Call to rebuild town sports centre

The David Keswick Sports Centre was originally earmarked for redevelopment with its absorption into a £30 million Dumfries High School campus including Noblehill Primary.
However, members of the education committee will be recommended next week to scrap the facility in favour of an entire new build.
A report said: “Given the condition of the current building, the works needed to meet the required design life of the asset and the resulting over provision of facilities and consequently higher life cycle costs means this option no longer provides value for money.”
The report points to issues with the building which mean its entire roof would need to be replaced along with its windows.
And a lift would need to be installed to ensure the building complies with disability access legislation.
The sports centre at Marchmount has an athletics track, sports hall, gyms, fitness suite and multi-use games area.
Recommending against option one of a refurbishment, option two of partial demolition, the report recommends option three – a new build.
And committee members will also be recommended on Tuesday to go with a complete new build of Laurieknowe Primary school at an estimated 60-year life cycle cost of £9.9 million.
The report said: “Option three offers a full new build which will achieve the brief and, although more expensive than option two in construction cost terms, offer the best value for money in terms of the whole life costs.”
Stage one of the Learning Town project plans the creation of a North West Dumfries Campus, the redevelopment of St Joseph’s College and the closure of Elmbank, which provides learning to youngsters with emotional and behavioural difficulties.