Community trust makes the pitch for Elgin sports facilities

For a long time the lack of sports facilities within Elgin has been a troubling issue, with ever tightening budgets often meaning that leisure faces a further squeeze. However a new group are aiming to challenge the issue, by looking to tackle the problem themselves.

Elgin Sports Community Trust realise that in delivering the flood alleviation works, and with the present era of austerity, Moray Council are not in a position to throw money at sports projects.

However with working alongside the local authority, they hope to deliver a multi-use facility at Lesser Borough Briggs, having earmarked the council land as an ideal central location for a flagship development.

Chair of Elgin Sports Community Trust, Dave Allen said to MFR News: "We could sit and whinge about the lack of sports facilities - or the state of the present ones - but as a group of mums, dads, volunteers, trustees, if you want to set an example, you have a power within your community to help yourself"

Ideally the plan is a staged approach, the third phase being a floodlit 3G/4G sports pitch, managed by the trust and open to any sports - not just football. Eventually this would be a multi-use sports facility.

The land at Lesser Borough Briggs (post flood alleviation) had been estimated at a value of £800,000 with Moray Council keen for a developer to come in. A suggestion of flats and/or a hotel had been put forward for the land next to Elgin City FC.

Mr Allen said, "That piece of land has been there some time, and I'd suggest that perhaps we would've seen that interest come by now. I believe the value to the community in having a sports facility would be far greater. Studies show for every pound spent on sports facilities the return is eight-fold in terms of health, well-being - both young and old - keeping kids occupied and entertained, and what sport can give back to society"

Sadly the land could have already been developed, as a plan was put forward by Elgin City to improve the area with toilets and a changing room. However Moray Council let a grant from SportScotland lapse - issued in 2011, the £100,000 in funding was forfeited five years later having been left unused. This despite the redevelopment proposals being submitted - which would've cost £67,000.

Mr Allen said: "We're not competing with the council we want to work with them. You look at places like Buckie and Aberlour, I think it's surprising to find that Elgin doesn't have a 3G facility open to the public at all times"

You can find out more on Elgin Sports Community Trust here or also here