New £1.4m gymnastics excellence centre to be built in Glasgow

A new climbing wall and children's soft play area are to be built as part of a £1.4 million investment in physical activity in Glasgow.

The Palace of Art will be turned into a centre of excellence for gymnastics as part of a 1.4 million pound investment in physical activity in Glasgow. Picture: Phil Wilkinson

The investment will improve facilities at two major venues in the city, with the Palace of Art becoming a centre of excellence for gymnastics.

At Kelvin Hall in the west end, an indoor climbing centre will be created alongside children’s soft play within an unused space toward the front of the building.

It is hoped that work on both centres will be completed before the end of the year, Glasgow Life said.

Work is also progressing to extend opening hours at a number of Glasgow Club centres while membership and pricing structures will also be simplified.

Councillor David McDonald, chairman of Glasgow Life and depute leader of Glasgow City Council, said: “Communities across Glasgow have access to world-class sport and leisure facilities, and we are working hard to ensure that everyone has the chance to be more fit and active.

“We’re investing to further improve our facilities at Kelvin Hall and the Palace of Art, and we will be open for longer at some of our most popular facilities to meet customer demand.”

The Glasgow Club has 25 facilities across the city, including the Emirates Arena, the Tollcross International Swimming Centre and recently refurbished venues such as Glasgow Club Gorbals.

Attendances last year topped 6.3 million, with a record 42,000 Glasgow Club members – up from a figure of 20,000 in 2009.