Parents bid to take over Carron gymnastics hall from Falkirk Council

Members of Stenhousemuir Gymnastics Club have come together to make a last-ditch bid to save the centre in Carron through a community asset transfer (CAT).

The group’s chair, Marnie Foster, says that the new committee is confident that they can make the building sustainable – despite the fact that it now looks unlikely that the council will be part of any future arrangements.

At the moment, nearly 1000 participants attend Falkirk Council classes, while around 150 are part of the Stenhousemuir club.

But a proposal going to Falkirk Council next week, suggests that the council wants to press ahead with a plan to move most of its community gymnastic classes to the Mariner Centre in Camelon, with sports development classes going to Larbert High School.

According to the report, this will require “minor works” in each building – including transforming the current squash court in the Mariner Centre.

If the Stenhousemuir club does not take over the centre, the report says, it will be mothballed by October 1.

Those involved were initially reluctant to take on the responsibility of an asset transfer, but when they realised the alternative was that the building would close, they decided they had to go for it.

They believe that it is too good a facility to lose and is so well used that it could be sustainable and even profitable.

The members have developed a five-year business plan that they are confident will mean the venture will survive, even without the council’s involvement.

Marnie said: “We have got quite a strong committee now of parents and coaches and we have now applied to be a charity, which will really help with bills.”

The members hope that the council will reconsider its plans to move and will continue to use the fully equipped gymnastics centre.

Many parents, they say, will find their children at different levels and therefore attending different venues which will make arrangements difficult, or even impossible, for some families.

“I wouldn’t go to the Mariner Centre – it wouldn’t suit me,” said one parent, who has two children at the gymnastics club, and is there on Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday at 5pm.

“The Mariner Centre car park is tiny and the traffic is terrible.”

Falkirk Council says that the building is in poor condition – with backlog maintenance estimated at £554,422 – and moving out will also mean a saving of £69,430.

According to the report, hiring the facilities from the gymnastics club could cost the council around £64,000 a year, which is not budgeted for.

But if the council does go ahead and move out, the committee members are still confident that they can make it work and are investigating lots of funding options.

Marnie points out that one boy who attends the centre travels from Killin because of the facilities they are able to offer, including a full-size floor.

“It’s fully kitted out as a gymnastics facility,” she said.

“But we would also look to improve it – it has been open for a few years now, so we might look to open a gym or perhaps a dance studio.

“There are lots of options.”

The club is holding an open day on Saturday, June 28, 2-4pm, when young gymnasts will be showcasing their skills in addition to lots of games and stalls. Entry is £5.

Falkirk Council will discuss its proposals for gymnastics at a meeting on Thursday, June 26, at 10 am in Grangemouth Community Education Unit, Abbots Road, Grangemouth.