A PROGRAMME of work on the future of leisure provision in Dunoon and Cowal has been approved, with a council official saying the lifespan of an existing facility is “a moving feast”.
A report had listed several potential sites for a new leisure facility in Dunoon, with questions hanging over the Riverside swim and health centre’s future beyond 2028/29.
A councillor also sought clarity on what timescale would be required to ensure continued leisure provision in the area before the Riverside centre reached the end of its use.
Council officials, and representatives from other parties including liveArgyll and the area’s health and social care partnership, will now assess potential options for future leisure provision. They then aim to report back to councillors in November on a preferred site.
The list of potential sites included land at Dunoon Stadium, Black Park football ground and Dixon Avenue. The report was considered by Argyll and Bute Council’s policy and resources committee at its meeting on Thursday, August 20.
Ross McLaughlin, the council’s head of commercial services, said: “This is a key stage for the future of leisure provision in Dunoon and Cowal. The works in 2025 have looked to extend the operation of the existing building, but there remains a risk beyond 2028/29.
“We will do everything we can to keep the building functioning, but we do need to have the plan ahead. We have been working with the likes of liveArgyll, the health and social care partnership, the NHS and a range of others to look at what the strategic options might be.
“This is not about deciding the way forward; this is about deciding the framework. We hope to bring a report to members in November with the preferred site and model at that stage.”
Councillor Amanda Hampsey (Reform UK, Oban South and the Isles) said: “I very much welcome the work being progressed, and recognise the need for sustainable replacement leisure provision.
“Given the need for continued provision, can officers advise what timetable would be required to ensure provision can be delivered before the existing facility reaches the point where it can no longer operate?
“Given the importance of delivering a sustainable long-term replacement rather than a low-cost short-term option, will [a financial assessment] give sufficient weight to the maintenance and long-term resilience of the facility?”
Mr McLaughlin said: “The purpose of the investment we made in the existing Riverside leisure centre was to extend the lifespan as long as we potentially can.
“At the time of the structural works the prediction was that we could extend it until 2029. It is a bit of a moving feast and I do not think anybody can give absolute certainty of when these repairs can last until.
“We hope to extend it as long as we possibly can. It is not a definitive date and we continue to monitor the structural repairs that have been done. We are trying to bring this forward as soon as we can.”
Jonathan Speed, project manager in commercial services, added: “Our intention is to model over a 40-year period. We are working to understand the terms, but we are monitoring all this pending the report being accepted. We absolutely will look at the life cycle and operation costs.”
A council statement the week prior to the meeting said: “This work is being done in response to significant structural issues that have been identified in the existing Riverside swim and health centre.
“Remedial works carried out by the council are expected to have extended the operational life of the centre. The report notes however that risk increases as the building age increases, so work is being done based on anticipated operational difficulties with the building that are likely to be experienced post 2028/29.”
