Games win to have major benefits for city, says Dawe

Published on Saturday 10 November 2007 12:29

EDINBURGH is set to reap major benefits from Glasgow's victory in the race to host the 2014 Commonwealth Games, city council leader Jenny Dawe said today.

She praised Glasgow for putting forward a "compelling" case and promised to strengthen the co-operation between the two cities.

But the council's opposition Labour group claimed a question mark still hung over the plans to refurbish the Royal Commonwealth Pool, which is due to host the Games' diving events.

And they warned Edinburgh must make sure its sporting facilities kept pace with the improvements which would be delivered in Glasgow's.

Yesterday's decision by the Commonwealth Games Federation, meeting in Sri Lanka, to award the 2014 Games to Glasgow rather than the Nigerian city of Abuja prompted huge celebrations in Scotland.

Councillor Dawe said it was an excellent result. "We will be offering Glasgow any help they need. There will be quite big spin-offs in terms of people wanting to visit. Many of them may end up staying in Edinburgh and those who don't will want to visit the Capital."

Cllr Dawe said the Glasgow-Edinburgh collaboration project provided a good base for further co-operation.

Graham Bell, spokesman for Edinburgh Chamber of Commerce, said the Games were a win not just for Glasgow but for Scotland. He said: "It behoves businesses and the local authority in Edinburgh to ensure it is getting a share of the benefits."

But Paul Godzik, Labour spokesman for culture, leisure and sport on the council, said the Liberal Democrat-SNP administration still had to spell out how the Commonwealth Pool refurbishment was to be funded.

The 35.9 million project is in trouble because a big chunk of the funding was supposed to come from the sale of Meadowbank stadium, which has been shelved.

Cllr Godzik said: "The administration needs to come forward with a coherent plan for funding the refurbishment of the Commonwealth Pool."

The work to provide diving facilities for the Games is underwritten by the Scottish Government and Cllr Dawe has already admitted the council may have to rely on that guarantee to bail them out. She said: "There will now be a very strong argument for assistance in allowing us to bring the Commonwealth Pool up to standard. I will be getting involved in discussions very soon."

Independent Lothians MSP Margo MacDonald said: "Edinburgh is so stretched for cash that if there is any funding gap, I would expect the Executive to fill it."

A spokesman for the bid team, speaking from Sri Lanka, said: "The commitment that was in the bid to use the Commonwealth Pool is still our commitment."

A Government spokeswoman said: "The Scottish Government expects local authorities, with other partners, to deliver the remainder of the funding and this has previously been agreed by local authorities."

WE SAY..

WE should all rejoice in the fact that Glasgow has been chosen to be the host city for the 2014 Commonwealth Games - as Edinburgh was in both 1970 and 1986.

It is great news not only for Glasgow but for Edinburgh and the whole of Scotland as the staging of the Games will create opportunities over a much wider geographical reach than the west of the country.

Everyone in the Capital who has the opportunity should play whatever part they can in ensuring that they are a success.