Fund boost for gym at Inverness leisure centre
Register for free to read more of the latest local news. It's easy and will only take a moment.
High Life Highland has secured £37,404 of National Lottery funding to help create a state-of-the-art strength and conditioning space at Inverness leisure.
Work will start next week to vastly improve the existing area which originally benefited from 2014 Commonwealth Games legacy equipment.
The new area will be around four times the size and will include six weightlifting platforms and racks, complete with Olympic bumper weights and a conditioning area with cardio and resistance equipment. The icing on the cake will be new performance impact flooring throughout, which incorporates a 20m agility turf runway.
Chief executive Steve Walsh said: “I am delighted that our partnership with sportscotland has once again been successful in providing funding to improve what is on offer for our members and local athletes. I have competed as a weightlifter and powerlifter all over the world and can say with confidence that this facility will be the match of any I have seen, it really is a quantum leap for sports development in the Highlands.
“The investment underpins our philosophy of offering opportunities for participation at an affordable price and our commitment to provide training facilities for elite young athletes in the Highlands.”
The new facility will be available for an additional 86 hours a week, providing more opportunities for quality strength and conditioning training for High Life members of all standards, performance athletes and clubs. High Life Highland staff will be undergoing specialist training.
Mr Walsh continued: “I am particularly pleased that we are able to improve our offering at a time when our members are looking to be able to train through the winter months in a Covid-safe environment. The additional space means that athletes and members can train in a purpose-built, superbly equipped facility that is conducive to social distancing.”
As part of the partnership, 36 sportscotland institute of sport and Highland performance development programme athletes will get free access.
Stewart Harris, chief executive of sportscotland, said: “This is a great example of a project which will offer real benefits to aspiring athletes, clubs and the wider local community, enabling them to lead more active lives.
“That’s why we were delighted to make this investment of £37,404 of National Lottery funding as part of our package of support for sport and physical activity in Highland. We have worked in partnership with High Life Highland to plan a facility that will reduce the need for athletes to travel for training.”
