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New Sports Complex in 2 Years

AMBITIOUS PLANS to build a community and sports complex in Belmont and Ochtrelure in Stranraer have been given a timescale of two years.

The project costing in the region of £3 million won public backing at a meeting on Friday.

And, Sam Scobie, a lead figure in the project's initial stages, made clear how seriously the development was being considered.

He told the meeting "In my opinion, although I have been told that this is ambitious, I would like to see this project have a timescale of 18 months to two years".

The 'Free Press' revealed a fortnight ago the plans to develop an area of Ochtrelure next to the playing fields and turn it into a complex with an indoor bowling rink, a football pitch with stadium and a community facility. Now, the first four members of a new Stranraer Millennium Trust have been selected with more to follow.

Davie Sproat said on Friday "It has always been our aspirations to have a community centre in this area".

It would be designed to serve all the groups in the community and he appealed to the public to get behind and support the venture.

"We will have a centre that will be the envy of not only other areas but also the rest of Scotland", he said.

Bowling convener on the project Alex Hanlin added "It would be a shame if this went past because it really is the best chance that we have to get it".

Architect of the project Bob Chalmers outlined what was planned and said that by bringing the three individual sides of the project together - community, bowling and football - it would save around £1 million.

He said "The idea is to maximise the income to make sure the building keeps going.

"This is not a white elephant and no-one is going to throw £3 million at this if it will not stand up on its own two feet".