Welcome £140,000 boost for pool redevelopment

The board and management of MACEL (Mid Argyll Community Enterprises Ltd) are delighted to report two more generous grants towards the Mid Argyll Community Pool redevelopment project.

 

Highlands and Islands Enterprise (HIE) will provide £120,000 towards the main capital works, to include funding for a capital project manager, and EB Scotland have granted £20,000 towards the installation of a soft play area.

 

The HIE grant means that MACPool is now very close to amassing funding for the total of the main capital works and the board is hopeful that a further grant early in the new year can be announced, which will complete the capital requirement.

 

An invitation to tender has been placed on the Public Contracts Scotland website and tenders are expected by December 16.

 

This will enable the project team to review the tenders over the Christmas period, with a view to appointing a contractor by the end of January and starting work on site by the end of the first quarter of 2021.

 

The redevelopment plans will incorporate an upgraded changing area for a wide range of users and will see the building adjoining MACPool converted into a welcoming and fully accessible community café with soft play facilities for younger children and multi-purpose activity spaces.

 

The grant from EB Scotland means that, together with £10,000 already donated from the Co-op Community Fund, 90 per cent of the money needed for the soft play area has been raised.

 

Claire McMurchy, head of strengthening communities at HIE, said: 'HIE is pleased to provide support to MACPool towards the redevelopment of the community-run asset.  A fully accessible, welcoming and inclusive health and wellbeing community hub will enhance current facilities and enable wider engagement with more people across Mid Argyll as well as adding to visitor options in Mid Argyll.'

 

'We are so grateful to HIE and EB Scotland for their generosity and the trust they have placed in us to execute this exciting project,' said Kim Ritchie, chairwoman of the MACEL board.

 

'Being so close to having all the money we need to start construction really takes our vision of a MACPool community health and wellbeing hub a huge step nearer to realisation. We still need to raise money for works and fit-out, outside the main contract though, and our community fundraising programme will aim to fill some of that gap.

 

'We will be launching it soon, so watch this space!'