to veterans. Bring it on!

I take it the pitch will be secured when not in use?

smokynuk wrote:I take it the pitch will be secured when not in use?

I think at this stage, and after such a long campaign, we are just enjoying the news this is finally going to happen! It is a point however that will be discussed as in general the pitches are not secured in other areas of Argyll due to issues with Health & Safety. However, this and other areas will no doubt be discussed over the period of construction and we are hopeful that there will be some sort of working group that is set up with the Council to ensure we protect the interests of both local sports clubs and the casual users.

Hope you are happy with the news too!

Sport wrote:Hope you are happy with the news too!

Im happy that the town is getting facilities that it should have had years ago. Although i wont be using it, additions like this is only good news for the town.

My concern is with the amount of money going into it, that it doesnt end up like the playpark it will be close too. Meaning damaged and vandalised and needing more money for repair. I hate to put a downer on things but too many times i have seen things being built or refurbished for the good of the town, only to see it vandalised months later.

I hope im proven wrong in this case and going by your answer it certainly seems like the problem will be addressed.

smokynuk wrote:My concern is with the amount of money going into it, that it doesnt end up like the playpark it will be close too. Meaning damaged and vandalised and needing more money for repair. I hate to put a downer on things but too many times i have seen things being built or refurbished for the good of the town, only to see it vandalised months later.

I hope im proven wrong in this case and going by your answer it certainly seems like the problem will be addressed.

It's a valid point to raise and we will ensure this is highlighted along with any other concerns or issues sports group or the public have.

This project is a major step forward in terms of sports development for our isolated community and it was strange to come across this letter issued out in 2006 asking SKSC member clubs to create a steering group to push this forward as soon as possible as the suggestion 5 years ago was it wouldn't be until 2012! Once again highlights how long the community has been campaigning for this and if you compare this to Oban where the AWP was delivered in 2006 you will notice a huge gap in sports development. Time to play chase up!

Letter from South Kintyre Sports Council in 2006 to member clubs

20th June 2006

Dear Representative,

Argyll & Bute Council’s Playing Field Programme – All Weather Playing Field

Following on from a recent meeting held by South Kintyre Sports Council with Argyll and Bute Council in connection with the Council’s playing field programme the Sports Council would like to form a Steering Group which will assist the Council in their investigation into the provision of an all weather outdoor sports facility in Campbeltown. The Council’s playing field programme has identified the construction of a full sized all weather pitch at Campbeltown, as a regional centre, as the next strategic priority in 2007-08. In 2006-07, the Council’s Playing Field Unit will develop this project to a stage at which an application could be submitted to Sportscotland for match funding at a future date, or taken forward, if an alternative funding source can be identified.

Although the Council’s playing field programme has identified Campbeltown as its next priority in 2007-08 the reality is the Council may be unable fund such a facility until at least 2012, leaving Campbeltown as the only major settlement in Argyll & Bute Council area without an all-weather surface. Council officers have already confirmed they will continue to draw up a development and business plan, which will be presented to the Council later in the year and it is imperative to the whole project that a Steering Group is formed and that we, as a community, demonstrate the need for such a facility in Kintyre. It is also important that we raise awareness throughout the community and ensure Argyll & Bute Council moves forward with this project which is critical to sports development in Kintyre. In addition we will be able to ensure the views of the community are heard and these are taken forward (in terms of what is required, location etc).

It is without doubt that an all weather floodlit surface in Campbeltown, and Kintyre on the whole, is required and is long overdue. At present it seems likely that football teams, shinty teams, athletics groups and local schools are those most likely to have an interest in such a facility. However, we are happy to receive suggestions of others that might be interested in using such a facility. This is an important opportunity; we need to show that there is a strong local interest in getting an all weather facility. If we can demonstrate this and make ourselves heard then the Council are more likely to move forward with the project.

To this end, please nominate one representative to attend the next Sports Council meeting, which will be held in the conference facility at Aquilibrium on Monday 3rd July 2006 at 7.30pm. In addition as a newly reformed Sports Council we would also like to take this opportunity to invite you to join the Sports Council and help shape sport in our community.


Yours in sport,