Carnegie Leisure Centre to be hit by further delays?

Published 28 Jan 2011 09:23 14 Comments

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THE re-opening of the Carnegie Leisure Centre in Dunfermline looks certain to be further delayed due to the severe winter weather.

The £17.2 million revamp promises to deliver a fabulous facility for the city but there are fears it could be towards the end of the year before it finally opens again.

The date had already been pushed back six months by Fife Council, to this summer, but that now looks unlikely after seven weeks of snow and ice gripped West Fife.

Project co-ordinator Andy MacLellan said, "Our understanding is there were some disruptions to the contractors' works on site due to the inclement weather which affected deliveries of materials and staffing on the site.

"The anticipated date of the building handover to Fife Council is approximately late summer/autumn."

Asked if the "building handover" date was the same as the opening date, or if there would still be months of "fitting out" the centre, the council would not clarify.

In response, Mr MacLellan said, "The refurbishment of Carnegie Leisure Centre continues to progress well towards its planned completion later this year.

"As previously reported, the original Edwardian part of the building has presented a number of significant technical challenges, including extensive wet and dry rot, and these have led to some unavoidable delays.

"The severe weather experienced last December clearly hasn't helped, with many staff often struggling to get into work and critical deliveries being delayed. We are currently reviewing the programme with the contractor and, collectively, we'll obviously be doing all that we can to mitigate against any further delays. At this stage, however, we can't rule out that possibility."

Councillor Joe Rosiejak, chairman of the City of Dunfermline area committee, said, "I can't control the weather, if I could we'd have the climate of Tenerife in Scotland, but we will have a fabulous facility that will be a legacy for another 150-200 years.

"I've been privileged enough to see the work being done, they've made a fantastic job of it, but they had to deal with dry rot and all kinds of problems as previous administrations failed to maintain council properties.

"We're picking up the pieces but in the end it'll be money well spent and with the project for the old Dunlop factory across the road, and Tesco finally starting work, it will be a great part of town for years to come."

The popular swimming baths have now been closed for more than two years – the centre closed in December 2008 – and at the time the council said it would re-open "no later" than January 2011.

This timescale included the completion of the building works in the Autumn of 2010 and the fit-out thereafter, which was set to take a few months. In October last year council chiefs admitted the centre wouldn't open until this summer.

At the time, Grant Ward, the council's head of leisure and cultural services, explained, "We share the frustration of our customers in terms of this taking longer than we thought.

"But most understand that we've got to get it right and when we do finish the building – and the end is now in sight – we will have a facility for Dunfermline that stands in comparison with anything in Scotland.

"In the case of Carnegie you've got the original 1905 Edwardian part of the building that brings with it certain sensitivities and challenges around trying to protect and preserve that Carnegie heritage.On top of that you've got two extensions built in the '70s and '80s so it's a messy, complex, bit-of-a-guddle site."

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seeing red
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Jan 28, 10:50
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what a surprise, more delays. I am fed up waiting to take my grandchildren swimming again. Yes there is one in cowdenbeath, but add on the travelling and the time between school and nursery runs I just can't manage it. There needs to be a more detailed reason why it is taking so long, one being the only activity I see going on is men standing about looking or on there mobiles. Do not blame it on the weather that only lasted for weeks not months, a new building would be up and running now and making money, so fife council muck it up again, just something else to add to there list.

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whatnext
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Jan 28, 17:40
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The only "bit of a guddle" is what's coming out of Grant Ward's mouth. It's not as if "the original 1905 Edwardian part of the building that brings with it certain sensitivities and challenges around trying to protect and preserve that Carnegie heritage.On top of that you’ve got two extensions built in the ’70s and ’80s" has just been noticed (I hope!).7 weeks of snow and ice? Pardon. More "guddle". Is it too much to expect Fife Council to have built in penalty clauses to Andy MacLennan's company and bonus. Of course it is. That money could have gone to help save Ardroy, another leisure facility Dunfermline's children will have to do without. Oh, that and school dinners. Dunfermline Press are a bit slow on the closure of many school kitchens in West Fife story. To name but a few, Blairhall, St Serf's (Highvalleyfield), Culross, possibly Limekilns and Saline. All this after expensive kitchen refits last year. Oh dear......

PS. What on earth have you done with the layout Dunny Press? Sold out to the advertisers?

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Disgruntled_of_Fife
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Jan 28, 19:45
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So how much is this going to cost council tax payers?

This is yet another example of the financial impact that the short-sighted decisions of Fife Council are having on the day-to-day smooth running of Fife. The tangible costs are mounting up; who know's what the intangible costs for the recent snow clearing fiasco will be.

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davie
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Jan 28, 22:53
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who is the idiot above with the comment, this will be a fabulous facility, i take it your a fat couch potatoe

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Hackies Fauld
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Jan 30, 16:23
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Oh, that and school dinners. Dunfermline Press are a bit slow on the closure of many school kitchens in West Fife story. To name but a few, Blairhall, St Serf's (Highvalleyfield), Culross, possibly Limekilns and Saline. All this after expensive kitchen refits last year. Oh dear......

