National sports centre reopens in Largs after £12m revamp
- Published
A £12m redevelopment of sportscotland's National Sports Training Centre in Largs is set to open.
The residential sports training centre is to be used by schools, clubs elite, athletes and the local community.
It has been designed to ensure it can be used as a fully-inclusive training and events venue for para-sports.
The facility was funded through the Scottish government Commonwealth Games Legacy Fund, sportscotland and North Ayrshire Council.
The design is inspired by the flow of a gymnast's ribbon.
Existing sports and gymnastics halls are connected with world-class training facilities and an accommodation block providing 60 fully-accessible twin bedrooms.
Paralympian and Scotland CP football vice captain Martin Hickman will be one of the first to train at the redeveloped venue with his team
Sports minister Aileen Campbell said: "It's wonderful to see it ready to open and to hear how sportscotland are going to maximise the use of the centre for all.
"Facilities like Inverclyde, and the recently opened Oriam, are not just for elite athletes. They have been designed to ensure that communities can benefit too."
Commonwealth Games judo gold medallist, Graeme Randall, who is a sportscotland lead manager, said the organisation was looking forward to welcoming its first guests.
He said: "While generations of Scotland's best athletes have trained here over the years, at Inverclyde we believe that everyone should have the opportunity to participate and progress in sport."
The Scottish Cerebral Palsy/Stroke/Acquired Brain Injury Squad will be one of the first groups to train at the newly redeveloped centre.
Paralympian and Scotland CP football vice captain, Martin Hickman said: "This is an ideal place for us to come together as a team, allowing us to focus fully on our training knowing that everything we need has been thought about and catered for."
Active Schools co-ordinator Natalie Murray said the centre would inspire local children to make sport a part of their daily lives.