Work is due to start this month on a £1.5 million running track and sports pitches at Airdrie leisure centre.
The athletics facility at the Rawyards centre will consist of a new and resurfaced four-lane 400 metre track plus six 100m sprint lanes, and a new long and high jump facility and spectator area.
Both full-size and five-a-side synthetic football pitches will be created in the centre of the new development, replacing the existing grass field.
Council leader Jim Logue, who represents the Airdrie Central ward in which the leisure centre is located, welcomed news of the sporting development and says it can will also be able to benefit pupils at neighbouring St Margaret’s High.
He said: “It will bring significant benefits for a wide range of the community, by upgrading the current grass football pitch and replacing the recreational ash running track.
“This major investment will further enhance the excellent outdoor facilities including the outdoor gym, skatepark and play area; I’m delighted that we’ve secured funding, and it will create more opportunities to improve the health and wellbeing of our communities.”
Plans also include floodlighting, ballstop fencing, equipment stores and a new service access road connecting onto Kelvin Drive in Rawyards.
The official application to North Lanarkshire Council was approved in October, with one letter of representation supporting the project being received.
Granting permission, the authority noted: “The investment will see significant improvements to the centre’s outdoor athletics provision; improvement of these existing facilities and inclusion of others such as the long jump track would result in an overall improvement in available sporting facilities [at] the site.”
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