Thank god that someone has noticed this ,and Im not being sarky!!,the media nonreporting on this is a disgrace.

well done whatnext,maybe the press will start doing its job on this story

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ROBROY
35 posts
Jan 30, 21:39
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Centre to be hit by more delays?

The truth will always surface, and what is happening, or not, with Carnegie Leisure Centre, was well and truly forecast by The Way Forward Team for leisure suitable for the 21st century.

Here we have the introduction of another 'wriggle' factor with Grant Ward stating, "We share the frustration of our customers in terms of this taking longer than we thought....." Does he really? There are NO customers. Many have joined private clubs to meet their so-called FC leisure managers(?) who never used the facilities, when working, that were not good enough for them. His words come from the same hymn sheet as used by Ed Watson, now CE of the Trust, when a major mistake was made at Kirkcaldy Baths when the wrong paint was used which denied their citizens leisure facilities for 3 months.

All of those involved in this refurbishment folly, were well aware that this was an ancient building which had undergone two previous extensions/refurbishments, and that to subject it to another extremely tasking refurbishment was a complete and utter nonsense. Let it be clear, that a great deal of our cash was spent having surveyors checking CLC over to see if there were going to be any surprises. Now it is surprise, surprise, there is dry rot and much more to contend with. This was pointed out to them by TWFT on many occasions.

The closure period was presented to councillors as being 18 months, when it was well known to be closer to 2 years even by their flawed evaluation. Subterfuge hardly describes the ducking and diving that has gone on. Indeed, the formation of The Fife Sports and Leisure Trust Limited, 'could be' part and parcel of the architects of CLC's refurbishment, as an endeavour to confuse. Trusts are set up by government bodies, to give the impression, that they do not have so many employees. Yes, a bit of swift footwork. Be clear, we, the taxpayers, are funding this Leisure Trust. That is not the way it is supposed to work. They should be pushing money into our coffers not the other way round.

Councillor Joe Rosiejak says he can't control the weather. What does he control? He states, that we will have another wonderful facility for another 150 to 200 years. Councillor, I asked that question many times, and the real experts could not give an answer. Who is going to contradict you? A holiday in Tenerife would be in order to allow you to chill out. More importantly, why have you not stood up for the citizens of Dunfermline and area who have had their Human Rights and the Mission Statements of Fife Council and the Trust abused?

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RICK
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Feb 1, 01:36
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ROB ROY , calm down now all this continually going on about it is not going to make tuppence worth of difference as most people as well as yourself should finally realise.

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scotsman
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Feb 1, 23:01
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so Rickyboy, what do you suggest then. Give up the ghost? Stand by and constantly watch Fife Council fail us and our children. Squandering money, which they haven't got through inept management decisions and no ability to plan for the long term.

Wake up. It may not have directly affected you yet, but it will son, it will.

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Big Wull
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Feb 3, 06:40
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aww hurry up n come on man! all a want is a dook! naw

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noneedforspeed
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Feb 3, 13:01
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i remember when the Baths were first closed 32 years ago , much to some dismay then , why o why do we not leave it almost like it was as a bath coffee centre , and rebuild some where easy car parking ( no charge )

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RICK
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Feb 4, 04:06
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SCOTSMAN """"""""" i can assure you that because decisions made by the present administration do affect me as well as others i have raised concerns regarding the leasure centres refurbishment repeatedly at meetings and with several local councilors since the project was first anounced , however despite myself and others voicing our concerns the powers that be still continue on their merry way regardless.

sadly the only option apparently available seems to be waiting till the next council elections occur and with the help of other likeminded citizens try to get the present administration voted out

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Spam-Heed
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Feb 4, 11:10
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RobRoy, i get from you is 'whinge, greet, blah, moan...........' I read the first 3 sentences then scroll on.....

Your a dullard with not much else going on in your life that you have to continually greet and whinge about everything.

So what the leisure centre has been delayed for a wee while, if get up out your your armchair once in a while and take a wee look into the world outside your Laptop, TV or PC you'll find that the quality of work that is being done at the Carnegie Centre will be well worth it in the end, simple things can delay work, structural matters, asbestos removal (that requires specalist contractors) dampness problems so on and so on, oh and you might find that the Carnegie trust is paying a fair bit toward the refurb...........

But that would get in way of a good rant wouldn't it.........

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ChrisStevenson1989
2 posts
Feb 4, 16:47
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Spam.....correct simple things can dealy anything and as we the public are not involved in the day to day construction of the project, who are we to complain we are getting much better facility for our kids to enjoy and in the grand schem of things, there are bigger issues than the swimming baths being delayed for a couple of months, Dunfermline has bigger issues ie the lack of council housing etc...

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Spam-Heed
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Feb 5, 13:52
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Spot on Chris!

It wouldn't matter to some folk what was done, they'd always whinge about something!

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