Campaigns swing into action over sports cuts

A CAMPAIGN has been launched to save sports facilities in the Capital that are under threat of the axe.

The Evening News revealed last week that four venues - Dalry Swim Centre, Crags Sports Centre, Kirkliston Leisure Centre and Portobello Golf Course - are all at risk of being closed as Edinburgh Leisure attempts to save up to 800,000.

Now Edinburgh Central MSP Sarah Boyack has launched a petition against the closure of the Dalry and Crags centres.

Local campaigns are expected to be set up within weeks, with Gorgie Dalry Community Council among those currently drawing up action plans.

Ms Boyack said: "The Crags Sports Centre was the result of a long-running community campaign and meets a very real need. People feel very bitter that all of their fundraising efforts are to be cast aside.

"It would be an utter disgrace if a facility which was so hard won was to be closed."

She said that the Dalry Swim Centre was the only swimming pool in the area, and added: "There is already a lack of good sports facilities in the area and the proposals are widely opposed."

Details of the hit list emerged in an internal Edinburgh Leisure report leaked to the Evening News.

A separate option proposed in the report was to close the loss-making Edinburgh International Climbing Arena and "one or two" of the other four sports facilities.

At a meeting earlier this week, members of the Gorgie Dalry Community Council pledged to do all they could to save the Victorian-era Dalry Swim Centre.

Willie Narrie, 73, who was among those who campaigned for the Crags Sports Centre to be opened, said: "When I heard about this I got goosebumps. Kids need this place and it would be terrible if it closed."

Labour councillor Paul Godzik, a former Edinburgh Leisure board member, said: "I have spoken to a number of people in the Fountainbridge area and they are extremely concerned that Dalry Swim Centre is earmarked for closure. I'm sure a petition will gather a lot of public support."

Details of the cuts being planned emerged after council officials proposed cutting Edinburgh Leisure's funding by four per cent. Councillors will be asked to approve the 347,000 cut at a meeting next week.

But Cllr Gordon Buchan, the culture and leisure spokesman for the Conservative group on the city council, said: "People are concerned, but the budget decisions have not been made. This is just political posturing to get a little-known MSP returned to Holyrood."

John Comiskey, interim chief executive of Edinburgh Leisure, said: "To reiterate, we are reviewing all options."