Tag: Sport

Have your say on the new Meadowbank

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The public are being invited to give their views on a new sports complex to replace the existing Meadowbank Stadium and Sports Centre.

The City of Edinburgh Council is intending to submit a planning application early next year as the kick-start for the project to deliver a modern, fully accessible high quality sports complex for sports clubs and the local community.

To help the Council shape the planning application they are asking people to let them know their views to ensure everyone’s needs are taken into account.

There is an online survey for people to take part in and two public information events will be held at Meadowbank Sports Centre on Thursday 17 and Tuesday 22 November both between 3pm and 8pm.

Current proposals for the new sports centre include:

• An outdoor athletics track with a 500 seat stand
• Two multi sport games halls
• Three fitness studios
• A gym
• A gymnastics hall
• Two squash courts
• A combat studio for martial arts
• A  boxing gym with ring
• A 60m 6 lane indoor athletics track and jumps space
• An outdoor athletics track with jumps space
• An outdoor throwing area
• Two FIFA 1 3G (all weather) pitches – one which will be in the centre of the athletics track
• Cafe and meeting rooms

The first multi sport games hall would be equivalent in size to an eight court badminton hall with permanent seating for 420 and additional bleacher seating for 725. The second hall is set to be the equivalent of a four court badminton hall with permanent seating for 430.

The new centre will be partly funded by residential and commercial development on parts of the existing site that are not required for the new sports complex. This will include development of affordable and low cost housing through the Council’s 21st Century Homes Programme.

In addition to the planning application for the new sports complex, a masterplan for the wider site development will be submitted with the aim of gaining outline planning permission.

Councillor Richard Lewis, Culture and Sport Convener for the City of Edinburgh Council, said: “We want the new Meadowbank Stadium and Sports Centre to be a venue fit for the 21st Century and the public’s views on our proposals are key to this.

“Transforming Meadowbank into a brand new sports complex would provide a modern, fully accessible high quality sports centre for sports clubs and the local community.

“I would urge everyone to tell us what they think about the range of facilities being proposed and the masterplan. The public can either take part in our online survey or come along to one of our two public information events.

“Not only would we see a new Meadowbank but more homes would be built to meet the city’s housing needs. The new venue will also bring health and wellbeing benefits across the city by supporting even more people to become and stay active.

“Public consultation on our proposals and submitting a planning application are the next important steps to realise our ambition of redeveloping Meadowbank.”

June Peebles, chief executive of Edinburgh Leisure, added: “Meadowbank is part of Edinburgh’s sporting heritage and continues to attract thousands of customers, participating in a wide range of physical activities, through its doors every week. However, appreciating the age of the venue and the changing needs of customers, it is in need of attention.

“Edinburgh Leisure is therefore delighted to be working with the Council on this exciting project which could create a new Meadowbank for the city, creating an inspiring and welcoming venue that supports even more people to get active, stay active and achieve more.”

The existing Meadowbank was originally built for Edinburgh’s 1970 Commonwealth Games (

Scottish swimming team, Commonwealth Games 1970. Pictured at the Meadowbank Stadium in Edinburgh

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Gemme on?

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A Green MSP is campaigning for all of Scotland’s qualification football matches to be made available to watch on terrestrial television.

Ahead of Scotland’s game against England on Friday, Alison Johnstone MSP is calling for the SFA to sign a deal with a free-to-air broadcaster to allow more fans to watch Scotland attempt to qualify for a major tournament. Matches involving Gordon Strachan’s team are broadcast exclusively on Sky until 2018.

However, Scotland’s game with the Auld Enemy at Wembley will screen live on STV, but only because of the English FA’s broadcast agreement with sister channel ITV.

Alison Johnstone, health spokesperson for the Scottish Greens and MSP for Lothian, said: “More and more sport is moving to subscription-based TV channels. The BBC lost rights to show the Open golf to Sky and punters wanting to watch European football have to tune in to BT Sport for the Champions League and the Europa League.

“Fans shouldn’t feel like they have to fork out large sums of money to pay for sports channels, nor should they feel the need to cram into a pub to see a game. It’s understandable that the SFA will want to do a deal with the highest bidder, but considering England qualifiers are shown for free on ITV, there’s no reason why Scotland games can’t be shown on one or more terrestrial channel.

“We want children in Scotland to be inspired by the athletes they see on TV and a deal for future qualification matches on terrestrial could help us to produce the next Kenny Dalglish or Denis Law. At very least, it’ll encourage more children to go outside, kick a ball and play with friends.”

Alison, a qualified athletics coach and former competitive runner, added: “Ofcom’s code on designated live sports events rightly lists the World Cup and the European Championship finals as must-show games on territorial TV. It would be better if it was MSPs, rather than MPs, deciding what goes on that list and I suspect many at Holyrood would support free-to-air Scotland games if the ability to do so is devolved.”  Continue reading Gemme on?

Morrisons local derby raises over £1200 for charity

Morrisons Charity Match 1

Sunday 28 August saw the battle of all battles. Morrisons Granton took on Morrisons Ferry Road in a Charity Football match held at The Spartans Football Club’s Ainslie Park Stadium. The result was a victory for Ferry Road – and over £1200 raised for charity! Continue reading Morrisons local derby raises over £1200 for charity

Try table tennis at Leith Victoria

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Been inspired by table tennis at this year’s Rio Olympics and want to have a go? Now you can at Edinburgh Leisure’s Leith Victoria Swim Centre.

The session will be held at the following times of the week in studio 2:

Day Time
Monday 09:00 – 13:00
Wednesday 12.00 – 17:00
Friday 14.30 -17.00
Saturday 12:00 – 17:00
Sunday 13:00 – 19.00

Nicola Duffy, General Manager at Edinburgh Leisure’s Leith Victoria Swim Centre said: “Table tennis is a great way to exercise the body and mind, whilst developing hand co-ordination. A game of table tennis can be surprisingly intense and can really get the heart pumping. It also improves cardiovascular fitness and endurance levels.

“Table tennis is one of the most accessible sports around – it can be played at any level from the Olympics to an impromptu game in your dining room with a line of old videos as a net or indeed at Leith Victoria. We’ve got the equipment and bats and balls. You just need to turn up.”

Table tennis helped end the Cold War. In 1971, a group of US players became the first Americans to visit China since it had become a Communist state in 1949. The trip, which spawned the phrase “ping-pong diplomacy” is often credited with reviving diplomatic relations between the countries.

Booking is recommended for each 60 minute session. Edinburgh Leisure is offering 50% off prices quoted below from 1 September – 1 December.

Cost
Standard £8.10
Discount Card / Members £6.05
65+ & Concession Discount Card £4.90
Junior & Disability Discount Card £4.10
Young Scot (during timeframe) £2.00

To book in for the event contact: Edinburgh Leisure’s Leith Victoria Swim Centre on 0131 555 4728 or visit the reception at Leith.

For further information, visit:  www.edinburghleisure.co.uk

Rangers seek urgent talks following Cup Final report

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Rangers are seeking an urgent meeting with the Scottish Football Association following the publication of the report in trouble at May’s Scottish Cup Final. The Ibrox club believes the report is flawed, and contains ‘factual inaccuracies and contradictions’. 

Continue reading Rangers seek urgent talks following Cup Final report