Liz Smith, Scottish Conservative MSP for Mid Scotland & Fife and Shadow Minister for Sport has called for a 50 metre pool to be included in the proposed PH2O project.
The £25 million PH2O project on the site of Perth Leisure Pool will have state-of-the-art swimming pools, an ice rink, gym, health suite and an external adventure play zone, in what has been described as a “21st-Century flagship” for the city.
At the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow 44 Scottish athletes made the grade for the Aquatics Squad with the athletes delivering 10 medals in the pool.
Liz Smith, Scottish Conservative MSP for Mid Scotland & Fife and Shadow Minister for Sport said:
“I fully support the proposed PH2O project. The project represents a great opportunity to develop a first class sports facility for the people of Perth & Kinross and beyond.
“Following the success of team Scotland this year at the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow and the UK Team at the Olympic Games in London in 2012 focus has shifted to how we develop the facilities to increase access to sports and training facilities for our future sporting talent.
“Those athletes who did so well in swimming in 2014 have consistently made the point of the need from 50 metre pools in Scotland.
“Scotland currently has just two Olympic Size swimming pools in Aberdeen and Glasgow with 50 metre polls also located in Edinburgh and Stirling. All these facilities are currently at capacity and the development of a 50 meter pool in Perth would provide a central training facility.
“I have written to the PH2O project to ask for consideration to be given to including a 50 metre swimming pool within the proposals.
“Although the New Olympia in Dundee will be able to be converted into a 50 metre swimming pool the creation of a similar facility would clearly provide another more local training facility for Mid Scotland & Fife.”