Scottish Conservative MSPs Liz Smith and Murdo Fraser are pushing for an international size ice rink to be built in Perth as part of the local authority’s PH2O plan.
This follows a meeting of Perth and Kinross Councillors on January 22, when they considered a paper on the Transformation Review of Leisure Assets, which included proposals for the future of the Dewar’s Centre, Perth Leisure Pool and the Bell’s Sports Centre. The council plan to close all three venues and replace them with the single-site PH2O project.
Although the council has promised they will include ice rink and swimming provision in the plan, they rejected the Scottish Conservative Councillor’s amendments which asked for an international size ice rink to be built in Perth – one that is capable of holding national competitions.
Perth and Kinross Council’s original plan did not include ice rink provision.
Commenting, Liz Smith MSP said: “The proposed plan agreed by the SNP-run Council in Perth and Kinross is just not acceptable and is short-changing local residents, the curling community and local swim groups. To propose closing a historic ice rink like Dewars and replace it with a facility that can’t hold national and international curling events will be seriously detrimental to attracting world-class curling events to Perth - supposedly the home of Scottish curling. It is a preposterous idea.
“Once again, we have an example of the SNP failing to safeguard Scottish sport.”
And Murdo Fraser MSP added: “The Leader of Perth and Kinross Council promised he would ask for ice rink provision to be included in their PH20 plan but sadly the SNP-run Council have plumped for an ice rink that will not be suitable for international competitions. Their proposals also mean that all types of swimmers – those training and those using the pool for fun – will be sharing the same space in the proposed new pool at the venue.
“This is not the answer we and many local residents were looking for after the Council’s original plan was met with opposition from many quarters, including from the Scottish Conservatives. As usual, we see an SNP-run Council go for an option that is totally unsatisfactory on many levels.
“It is extremely disappointing that the Council decided to reject our Councillors’ amendments for a separate leisure swimming pool and an ice rink suitable for national and international competitions.”
Perth and Kinross Council rejected three proposed additions from Scottish Conservatives to their motion on Monday. This was to:
- include a costed option for an ice rink of the size capable of hosting national and/or international events in the revised PH2O sports complex;
- include a costed option for a separate leisure swimming area to complement the 25m pool and the training pool; and
- to establish a User Reference Group to contribute to the high-level design of the revised PH2O.
