A STATE-of-the-art outdoor games pitch in Moffat is set to open this week after sitting idle for months.
Work on the Park Circle Multi Use Games Area (MUGA) was completed early last year following a 2016 report by the community council which concluded the facility would be of benefit to the town, especially local youngsters, by whom it was requested.
It came complete with secure fencing, lights, and lines to play a range of ball sports, including football, basketball and handball.
However, uncertainty over who bore the responsibility of managing, maintaining and running the MUGA meant the £100,000 installation quickly entered a period of neglect and was barely made use of once built.
Last November community councillors called for urgent action to be taken and complained it had been left to “rot”, blaming Dumfries and Galloway Council which legally owns the SSE-funded asset.
But good news came on Tuesday as Annandale North Councillor Stephen Thompson confirmed that the MUGA is finally opening “imminently, within a matter of days” following discussions with the council.
He said: “The intention is to open the MUGA so that kids can get in after a clean by the council and basically leave it open because the risk has been deemed to be sufficiently low for the age group that’s going to be using them.
“It was a pragmatic decision that the assets manager thought would be appropriate at this time.”
