15-05-2025
Volunteers plea to help save Falkirk sports centre facing closure
Determined volunteers want to save Polmont Sports Centre but they need lots of help from the community
A group of volunteers who hope to save a much-loved sports centre from closure by Falkirk Council say it's a case of "use it or lose it".
Polmont Sports Centre will close in October unless the newly formed committee can get some firm bookings and more volunteers to help them move forward with their plans to transform it into a community-run venue.
"It really is a case of 'use it or lose it'", said Dale Esson, who is among the group that was recently formed to save the centre in Polmont, near Falkirk.
The building was scheduled to close in March but there was such a outcry locally that Councillor Gordon Forrest appealed for help to keep it going.
A small group of enthusiastic and determined volunteers have stepped forward, with plans to upgrade the building and perhaps add other facilities, including a coffee machine.
"It's a fantastic asset for the community that we don't want to lose," said Jan Crosthwaite, who plays badminton there.
But the group say that to take their plans forward they desperately need more support and are pleading with members of the community to help in whatever way they feel they can.
They would love to hear from people willing to give up a couple of hours per month to either help operate the centre or fundraise.
They also want to hear from any sports organisation or any group that would like to use the facilities.
There are plans to refurbish and diversify the rooms within the centre, so they would like to hear from any local groups who think they could use it as a venue, particularly on a long-term basis.
At the moment it offers a venue for football, basketball and badminton among various sports.
There are plans, however, to turn the squash court - which is expensive to heat and not well used - into another hall that will generate more income.
In the longer term, they hope to get grants for a more efficient heating system.
But none of it can happen without more support.
Dale said: "We desperately need the residents of Polmont and surrounding areas to support and use this facility or we will lose it."
The building is one of more than 100 properties that will either close or transfer into community ownership as part of Falkirk Council's Strategic Property Review.
In order to take the building on - through a Community Asset Transfer - the members need to be properly constituted and regulated, something they are now in the process of finalising.
As a newly established group, they don't have any funds and are currently applying to as many places as they can for grants.
They also held a car boot sale last weekend to help bring in some much-needed cash as well as raise awareness of the situation.
The event, held in the centre's car park, was well attended with many stalls and a constant stream of customers throughout the afternoon, so the group now intends to make it a monthly event, with the next one on Sunday, June 8, noon - 4pm.
To book a stall, costing £10, call 07306 134652.
