Rugby stars pitch in to help launch £2m sports complex

Published on Thursday 15 May 2008 10:28

SCOTLAND rugby stars have unveiled a £2 million sports complex which will benefit children across the Capital.

Hugo Southwell and Ally Hogg opened the revamped Bangholm Sport and Outdoor Education Complex with pupils from Trinity Academy and Holy Cross Primary.

The Edinburgh Rugby stars brought along the Calcutta Cup, the spoils of their defeat of England in the Six Nations.

In return, the pupils impressed Southwell and Hogg with their rugby and hockey skills, while also offering mountain bike displays.

The revamped sports complex replaces the ageing facilities at Bangholm, including its pre-war changing rooms.

It now features a year-round floodlit synthetic hockey pitch, two grass rugby pitches, a training area, six changing rooms, an outdoor education base, a kitchen and a classroom.

Bangholm is the main outdoor education centre for all Edinburgh schools, and is used by various local community clubs.

Both Hogg and Southwell believe the "impressive" facilities will encourage more young people to get involved in sports.

Hogg, 25, said: "It's great to have the all-weather pitches and with it tied to the school, it's a great facility to have. The better the facilities, the more likely we can get kids to go along."

Southwell said: "I thought it was pretty impressive. It's got an awesome Astroturf and can be used for all sorts of sports.

"The area where we need investment at the moment is at grassroots level and investment like this can only help.

"If you're enjoying sports at a young age and wanting to go back then that's the key."

Councillor Marilyne MacLaren, the city's education leader, joined the stars at yesterday's opening.

She said: "This is an extremely exciting project which will complement the city-wide upgrading of schools and sporting facilities."

The 2 million revamp project received 644,000 from the Big Lottery Fund.

Dharmendra Kanani, director of Big Lottery Fund Scotland, said: "This new facility will mark the beginning of a healthier, more active lifestyle for young people and the wider community."