Time for answers on delay to £36m recreation centre

Council leader calls for investigation into leak issue that has prevented opening of Blairgowrie facility

- JOHNATHON MENZIES

Councillors have been asked to investigate issues which have delayed the opening of the new £36million Blairgowrie Recreation Centre.

The new complex, designed to replace the existing centre which was built more than 40 years ago, was due to open earlier this year but this was postponed after a leak was discovered in the pool.

The new facility will be Scotland’s first leisure centre built to environmentally-friendly Passivhaus standards, designed to provide state-of-the-art, low-energy facilities for both Blairgowrie High School and the wider community.

Construction on the long-awaited new centre began in June, 2023, and it has a six-lane, 25-metre swimming pool; a four-court sports hall; two-court sports hall/gymnasium; a fitness suite; dance studio; several different changing facilities; an office and a PE classroom, as well as a floodlit synthetic outdoor pitch.

After the initial leak was repaired, further testing was carried out which revealed a second, minor, leak in the pool.

Perth and Kinross Council has said contractors are working to resolve this issue before an opening date is announced.