Falkirk Council: Falkirk Rugby Club could buy Sunnyside Pavilion for £1

Next week’s meeting of Falkirk Council’s executive is expected to agree to transferring ownership of Sunnyside Pavilion in Dorrator Road, Camelon, to Falkirk Rugby Football and Sports Club.

A report to councillors explains that the transfer will help the club transform the dilapidated pavilion with inadequate changing areas into a “multi-purpose community asset”. The club say that it will greatly improve the facilities, particularly for female players and officials.

The club is confident that local rugby participation among women and girls will increase although all players will benefit from the changes. It also intends to encourage wider community access, with local partners able to use the facilities to offer health and wellbeing programmes.

Among the changes will be a new toilet block with disabled access and baby changing facilities, while the building will get new cladding and a more efficient and greener heating system.

The pavilion, which will be operated and maintained by Falkirk Rugby Club, will be made available for use seven days a week on a not-for-profit basis.

Falkirk Council officers who considered the proposal from the club say they have confidence in the club’s ability to manage the asset well.

The club was formed in 1972 and currently leases 11.2 acres of land at Sunnyside playing fields on a long ground lease from the council. It already has its own clubhouse, training areas, stands and pitch facilities.

The report states: “A full assessment of the proposals has concluded that the club have strong leadership, the business plan is comprehensive, viable and sustainable. The transfer of the pavilion will support community empowerment, enable future investment and deliver significant benefits including enhanced provision of sport activities with the associated positive health and wellbeing outcome.”

While the land has been independently valued at £35,000, the council says handing the pavilion over will save it more than £20,000 every year.

The club has secured cash for the project, including Scottish Rugby Union (SRU) funding of £250,000 and £100,000 from sportscotland. It also won public support for its bid to get £146,424 from Falkirk Council’s Community Choices fund.

Transferring ownership to the community is a key part of the council’s Strategic Property Review, and the report admits that if the building was not transferred it is likely it would have been closed altogether.

The proposal will be discussed at Falkirk Council’s executive on Tuesday, June 13 at 10 am in Grangemouth Community Education Unit and will be livestreamed on YouTube.