A gymnastics club which welcomes more than 550 members a week is pleading with cash-strapped West Dunbartonshire Council not to close their base.
The West Dumbarton Activity Centre in Brucehill is one of seven facilities earmarked either for closure or a move to community ownership by the local authority, which is attemptoing to close a £14million budget shortfall.
Councillors will meet at Church Street tomorrow (Wednesday 1) to decide on the proposals, which also impact Bonhill Community Centre in Ladyton, Napier Hall in Old Kilpatrick, Bowling Hall and three venues in Clydebank.
A paper which will be presented to members next week says: “Many of the centres’ block bookings have not returned post-Covid as sites were unavailable for so long due to use as testing or vaccination centres.”
It adds that selling the venues could generate up to £2.4m for the authority.
But ahead of the meeting, members of West Dunbartonshire Gymnastics Club have launched a passionate plea to keep the hub in council hands.
Development coordinator Luisa McFarlane said: “As a club we are extremely shocked and saddened to hear of this and that no one has approached us to discuss this potential issue and agree on a suitable solution that would benefit us all.
“At West Dunbartonshire Gymnastics Club, we are committed to our local community.
“We offer classes to children of all ages, six days per week throughout the
year
“Over 550 members per week use West Dunbartonshire Activity Centre as a gymnastics training facility.
“We offer competitive and non-competitive gymnastics classes and have a scholarship for local children who wouldn’t otherwise be able to attend classes.
“In partnership with the local Dunbartonshire Disability Sports Club and West Dunbartonshire Leisure Trust, we have created a weekly disability training session for our young members and the wider community, with the ambition to create a display team.
“We provide a pathway for young gymnasts in the area to access new skills and training through our coaching pathway.
“Many of these young local volunteers develop into our coaching workforce within the club and become employed as WDGC coaches.
“In short, we refuse to accept that the facility is ‘not being fully utilised’.”
Urging people to attend a rally against the cuts, scheduled for 3.20pm outside WDC’s Church Street HQ on Wednesday (March 1), Luisa added: “We have created a very strong bond with the wider community in West Dunbartonshire.
“During the summer months we offer free gymnastics taster sessions for non-members and we work together with West Dunbartonshire Leisure Trust to deliver three to four week summer camps during the school holidays for the community.
“This helps to support working families as it provides recreational activities for children throughout the summer period, whilst many parents have to work and find it extremely hard to arrange child care. We are asking our members to support us in our cause. This is for all our children.”
