Aberfeldy ’s varied sports groups could get access to a welcoming new facility looking out on the River Tay if plans sent to Perth and Kinross Council get approved.
With a planning application lodged at 2 High Street on November 9, and significant funding in place, important progress has been made in the process to build a new sports clubhouse in the town, replacing the antiquated building occupied by Aberfeldy Golf Club.
The trust-run Aberfeldy Sports Club (TASC) has received two substantial offers totalling £500,000 towards funding its project to build and operate a multi-sports clubhouse and community wellbeing hub beside Wade’s Bridge.
These offers, each of £250,000, come from the Griffin and Calliachar Community Fund and the Gannochy Trust.
Peter Howell, TASC’s independent chairman, said: “We are most grateful for this generous support to our community project. The size of the offers and stature of these bodies should give confidence to other potential funders.”
TASC is a SCIO formed to create a modern community clubhouse that will host not only the Aberfeldy Golf Club and the Aberfeldy Rugby Club together with other local sports clubs, but be available to all those involved in activities such as walking, running cycling and water sports.
“Those who just want to enjoy coffee and conversation after a Riverside walk or while walking the River Tay Way would also be welcome.
The clubhouse will include men’s and women’s changing rooms, showers, toilets, a bar/restaurant, a private meeting room and scope to host lifestyle/wellbeing activities such as yoga.
The new building is to be erected on the footprint of the existing golf clubhouse which will be demolished.
Plans for the new building will be available for public inspection at the Aberfeldy Golf Club from 12pm till 2pm on Sunday, November 27 when the trustees will be available to provide further information.
Aberfeldy Golf Club and TASC trustees are liaising with Feldyroo and the Upper Tay Paths Group on plans to create ‘all ability’ pathways along the riverside and a parkrun route within the disused back nine.
These projects, along with ‘Walk and Talk’ and other initiatives of the Aberfeldy Healthiest Town collective, will help promote the new clubhouse as a community wellbeing hub for everyone.
Chairman Peter Howell explained TASC trustees would be seeking further funding as costs had increased and the Griffin/Gannochy Trust inputs brought them half the way to the project’s target.
He said:“When first mooted, the project was estimated to cost about £650-700k, but inflation has pushed latest estimates to about £1 million so the generous offers now in place bring us only halfway towards our target.
“We are grateful to widespread expressions of support which have been of great help in fundraising to date and which reinforce the determination of the trustees to complete that task.”
See www.aberfeldysportsclub.co.uk
