Bell's Sports Centre poll results reveal hundreds of Courier readers back heated indoor facility for Perth
Hundreds of Courier readers have voted in favour of reopening Bell's Sports Centre in Perth as a fully heated facility for indoor sports.
More than 90% of people who took part in the poll backed this option.
The future of the popular North Inch complex has been the cause of much public anger in recent months with the local authority proposing the centre be turned into an unheated arena with artificial pitches.
Perth and Kinross Community Sports Network (PKCSN), who represent twelve sporting groups in the area, want the facility reopened as a multi-use indoor sports hall.
They have the backing of at least nine national sporting bodies and more than 3,750 people who have signed a petition.
The campaigners called Perth and Kinross Council's public consultation on Bell's 'misleading' and raised equality concerns over the proposals.
Around 2,000 people responded to the council's consultation with 60% of people voting for an unheated future.
However, campaigners argue that the survey was flawed as the local authority did not give an option for Bell's to be reopened as a heated indoor facility.
The Courier gave our readers that choice.
And the result for the latest survey was a landslide.
As can be seen in the graph, 303 respondents (91.27%) voted in favour of reopening Bell's Sports Centre as a heated indoor facility.
Only 29 people (8.73%) were against the idea.
The Courier made clear in our accompanying debate article the choice between heated and unheated.
As well as voting on our poll, readers also left comments on what they wanted for Bell's.
Every response bar one was in favour of a heated indoor facility.
Louise said: 'It absolutely should be reopened to a heated venue.
'It was a fantastic building and was very much used by the local community and is sorely missed.
'Kids will now be missing out on so many sports because schools can't use the facilities like they once did.
'The council should be ashamed that they made everyone believe the option was closure or an unheated venue.'
Posting as Wroebots, a reader said: 'The sports centre should most certainly be reinstated to its full functionality.
'We were playing badminton on a weekly basis, if not at Bell's, then at the campus.
'Now, as people book for the following week on the day they play, it's impossible to get a court in Perth.
'The multitude of team sports and two player sports the centre offered (beyond football) should be readily available to the city.'
The future of Bell's, along with the much-maligned PH2O proposal for Thimblerow, is set to go before council again next month.
A spokesperson for the local authority said: 'We have met with the Perth and Kinross Community Sports Network and their proposals will be considered as part of our response to the consultation.
'Our plans for Bell's and the new PH20 facility, will, alongside our school estate, cater for sports such as badminton.
'These plans are also informed by the findings of our Leisure Assets Review, which looked at demand and usage across all our facilities in Perth and Kinross, and the available capital budget.'
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