A football club will take on the running of a sports pavilion in Renfrew after the final terms of a deal was agreed.
Renfrew Victoria Youth Football Club have secured a long-term lease for Kirklandneuk Pavilion and playing fields in the town’s Ness Road.
Elected members gave the terms of the agreement the green light at the recent infrastructure, land and environment policy board, adding the finishing touches to an asset transfer process dating back to 2019.
The lease will run for a period of 25 years but does not apply to the connected community centre, which remains a self-managed facility.
The initial annual rent is £1, if asked, and the Vics are responsible for repairs and maintenance, as well as being required to contribute 30 per cent of the costs to maintain the car park.
The contract will be a major boost for the club, who already have plans to regenerate the run-down pavilion.
They were awarded £50,000 in council funding in August to breathe new life into the facility which was first built more than 45 years ago.
The club is currently trying to grow its girls’ section to the size of its boys’ group.
Stuart Wild, the club’s chairman, said in the summer: “We need to invest to get the club house up to a standard that is of a benefit to both us and the community.
“It would mean a great deal because it would allow us to continue to grow the
club.
“We have more than 200 members, including coaches, at the moment.
“The take-up for girls’ football has been phenomenal. It’s possibly due to the exposure from the Euros.”
He added that the club were looking to “create a facility that the whole community would be proud of”.
Councillor Lisa-Marie Hughes praised the club for the work they do locally at a meeting of the communities and housing policy board a matter of months
ago.
She said at the time: “As well as running more training sessions and games than you could count, the Vics have built up a really strong place in the community over their many years at Kirklandneuk Park.
“They’re really keen to develop their girls’ team, which I think is brilliant.”
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