To be published on 6th May 2018
In December 1978, the first completed drawings and plans for the proposed Sports Centre were revealed at a meeting of the Hamilton District Council’s Leisure and Recreation committee. Councillors greeted the plans favourably.
District Council Architect, Mr Edward Hawke went through the drawings for the site proposed across from Asda.
The sports centre was to be built on 3 levels. It was proposed the basement would house the large swimming pool, learner pool, a sauna suite, tennis courts, first aid room and staff cleaning rooms. On the ground floor were to be male and female changing rooms, store rooms and a main and auxiliary hall. The top floor had to have staff and administration areas, a creche, cafe and licensed bar with connecting function room.
Mr Hawke suggested the cost of the project at £2.2m was within the council’s budget. Provost Brownlie of Hamilton had concerns that the area was being “overdone” with a sports centre already in Larkhall and Hamilton. Councillors in Blantyre, horrified at that statement, pushed harder , more than ever for Blantyre’s sports centre to be built. Indeed, their statements asked for it to be the “main sports centre” in Lanarkshire, one fitting for a modern redevelopment of Blantyre.
From “Blantyre Explained” by Paul Veverka (c) 2018
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