Published: Thursday, 3rd July, 2008 09:40
Sports Minister drawn into Carnegie Leisure Centre revamp row
By Gary Fitzpatrick
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FIFE’S leisure chief has vowed that facilities at the refurbished Carnegie Centre will be “second to none in Scotland”.
Steve Grimmond, head of community services, also insisted that the upgrading of the 103-year-old complex offered the best value for the public purse as building a new centre with the same facilities would cost £30 million.
Mr Grimmond was responding to renewed calls from campaigners and local Labour politicians to look again at the revamp decision with Scotland’s sports minister, Stewart Maxwell, now drawn into the row.
MSP John Park and councillors Willie Sullivan and Bill McCulloch are backing a campaign by some centre users unhappy with the decision to modernise the Carnegie at a cost of £17.2 million.
They argue the money could be better spent on building a new facility elsewhere in the city and have cited examples of where they say the public have received better value.
There are also worries about the lack of sporting facilities during the Carnegie’s 18-month closure, due to start in December.
Mr Park said, “I have written to the sports minister asking him what steps they will be taking to ensure West Fife leisure users don’t suffer if this refurbishment goes ahead.
“There are great examples across the UK such as in Penzance or at the new DG One Centre in Dumfries that have provided new sporting and cultural facilities for those communities at a similar cost to the proposed refurbishment of the Carnegie Leisure Centre.
“We need to ensure a public debate takes place about the proposals and that decisions are not being made behind closed doors.
“I want to make sure that the best possible option is being taken forward by Fife Council. We need 21st century facilities for a 21st century Dunfermline.”
Councillor Sullivan said, “Fife Council has to make sure we are getting the best deal for the nearly £20 million which will be spent on exciting new facilities.
“I am not convinced the option of a joint project with a new Dunfermline High School and potential new Carnegie College campus has been properly explored.
“We could have the best learning and leisure campus in Scotland built to the west of the Glen and linked via a tunnel to the Glen Pavilion.”
He said he would ask council officials if a full cost comparison had been carried out “or whether it has just been an easy option to spend all this money on trying to do up a very old facility”.
Long-time Carnegie customer Bill Robb said, “The refurbishment of the leisure centre was made on the back of what has been established as a very flawed consultation.
"It is claimed that 1500 of the wider community were consulted but no Fifestyle members or other users were consulted.”
The projected cost of renovating the Carnegie is £17.2 million but this is described as the ‘core budget’ and could rise if additional features are included.
The DG One Centre in Dumfries, which opened in May on the site of a former store, also cost £17.2 million but boasts three swimming pools, including flumes, a large sports hall and a 1200-seat theatre complex.
Responding to the campaigners’ arguments, Mr Grimmond said the consultation had involved 1500 stakeholders, including sports clubs and centre users, with “overwhelming” support for renovating the Carnegie centre.
He said work was continuing to accommodate sports clubs in alternative facilities.
The swimming pool at HMS Caledonia could be opened to the public if “security issues” could be addressed, he added.
Mr Grimmond said he could not comment on the other centres cited but added, “The facilities at the new Carnegie Leisure Centre will be second to none in Scotland.”
Asked if the campaigners were wasting their time with the process so far down the line, he said, “The intention is to proceed with the plans for the centre to close on 23rd December and work to start in January.”
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